Impact of NCAA Rulings on NIL, Walk-Ons, and the Transfer Portal in College Athletics

The NCAA’s evolving policies on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), transfer rules, and roster management have significantly altered the college sports landscape. College athletes today navigate a rapidly changing environment shaped by recent NCAA rulings on NIL rights, enhanced transfer mobility through the transfer portal, and new limitations affecting walk-on players. These changes have expanded opportunities for student-athletes to monetize their talents and move between schools, while also introducing challenges in roster competition and scholarship availability. This paper examines how these NCAA policy shifts have impacted student-athletes’ scholarship prospects and competitive opportunities, and explores the role of the Independent Collegiate Athletic Association (ICAA) in providing alternative pathways. The ICAA has emerged as a platform for athlete development, helping those affected by NIL, walk-on, and transfer policies to pursue a college education and high-level competition. The discussion is organized into an overview of NCAA rulings on NIL, walk-ons, and the transfer portal, followed by an analysis of the ICAA’s mission and its support for athlete development, and concludes with recommendations for future collegiate sports policies.

NCAA Rulings on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)\

ncaa.org

In July 2021, the NCAA enacted a landmark change by suspending its long-held restrictions on student-athlete endorsement deals, allowing college athletes “to benefit from their name, image and likeness” for the first timencaa.org. This interim NIL policy, adopted across all NCAA divisions, permits student-athletes to earn compensation from endorsements, sponsorships, personal businesses, and other ventures without jeopardizing their eligibility. The immediate impact was dramatic: thousands of athletes nationwide began profiting from NIL opportunities as of July 1, 2021athleticbusiness.com. The new NIL era has been “life changing” for many athletes who previously could not capitalize on their marketability. For example, college stars can now sign advertising deals, and even athletes in non-revenue sports or smaller programs can monetize social media followings or local partnerships.

One significant outcome of NIL freedom is the benefit extended to walk-on players – those not on scholarship who traditionally pay their own way. In some cases, booster-funded NIL deals have effectively covered walk-ons’ tuition, thus expanding their support. A notable case is at Brigham Young University (BYU), where a local company, Built Brands, struck a groundbreaking NIL agreement in 2021 to provide compensation to all 123 members of the football team and pay full tuition for the team’s 36 walk-ons. BYU’s head coach Kalani Sitake praised this arrangement, emphasizing how it fulfilled his wish that “every player on his roster could enjoy the benefit of a scholarship,” turning that hope into reality for walk-ons through private NIL funding. Such deals illustrate how NIL rulings have opened new financial aid avenues: walk-ons, who were once entirely self-funded, can now receive sponsor money to cover educational costs in exchange for promotional activities (e.g. wearing sponsor logos in practice and social media engagement). In effect, NIL policies have partly mitigated scholarship limitations by leveraging external funds to support more athletes.

However, the NIL era also brings challenges. The influx of booster involvement and endorsement money has raised concerns about competitive balance and recruiting inducements. Some schools and states have differing regulations on NIL, creating a patchwork of rules. Despite these concerns, the consensus is that NIL rights empower student-athletes and address longstanding equity issues. Athletes are now essentially freer to market themselves like professionals while still in college, which can help them gain business experience and financial literacy alongside their education. Overall, the NCAA’s NIL ruling has reshaped the college sports landscape by granting athletes new economic opportunities and thereby influencing their college choices and experiences.

Above: BYU football announces an NIL partnership with Built Brands in 2021, providing all players – including walk-ons – with compensation and covering walk-ons’ tuition universe.byu.edu. Such NIL deals demonstrate how recent NCAA policy changes have created new scholarship-like opportunities for athletes outside of traditional athletic scholarships.

The Transfer Portal and Increased Athlete Mobility

In addition to NIL changes, the NCAA overhauled its transfer policies, fundamentally changing how student-athletes move between programs. In October 2018, the NCAA introduced the Transfer Portal, an online database that streamlined the transfer process and empowered athletes to explore opportunities at other schools. Under the new rule, Division I athletes could transfer to a different school and receive a scholarship without needing permission from their current coach or institution

. This eliminated the previous “permission-to-contact” barrier that often limited athlete transfers. The portal system brought transparency to transfers—once athletes entered their name, other coaches could openly recruit them—fostering a more player-centric process.

Further reform came in April 2021, when the NCAA approved a one-time transfer exception for all Division I athletes. Starting in the 2021–22 academic year, players transferring for the first time were allowed to compete immediately at their new school without sitting out for a year

. This one-time immediate eligibility rule, ratified by the Division I Board of Directors, was hailed as a “game-changing measure” that gave athletes greater freedom of movement comparable to free agency si.com. In combination, the portal and the one-time transfer rule have led to an unprecedented flow of athletes between colleges. Student-athletes who are unsatisfied with playing time, coaching changes, or any number of factors can seek a better fit more easily than before.

The impact on competitive balance and scholarships has been significant. Athletes now have more leverage to find programs that offer scholarships or starting positions, rather than remaining stuck on a depth chart. For example, a backup quarterback at a powerhouse program can transfer to a smaller school where he might start, thus utilizing his four years of eligibility more fully. Likewise, a player who outperforms expectations at a lower level can transfer up to a Division I program and earn a scholarship spot. Coaches, in turn, actively recruit from the portal to fill immediate roster needs, sometimes preferring an experienced transfer over an incoming freshman. This dynamic has made roster management more fluid; scholarships that open up due to outgoing transfers can be quickly offered to incoming transfers.

There are, however, cautionary notes. With the ease of transferring, some athletes enter the portal and fail to find a new team, risking their scholarship and academic progress. The portal’s popularity means fierce competition for available roster spots. Additionally, coaches must re-recruit their own players to prevent them from leaving, and team cohesion can be tested by annual roster turnover. Overall, the transfer portal and accompanying rule changes have empowered student-athletes with greater choice and bargaining power, but they also demand careful navigation to ensure academic and athletic success. The new transfer landscape emphasizes that athletes have opportunities to seek the best scholarship and playing situations for themselves, reflecting a shift toward player agency in college sports.

Walk-On Athletes and New Scholarship Limitations

Walk-on athletes—players who are not on athletic scholarship—have long been integral to college sports, filling out rosters and often practicing with little fanfare for the love of the game. Traditionally, NCAA rules cap the number of athletic scholarships per team (for instance, 85 scholarships in Division I FBS football), but not the total roster size, allowing additional players to join as walk-ons. These non-scholarship players often hope to earn a scholarship later or simply contribute to the team’s success. Recent developments, however, have put the spotlight on how policy changes might threaten walk-on opportunities even as other changes (like NIL) benefit them.

A crucial issue emerged from the House v. NCAA antitrust lawsuit settlement in 2024–25, which addressed the NCAA’s past restrictions on NIL. As part of the proposed $2.8 billion settlement for athletes denied NIL earnings in previous years, the NCAA agreed to a provision that could alter roster construction. Schools opting into the settlement’s benefits would be allowed to directly pay athletes up to $20.5 million for their NIL (a revolutionary step of schools themselves paying athletes), but in return, those schools would be subject to new roster size limits. While these roster caps would expand the number of scholarships a school can offer (effectively converting some walk-on spots into funded scholarships), they would also limit the total team size by sharply reducing or eliminating unpaid walk-on positionsksl.com.

The impact of such roster limits is projected to be severe for walk-ons across many sports. An Associated Press analysis estimated that over 10,000 roster spots could be lost, mostly in “non-revenue” Olympic sports, if the caps are implemented, “because the limits will restrict the number of walk-ons allowed on the teams.”

For example, a college soccer team that might carry 30 players (with perhaps 14 on scholarship and 16 walk-ons) could be forced to cap the roster at a lower number, meaning many walk-ons would be cut or never recruited. Indeed, families have already reported athletes being informed that they will “no longer have a roster spot” due to these impending limits, a development that runs counter to the NCAA’s mission of broad athletic participationksl.com. In essence, while the settlement’s direct-pay element is a win for compensating athletes, the roster cap trade-off could shrink participation opportunities for those athletes who typically compete without scholarship.

This looming change has prompted calls for creative solutions to preserve walk-on opportunities. Some experts have suggested the creation of expanded practice squads or non-travel roster designations to allow walk-ons to continue training with teams even if they do not count toward official roster limit. Maintaining avenues for walk-ons is crucial, as these players often develop into key contributors over time or provide depth that is invaluable during injuries. They also represent an important pathway for late-blooming talent; many former walk-ons have risen to stardom or earned scholarships after proving themselves. The NCAA’s challenge moving forward is to balance the laudable goal of compensating athletes with the need to “preserve opportunities” for all players, including those initially overlookedletsrun.com. The uncertainty around walk-on roles makes alternative avenues, like those offered by the ICAA, increasingly significant for athletes seeking to compete and earn scholarships outside the traditional NCAA framework.

The Role of the Independent Collegiate Athletic Association (ICAA)

As NCAA policies evolve, not all student-athletes find themselves benefitting equally. Some may lose roster spots due to scholarship caps, others might not secure scholarships or significant playing time in the ultra-competitive transfer market, and many graduating high school athletes may be left without offers as colleges shift focus to transfers. The Independent Collegiate Athletic Association (ICAA) has emerged as an alternative platform to support these athletes. Founded in 2022, the ICAA is a non-profit governing body for independent college athletics in the United States, specifically serving colleges and universities that are not part of the NCAA, NAIA, or other established associations. Its mission is to “provide a pathway to higher education through athletics” and to promote the personal, academic, and athletic growth of student-athletes at independent institutionsijcaa.org. In essence, the ICAA aims to expand college sports participation by organizing competitive opportunities for schools and athletes outside the traditional NCAA system.

The ICAA provides a structured environment where member colleges and universities compete in sports like football and basketball, holding their own championships and conferences. Many ICAA member schools are small faith-based or community colleges concentrated in regions like the Southeast and Texas. These institutions often have limited resources or new athletic programs that would struggle to meet NCAA membership requirements; the ICAA gives them an avenue to field teams and gain recognition. More importantly, from the athlete’s perspective, the ICAA offers opportunities for a college education and high-level competition to those who might otherwise be sidelined. An athlete who was cut from an NCAA roster or never recruited can enroll at an ICAA member college, continue to play their sport, and pursue an education. The ICAA emphasizes academic development alongside athletics, reinforcing that athletes can “thrive academically” while competing. Member schools must be accredited or state-licensed and offer degree programs, ensuring that participants are indeed working toward college degrees. By keeping students enrolled and on the field, the ICAA fulfills its core mission of using athletics as a pathway to higher education.

Athlete Development and Pathway to NCAA Opportunities

A key promise of the ICAA is its role as a platform for athlete development and visibility. For student-athletes, especially those affected by the new NCAA policies, the ICAA can serve as a proving ground to improve skills, gain game experience, and showcase talent to larger programs. Much like junior colleges and other small-college leagues have historically fed players to NCAA universities, the ICAA is positioning itself as a springboard. Athletes competing in the ICAA face a mix of competition – ICAA teams often schedule games against NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA junior varsity teams, and each other. This level of competition is significant enough to facilitate player growth. A standout performer in the ICAA can draw the attention of NCAA scouts or coaches looking to bolster their rosters. Because ICAA athletes maintain college eligibility, they are free to transfer to NCAA programs if the opportunity arises, similar to any other college transfer.

The environment within the ICAA is geared toward giving “every athlete has the chance to shine—no matter where they come from,” as the association proclaims. By expanding access and building a community focused on player development, the ICAA helps athletes refine their abilities on the field while also adjusting to college academics and life. This can be particularly beneficial for late bloomers or those who needed additional time to develop physically or technically. Instead of languishing on the bench at a Division I school or leaving sport entirely, such a player might star in an ICAA program, then leverage that success into a scholarship offer from an NCAA Division I or II team. In this way, the ICAA functions as a talent pipeline: its top athletes can graduate or transfer with the experience and exposure necessary to succeed at the NCAA level.

Moreover, the ICAA’s support extends beyond just competition. The association advocates for its athletes and member schools, ensuring they have resources like coaching development and compliance guidance. This supportive framework means that an athlete in the ICAA is not in a dead-end situation; rather, they are in a nurturing, competitive setting that values their growth. The success stories of athletes moving up from the ICAA to NCAA programs are likely to increase as the association matures. Early indications show that coaches at four-year universities are paying attention to this new pool of talent, especially as traditional recruiting evolves in the NIL and transfer portal era.

In summary, the ICAA fills an important niche in the college sports ecosystem. It catches those athletes who might fall through the cracks of the NCAA’s evolving system—whether due to scholarship caps, transfer logjams, or recruiting misses—and gives them a platform to continue their athletic and academic careers. By doing so, it not only benefits the individuals involved but also the broader sports landscape, as it keeps more young people in higher education and sport. The ICAA’s approach of combining competition, education, and development aligns well with the future needs of collegiate athletics, where flexibility and inclusivity will be paramount.

The recent NCAA rulings on NIL, walk-ons, and the transfer portal have undeniably transformed collegiate athletics. Name, Image, and Likeness freedoms have empowered student-athletes to earn income and have even been leveraged to support walk-ons with pseudo-scholarships, marking a new era of athlete rights and benefits. The transfer portal and one-time transfer rule have increased athlete mobility, allowing players greater control over their destinies and creating a more dynamic and fluid competitive environment. At the same time, the unintended consequences of these changes—such as the potential reduction of walk-on roster spots due to settlement-driven scholarship limits—highlight the need for careful policy fine-tuning.

Moving forward, the NCAA and its member institutions should seek a balance that preserves broad participation. Recommendations: The NCAA could consider establishing formal practice squad rosters or expanded JV teams to accommodate walk-ons who may be cut by roster caps, ensuring those students still have a path to participate and develop. Additionally, continued oversight of NIL activities is necessary to prevent abuse, but any future rules should keep the core principle of athlete benefit intact. For transfer policies, setting reasonable transfer windows or academic requirements can help smooth the process and encourage students to complete degrees, while still allowing mobility.

The rise of the Independent Collegiate Athletic Association underscores the importance of providing alternative routes for athlete success. The NCAA should view organizations like the ICAA not as competitors, but as partners in the mission to educate and develop young athletes. In fact, collaboration or dialogue between NCAA and ICAA could further expand opportunities – for example, agreeing to scouting combines or transfer fairs that connect ICAA athletes with NCAA programs. For the ICAA, maintaining academic integrity and competitive standards will be key to its credibility as a feeder system. Scholarships and resources in the ICAA should continue to grow so that it remains a viable option for those who need it.

In conclusion, the collegiate sports landscape is in a period of rapid evolution. NCAA policy shifts on NIL, transfers, and roster management have given student-athletes more power and opportunity than ever before, but they also demand new strategies to ensure no athlete is left behind. The ICAA’s emergence is a positive development, providing a safety net and launch pad for athletes chasing their dreams of a college education and athletic career. By embracing innovation and prioritizing student-athlete welfare – whether through improved NCAA policies or supportive alternative associations – the collegiate athletics system can create a more inclusive and fair environment. Such an environment will help all student-athletes, from five-star recruits to walk-ons, maximize their potential on the field and in the classroom, ultimately enriching the future of college sports.

Sources:

NCAA Media Center – NIL Policy Adoption - ncaa.org
Athletic Business – NIL Deal for BYU Walk-Ons - athleticbusiness.com
BYU Universe – Built Brands Walk-On Tuition Announcement - universe.byu.edu
NCAA Media Center – Transfer Portal Introduction - ncaa.org
NCAA Media Center – One-Time Transfer Eligibility- ncaa.org
Associated Press (via KSL) – House v. NCAA Settlement Roster Limits - ksl.com
Independent Collegiate Athletic Association – Mission and History - ijcaa.org
Reddit (r/CFB) – ICAA Formation and Membership Details - reddit.com