A decade ago Texas A&M quarterback Kyle Allen, a former five-star recruit, opted to transfer after starting nine games as a sophomore. He wouldn't play again until the 2017 season due to the NCAA's transfer rules, which forced non-graduate transfers to sit out a year in residence.
Flash forward 10 years, and seven of the top eight quarterbacks from the 2023 class have already transferred in an era where the NCAA's transfer restrictions are virtually nonexistent, and the NIL deals are skyrocketing. All were eligible to play immediately.
The dissidence between Allen's year away and those like Malachi Nelson (USC to Boise State to UTEP) transferring every offseason of their career underscores the reality of the transfer portal era.