From Friday Night Lights to the Transfer Portal: How College Sports Recruiting Became the Wild West

Kelsey Hull
2 days ago
3 min read

Once upon a time (roughly 10–15 years ago), the formula for playing college sports was simple:

Work hard in high school
Play well on Friday nights or in packed gyms
Go to a few camps
Get recruited
Sign
Live happily ever after

Today?

That formula has been replaced with something closer to:

Work hard
Make a highlight tape
Post it on Twitter/X
DM 47 coaches
Get ghosted
Watch a 24-year-old transfer take “your” spot
Consider JUCO
Repeat

Welcome to modern recruiting.

Back in the Day: When High School Athletes Actually Got Recruited

Not that long ago, college coaches actually had time to:

Drive to high school games
Sit in uncomfortable bleachers
Watch players develop
Recruit freshmen and sophomores

Crazy, right?

They believed in potential. They signed kids knowing they might not play right away. They invested in development. Redshirting was normal. Patience existed.

In other words: high school athletes mattered.

Enter the Transfer Portal: College Sports’ Version of Amazon Prime

In 2018, the NCAA introduced the Transfer Portal. In theory, it was a great idea:

“Let athletes have more freedom and control.”

In reality, it became:

“Two-Day Shipping for Roster Upgrades.”

Why wait three years for a freshman to develop when you can just order a junior who already knows the system?

Need a point guard? Portal. Need a quarterback? Portal. Need a center? Portal. Need confidence? Portal.

It’s shopping season every year.

Why Coaches Love the Portal (And High School Kids Don’t)

From a coach’s perspective, the portal is amazing.

They get:

Game-tested athletes
Film against real competition
Proof that the player can survive college sports

No guessing. No “maybe.” No “he’ll grow.”

Just receipts.

From a high school athlete’s perspective?

It’s like showing up to a job interview and competing against someone who already worked there.

Good luck.

Scholarships: Now Featuring “While Supplies Last”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

There are only so many scholarships.

And now they’re being handed out like this:

Portal guy ✔️Portal guy ✔️Portal guy ✔️Portal guy ✔️High school senior: “So… uh…?”

Most programs still recruit high school athletes, but fewer than before.

Many freshmen now get:

Partial scholarships
Preferred walk-on spots
“We’ll see” offers
Or the classic: “Let’s stay in touch.”

(Translation: “Call us if everyone transfers.”)

JUCO: The Scenic Route to College Sports

JUCO used to be Plan B.

Now, it’s more like Plan A½.

Didn’t get recruited enough? Portal took your spot? Need more film?

Welcome to junior college.

JUCO is where athletes go to:

Grow
Develop
Prove themselves
Survive bus rides longer than most road trips

And now, with eligibility rules shifting and waivers flying around like confetti, JUCO players often re-enter recruiting with momentum.

Which means…

They’re also competing with you.

So Now High School Athletes Compete With:

Let’s count.

You’re competing against:

✔ Seniors from your class✔ Recruits from last year✔ JUCO sophomores✔ Redshirt freshmen✔ Fifth-year seniors✔ Graduate transfers✔ Former starters who “need a fresh start”

Basically: Everyone.

From ages 17 to 25.

Hope you brought snacks.

The Rise of “Postgrad,” “Prep,” and “One More Year”

Because of all this chaos, more athletes are doing:

Postgraduate years
Prep academies
Gap years
Reclasses

Not because they’re lazy.

Because they’re trying to survive the system.

They’re buying time.

They’re building resumes.

They’re upgrading their “athletic résumé” like it’s LinkedIn.

The Mental Side: Welcome to Anxiety University

Recruiting used to be stressful.

Now it’s Olympic-level stressful.

High school athletes deal with:

Being ignored online
Watching teammates commit first
Seeing “Offers” posts everywhere
Feeling behind
Wondering if they’re good enough

All while trying to pass Algebra.

Fun.

The Big Shift: “Develop” vs. “Deliver”

Old model:

“We’ll develop you.”

New model:

“Can you help us win by September?”

That’s it.

That’s the shift.

Coaches are under pressure. Jobs depend on wins. Wins depend on experience. Experience lives in the portal.

So, development takes a back seat.

The Good News (Yes, There Is Some)

Despite everything…

High school athletes still get recruited.

They still get scholarships.

They still make it.

But the ones who succeed today usually:

✔ Market themselves✔ Communicate early✔ Build relationships✔ Stay realistic✔ Stay patient✔ Keep improving

Talent alone isn’t enough anymore.

You need strategy.

Final Thoughts: Adapt or Get Left on Read

The transfer portal and JUCO changes didn’t “ruin” recruiting.

They changed it.

Forever.

Today’s path looks like this:

High School → Maybe College → Maybe Transfer → Maybe JUCO → Maybe Transfer → Maybe Starting → Maybe Pro → Definitely Life

It’s messy.

It’s unpredictable.

It’s frustrating.

But it’s also opportunity—if you understand it.

So, if you’re a high school athlete chasing college sports in 2026 and beyond:

Work hard. Get good grades. Make great film. Talk to coaches. Be patient. Don’t panic. Don’t quit.

And remember:

Someone else’s transfer is someone else’s opportunity.

Make sure you’re ready when it shows up.

Written by: Kelsey Hull