Brace yourselves because changes are coming.
The NCAA is advancing the proposed age-based eligibility concept after the Division I Board of Directors directed the Division I Cabinet to continue the process.
In its current form, student-athletes would have five years of eligibility beginning the academic year after they turn 19 or graduate from high school, whichever happens earlier. Athletes would eligible to play for five seasons.
To put it simply, once an athlete graduates high school they’ll have five years to play five seasons.
NEWS: NCAA President Charlie Baker told ESPN today that he’s “pretty optimistic” that the new aged-based eligibility proposal will happen. The DI Board of Directors met today and will recommend to not implement this rule retroactively for graduates/exhausted eligibility. “If… pic.twitter.com/wZJVl5aV9I
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 27, 2026
The bigger piece of news, somewhat buried, is that this change in eligibility would not be applied retroactively. From the NCAA press release, “Maintain existing rules — allowing four seasons of competition in five years of eligibility — for student-athletes competing in the 2025-26 academic year; new rules are not expected to retroactively apply to student-athletes whose eligibility is or will be completed by the spring of 2026.”
So, for example, Diego Pounds or Zxavian Harris wouldn’t be able to gain another year of eligibility even though he played only four seasons.
The DI Board of Directors directed the DI Cabinet to continue work on the age-based, 5-year eligibility concept.
Big note: Players who exhausted eligibility this year under current rules – even those 4-year seniors – will not receive an additional/5th season. Not retroactive.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) April 27, 2026
“The time is now to reform the period of eligibility rules to provide Division I student-athletes and our schools clear and consistent standards that align with current college athletes’ experiences,” said Tim Sands, president at Virgina Tech and chair of the board. “The board fully supports student-athletes receiving the unprecedented financial benefits now available to them and emphasized these changes would protect opportunities for high school student-athletes to access the benefits only college sports can provide, while delivering predictable outcomes for student-athletes and our schools.”
“The new age-based model produced by the Cabinet and discussed by the board today is a great step forward in simplifying and stabilizing college sports, especially football. In addition to clearly defining an age range of college players, it allows student-athletes to compete over the entirety of their eligibility period,” Sam Edwards, a football student-athlete at Michigan State and member of the board said.
“This makes a world of sense in football for coaches and players alike, especially in the context of roster limits, where coaches can now use their entire roster without worrying about ‘saving’ a subset of players for redshirts. In a sport where many young players come in ready to contribute to varying degrees and in different phases of the game, this new eligibility landscape will be good for the game,”
Two weeks ago, Ole Miss coach Pete Golding was asked about his thoughts on the eligibility rule change.
“It’s been talked about for a long time, so we’ll see if it happens,” Golding said. “I think the concept makes sense. It allows guys to develop without constantly worrying about redshirt decisions. I’m sure there are legal considerations involved, but from a developmental standpoint, it’s a good idea.”
The Division I Cabinet is scheduled to meet in May where this proposal will likely continue on the path to becoming the new rule.
