We knew this was coming. I predicted it long ago and mentioned it last week. Free agency in college football is a way of life and we will have star players entering the transfer portal without a coach change and for no other reason than to drive their Name, Image and Likeness value up. That’s what could be happening with Pitt wide receiver Jordan Addison.
Last year’s Biletnikoff winner, Addison has been rumored to be thinking of entering the transfer portal with a contingent deal with USC on the table. This is all sorts of wrong when looking at potential tampering and how boosters and teams aren’t supposed to be involved in this process, but from a NIL standpoint — have at it son.
Addison had 100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns last season and is my No. 2 receiver behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba for next season. Pitt is a fine school but not a great college football market. Neither is LA, but LA comes with so much else when it comes to money opportunities.
Part of me hopes this isn’t true. I like the parity of talent in some respects of college football. I like Pitt, a middling program amongst the powers in college football, boasting one of the best players in college football. This could change things. QB Caleb Williams jumped into the portal after a very promising freshman season at Oklahoma and that was considered a free agency move. But his coach left and he followed him. He had a reason. There is no other reason for Addison than money. His NFL Draft status will be as high as ever if he stays at Pitt, he’s just that talented. And he has never appeared to be unhappy.
We knew this would happen and it will happen more. Addison’s status is still up in the air but the new NCAA president has to look at this situation if it happens and determine if this is good for college football. It’s great for Addison, but college football will suffer. And that’s never good.
