Because of the current transfer portal system and the ongoing NIL landscape, athletes can now earn a healthy amount of money early by signing with a top-tier college. This has created huge problems for mid-level and smaller programs trying to acquire top-tier talent.
NFL stars Julian Edelman and Josh Duhamel recently highlighted North Dakota State University (NDSU) as one of the schools impacted badly by this shift in college football.
Why Julian Edelman and Josh Duhamel Believe NIL Is Hurting Small-School Football Programs
NFL stars Julian Edelman and Josh Duhamel are speaking up about the growing impact of NIL deals and the transfer portal on college football. During a recent episode of the “Games With Names” podcast, Duhamel opened up about how these changes are making it harder for smaller programs like North Dakota State University (NDSU) to hold on to talent.
“We’re developing a show based on all this stuff. It was called QB Gambit, focused on the quarterback position,” Duhamel said. “We could do spin-offs on the receiver position or other roles, because there’s money out there. But the way these quarterbacks move around changes the trajectory—not only for their career but for their school and conference.”
As a proud NDSU fan, Duhamel explained how one high-profile transfer can create a domino effect. He pointed to Caleb Williams transferring to Oklahoma, which forced Spencer Rattler to move to South Carolina. Then Williams left for USC, pushing Jaxson Dart to Ole Miss. One move can shake up the whole college football map.
Duhamel didn’t hold back when talking about how schools like NDSU are being hit hardest by these changes. He added, “But you know, for schools like NDSU, who really get hurt by this NIL, this transfer portal thing.. so they’re like the Alabama was for all those years. They’ve won like eight of last 10 national championships.”
He also reminded listeners of NDSU’s track record of developing quarterbacks. Their second-leading rusher, Carson Wentz, along with Trey Lance, Easton Stick, and Cam Miller, have all gone to the league in recent years. They may not be superstars, but getting there is tough.
Edelman also added that college football is starting to resemble professional football, where money plays a bigger role in player decisions. “It’s just Pro Football now. It’s crazy,” he said.
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Duhamel’s concerns reflect a growing trend: smaller programs, even dominant ones like NDSU, are struggling to compete in this new era of college football. While schools with strong NIL backing are thriving and stockpiling talent. And nobody has the answer on how to get rid of this problem.
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