Home CFB Insights No More National Letter of Intent (NLI) As Colossal College Football Changes Continue

No More National Letter of Intent (NLI) As Colossal College Football Changes Continue

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No More National Letter of Intent (NLI) As Colossal College Football Changes Continue
Basha quarterback Demond Williams signs his letter of intent to play for University of Arizona during the NLI signing at Basha High School in Chandler on Dec. 20, 2023.

As college football careers toward a revenue-share model amidst a myriad of moves that have dramatically changed the landscape of amateur sports, a staple of the recruiting process has been abolished. The National Letter of Intent (NLI) has been a standard of the sport since 1964, but it will be no more according to reports on Wednesday.

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NLI Abolished in Another Major College Football Move

The NCAA Division I council has voted to abolish the National Letter of Intent (NLI) program.

The council approved the major change to the structure of college football recruiting on Wednesday, as the sport veers away from amateurism into a no-mans land between true amateur athletics and an employment model similar to the professional game.

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Previously, the NLI provided a legally binding agreement between student-athletes and schools. Once signed, it prevented other programs from contacting the player, in theory providing reassurance that a player would come and play for your school.

In return, the program was legally bound to “provide athletic financial aid for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).”

Instead of the existing NLI program, schools and student-athletes will sign financial aid and scholarship agreements. Recent changes to NCAA regulations increased the number of scholarships each college football program can offer to 105 “full-ride” opportunities.

Previously, teams featured a maximum of 85 scholarship players, with the rest of the program featuring walk-ons.

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As the transfer portal, revenue-sharing, and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation shake up the foundation of college football, the NLI program in its existing format has become obsolete. Finding a different solution to the National Letter of Intent program had been discussed at length during the offseason.

Now, its demise has come to fruition. That said, some elements of the NLI are set to remain.

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Oliver Hodgkinson
Oliver Hodgkinson is the Sports Insights Manager for Pro Football Network Inc. Working for the company since January 2021, he strives to produce insightful and engaging content across Pro Football & Sports Network and College Sports Network, with a specialty in college football. The only thing he enjoys more than seeing a 60-yard field goal or a punt downed inside the five-yard line is telling the stories of the individuals behind the helmet, whether that is for student-athletes or professionals. Since joining the company, Oliver has worked on NFL Draft coverage plus NFL fantasy and betting analysis, before dedicating multiple years to producing exceptional college football analysis for our College Sports Network platform. His player analysis, team rankings, and in-depth, one-on-one player interviews have featured on content produced by college football programs across the nation. Recently, he has also introduced news and analysis content on endurance racing, focusing on the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans event.