If you’ve been following college football news, you might be scratching your head, wondering why players are still switching teams even though the spring transfer window officially shut on April 25. Don’t worry—you’re not missing anything. There’s a lot of nuance to how the transfer portal works in practice.
Why Are Players Still Transferring After the Portal Window Closed?
The spring window, from April 16 to April 25 for the 2025 cycle, marked the official period when undergraduate players could enter the portal to become eligible for the upcoming season.
But as we’re seeing, the end of the window doesn’t mean the end of player movement. Let’s break down what’s happening with these post-deadline transfers.
Why College Football Transfers Continue Long After the Portal Window Closes
There are several legitimate reasons we’re still seeing players transfer after the official deadline passed. Graduate transfers are the biggest workaround, operating like free agents who can enter the portal whenever possible.
Having earned their bachelor’s degrees, these players get to play by different rules entirely. They can decide in June that they want a change of scenery and make it happen without waiting for the next official window.
Then there’s the coaching carousel effect. When a head coach packs his bags (whether voluntarily or not), his players get a 30-day emergency exit pass into the portal, regardless of the calendar date.
This special provision acknowledges that coaching changes fundamentally alter the program a player committed to, as we saw when players moved after recent coaching changes.
Don’t forget about simple paperwork delays either. Some players submit their transfer intentions right at the deadline, but their paperwork sits in an administrative queue for days.
Walk-ons and non-scholarship players often have more flexibility, too, while academic or financial loose ends can create additional delays in processing transfers. All these factors contribute to the steady stream of transfer news well after the window “closes.”
Players Already in the Portal Have Time To Decide Their Next Move
Here’s another critical point—players who entered the portal before April 25 aren’t required to commit to a new school immediately. They can take their time weighing options, visiting campuses, and talking with potential programs before making decisions.
As CBS Sports pointed out, “Prospects already in the portal can also take their time making a decision, as the next recruiting dead period does not start until May 25.” This extended timeline explains why we continue to see commitment announcements rolling weeks after the window closes.
Some high-profile transfers have already found new homes, like former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who moved to UCLA after a contract dispute with the Volunteers.
The SEC has a special rule worth noting: players can’t transfer from one SEC school to another during the spring window and play immediately. This rule, designed to prevent intra-conference poaching after spring practice, only applies to the spring window—during winter, intra-conference transfers can play right away.
With all these factors in play, it’s clear why the transfer portal remains active even after its official closure. The NCAA has gradually evolved its transfer policies in recent years, allowing athletes to transfer multiple times without penalty provided they meet academic standards, while also working to shorten transfer windows to reduce roster instability.
KEEP READING: Analyst Greg McElroy Breaks Down Notre Dame’s Top Transfer Needs
Even with these adjustments, the dynamic nature of college football ensures that player movement continues through various exceptions and special circumstances, reshaping rosters well into the summer months.
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