​In June, the NCAA announced a sweeping change to its age-based eligibility framework, eliminating redshirts entirely and allowing athletes to play up to five full seasons in college, as long as they enter college no later than the academic year following their 19th birthday. The Division I Cabinet unanimously approved the overhaul, which streamlines the rule book by removing season-of-competition limits, sport-specific eligibility constraints, redshirt rules, and eligibility extension waivers. Depending on the sport, redshirts could become largely obsolete; in football, however, the change marks a dramatic shift in roster management that coaches will welcome, especially since they no longer need to track how many games a true freshman appears in to preserve eligibility. Freshmen can compete in three games or 12 games, and it won’t affect their five-year clock.
Take Will Wilson as an example of a clear upside: under the old system, his value as a specialist and a physical presence would have made redshirting as a true freshman appealing, potentially leaving him with only three years of eligibility remaining. Instead, his early experience is preserved, and he still has four years left to contribute. NC State has already updated its football roster on GoPack.com to reflect the new eligibility framework, and the shift will require a mental adjustment for fans and analysts alike. The site now shows players listed as seniors with one year of eligibility remaining beyond the 2026 season, juniors with two years, and so forth.
This change means players such as CJ Bailey could theoretically compete in college football in both 2027 and 2028 if they choose, but it is reasonable to assume that anyone with a credible path to the NFL would not linger in college beyond their optimal window. In other words, this is still Bailey’s final year in college for practical purposes, even though the new rules would technically permit additional eligibility. The broader implication is that the new five-year eligibility horizon will reshape decisions around development, scouting, and program planning across Division I sports. The NCAA’s move aims to simplify the system, reduce administrative hurdles, and provide athletes with greater flexibility to pursue education and athletics on their own timeline, while also offering schools a more streamlined approach to roster management and competition.