Overview
- The NCAA proposal, disclosed Wednesday in multiple reports, would give athletes five years to compete starting at age 19 or at high school graduation.
- Members of the Division I Cabinet are set to review the concept next week, and leaders describe it as urgent with possible rollout in fall 2026.
- The draft would end most waivers and redshirts, with narrow exceptions for maternity leave, military service, or religious missions.
- Officials are pushing for a uniform rule after uneven court decisions on extended eligibility, including cases involving quarterbacks in Mississippi and Tennessee.
- Last year brought 1,450 waiver requests and more than 70 lawsuits, and the NCAA says a fixed clock could cut legal fights, stabilize rosters, and influence how athletes weigh college pay versus going pro.