The transfer portal/NIL has to be wreaking havoc on recruiting strategies?

Before the transfer portal and NIL, 100% of the recruiting budget was going to pay for plane tickets for coaches, visiting players/families, hotels, meals and car rentals to name just a few, but things have definitely changed in the five years since the portal began.

According to The Athletic, based on last year's numbers, the 69 programs (including Notre Dame) that play in Power 5 conferences lost an average of 18.5 scholarship players to the portal. That's staggering because that's just the average and also doesn't include the players that had no eligibility left. With that being said, it's safe to assume college recruiting is no longer about just landing HS players.

If I had to guess, I would assume the most important goal of every program, sadly, is first re-recruiting current players, then bringing in transfer/JUCO players, and lastly, recruiting high school players. I've always been a firm believer that you build your program with high school players, but that has clearly taken a shift in the opposite direction.

Just because you land a great high school player, doesn't mean they're going to be there long term. According to 247Sports, more than 62 percent of QB starters among Power 5 schools were transfers. That's staggering and somewhat disturbing!

The days of staying with a program for four years and having school pride is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Next year's LSU defense is a prime example. I think it's safe to say more than half of the defensive starters next year are currently on another team's roster.

I hate it with a passion, but that's what happens when money and winning at all costs is most important!