Former Colorado player leaves NFL to enter transfer portal
· Yahoo Sports
Anthony Hankerson isn't done in college football.
After being waived by the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the former Colorado Buffaloes running back plans to enter the transfer portal. Hankerson, who spent the last two years at Oregon State, becomes the latest NFL player to jump back into college ranks. This comes after multiple court rulings for the 2022 recruiting class have allowed for an extra year of eligibility.
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Hankerson was one of the few players who stayed at Colorado after Deion Sanders gave his famous "Louis Luggage" speech, which forced a majority of players to hit the transfer portal. He put up consecutive 1,000-yard seasons at Oregon State after leaving Colorado ahead of 2024. He's headed back to reclaim an extra year of eligibility and all made possible by a Louisiana court ruling last week.
A few other former NFL players have joined Hankerson by attaching to a college program. One of the biggest thus far is former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright, who played for the Cleveland Browns in a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills over this past weekend. He was waived by the team and immediately joined his former coach Lane Kiffin at LSU. Wright added experience to a loaded team weeks before the season.
Like Hankerson, Wright was among a group of players who sued in a Louisiana court. Their main argument was the NCAA rule granting five years of eligibility to athletes who should apply to the 2022 class due to grandfather rights. As odd as it sounds, there's no blanket and the NCAA is fighting several cases in a few states.
Many are arguing why professional athletes are reversing course for another year in college. The answer comes down to money. An average player who could put up better stats in hopes of getting a shot at the 2027 NFL Draft or free agency, whichever will be decided on, will make above $1 million. That's more than four times what a rookie practice squad player makes at $245,000 per year. It's also equal to the veteran's minimum per year, meaning a second chance college football player is set to make more than an established player.
These players want a quick pay day with another shot to convince NFL teams they deserve a second look in the league. However, some players run the risk of being rejected for jumping back and forth. For Hankerson and others, this could come with a silver lining to land with an NFL team next year.
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