Utah quarterback Devon Dampier said he intends to enter the NFL draft after this season but acknowledged he now has another option under the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility model.
Speaking at Big 12 media days, Dampier described the new system as “a nice safety belt” for players. “I want to go to the league this year,” he said. “I would say that’s my dream and aspirations, but I guess it’s a nice safety belt for me to know I do have another year now.”
The five-year, age-based rule allows fourth-year college players without a redshirt season to return for a fifth year in 2027. The change ends the previous system of redshirt rules and eligibility waivers.
Dampier is part of a group of FBS quarterbacks who could benefit from the adjustment, including Kansas State’s Avery Johnson, Iowa State’s Jaylen Raynor, Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea, Northwestern’s Aidan Chiles and UNLV’s Jackson Arnold.
Johnson, who has started 26 games for Kansas State, said that he and first-year coach Collin Klein plan to postpone any decision about a fifth year until the end of the season. “All I’m really focused on is this year,” Johnson said. “That’s what I had been focused on since January, so I don’t want to put too much in my brain right now. We’ll see how this year goes and go from there.”
Raynor, who spent three years at Arkansas State before transferring to Iowa State, said he has considered the possibility of playing two seasons with the Cyclones. He expects to graduate in December and could pursue a Master’s degree if he chooses to stay for another year.
Dampier voiced support for the NCAA reform and praised its impact on college football. “A lot of people are kind of happy about it, for sure,” he said. “I think it’s the safest route for college football to start going into. I think it allows players to play a little bit through injuries. That’s kind of what we’re known for a little bit as football players in general. We play through hard things that we’re capable of doing.”
He added that the policy “eliminates all the suing, all the people getting their sixth and seventh years” and stated, “I think it makes it fair all around.”
Utah coach Morgan Scalley said the change gives him more to consider as he manages a deep quarterback group that includes Dampier and sophomore Byrd Ficklin. Scalley said Ficklin had re-signed with the program looking toward 2027. “It’s a good problem to have, I’ll tell you that, to have two really good quarterbacks,” Scalley said.
Big 12 coaches had been anticipating eligibility reform and had hoped it would be approved sooner so they could retain more seniors for an additional season. However, the rule specifies that players who use their eligibility in 2025 will not receive another year.
The discussion gained attention last October when coaches dealt with players opting out after four games to preserve eligibility for transfer opportunities.
Klein recalled a situation from 2021 while at Kansas State, when a redshirt plan for quarterback Will Howard was disrupted by injuries to starter Skylar Thompson. Howard had to play six games and lost a year of eligibility. “I think it’s a great thing for players and I think it’s a good thing for programs,” Klein said. “It’s the ability for programs to not put a kid’s best interest in jeopardy of putting them on the field and having to manage that.”
He said eliminating those circumstances would prevent similar difficulties. “There are some crazy situations, and it only happens when it happens and it’s crazy when it does. You’re eliminating any room for that. That got us in trouble with Will Howard.”
Klein added that he has already spoken with Johnson’s agent about how they will approach the choice between a fifth year and the NFL draft once the season concludes. “I told him, when it was looking like it was going to happen, don’t worry about it,” Klein said. “Let’s go have a great year, keep our head down and we’ll have a discussion of what’s best for you when that time comes.”