12/22/2025
Over 4,500 football players are currently in the transfer portal, and that number grows daily. For many athletes, the portal represents hope. A fresh start. A better opportunity. More exposure. More snaps. More everything.
But here is the question that often gets ignored in the excitement:
Does the system you are transferring into actually fit your skill set?
The portal moves fast. Conversations happen quickly. Promises are made over the phone and through text. Some are honest. Some are not. And in the middle of it all are young men making life changing decisions under pressure, often without a full picture of what awaits them.
A new logo on the helmet does not automatically mean a better situation. A higher profile program does not guarantee development. A coach liking you in December does not always mean that same coach is committed once spring ball starts.
Fit matters.
Scheme matters.
Coaching stability matters.
Position depth matters.
Development history matters.
Your role matters.
We have seen talented players disappear because the system did not match their strengths. A downhill runner placed in a pass heavy offense. A press corner moved into a soft zone scheme. A quarterback recruited for mobility stuck in a rigid pocket system. Talent did not change. The environment did.
The portal is not just about leaving. It is about landing correctly.
Before making the jump, athletes must ask the hard questions. How have players like me been used in this system? Who is ahead of me on the depth chart, and why? What happens if the coordinator leaves? Am I being recruited for need, or insurance?
There are real opportunities in the portal. Careers have been revived. Draft stock has been elevated. Dreams have been kept alive.
But opportunity without fit is a gamble.
In an era where movement is easy, wisdom is more important than ever. The best move is not always the loudest one. Sometimes it is the smartest one.
Choose fit over hype. Choose development over promises. Choose truth over noise.
That decision can change everything.
Hollis Sports Reloaded
