Hundreds of junior college athletes (JUCO) transfer into Division I programs every semester and nowhere is their impact more prevalent than in college football.
However, unlike traditional Division I athletes, JUCO transfers don't have the same number of years to play at the top level. For example, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia played two seasons at the New Mexico Military Institute before transferring to New Mexico State for two years and then finally Vanderbilt in 2024.
Despite only playing three years at the Division I level, Pavia's eligibility was set to run out after this season - meaning his JUCO years counted against his eligibility clock. That didn't sit right with the 23-year-old and he decided to sue the NCAA over violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
A federal judge granted his request for an injunction on Dec. 18, which provided him with the ability to play another season in 2025. The NCAA is appealing that decision but additionally announced it would waive all other athletes that participated in athletics at a non-NCAA institution, granting them an additional year of eligibility for the 2025-26 school year.
NCAA Board votes to appeal the Diego Pavia court ruling but also grants a waiver for junior college players in a similar position as Pavia, paving the way for the extension of the careers of hundreds of former junior college players. pic.twitter.com/D4xluz9fBg
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 23, 2024
Despite the injunction only applying to Pavia, the consequences of his lawsuit have now reached every corner of the sport including a few JUCO products in Tempe.
ASU football players could benefit from the shockwaves of the Pavia-NCAA saga
The Sun Devil program currently has three JUCO transfers on the roster, one of which will be immediately impacted by the NCAA's waiver.
Edge rusher Elijah O'Neil would've graduated out after ASU's run in the College Football Playoff eventually comes to an end but now he can decide whether he wants to return to Tempe for the 2025 campaign or transfer elsewhere. All indications, per multiple reports, is that O'Neil will stick around.
If the NCAA's appeal of the Pavia injunction is denied, then offensive linemen Maxwell Iheanachor and Kyle Scott will also benefit in later years.
In the event the Pavia decision stands, it will set a game-changing precedent for all Division I programs with roster flexibility increasing substantially. Hundreds of talented players who may be just hitting their stride will get more time to prove themselves on the college gridiron in preparation for a potential opportunity as a professional.