College football has been undergoing rapid changes as of late with the introduction of name, image and likeness (NIL) to the league, which allows players to get compensated through brand deals and other avenues. This, along with changes to the transfer portal, have radically changed the landscape of the league. Now, there is talk of eliminating the walk-on system.
Players who do not receive scholarships have been able to walk-on to college teams for a tryout and earn their way onto teams. The vast majority of these players don’t end up making the team or spend their collegiate careers buried on the depth chart, but there are plenty of examples of walk-on players that have risen through the ranks of college football and found their way into the NFL.