You see these 2028 kids getting offered before they even step foot in a high school weight room and it makes me sick. Texas throws an offer at some eighth grader named Nehemiah McCary because he is the number one linebacker in the 2028 class. What does that even mean? Back in 1979 when Coach Bryant was recruiting we watched film on juniors and seniors who had actually played varsity football. We did not offer scholarships to kids who were still learning algebra. NIL has turned this sport into a bidding war for children who have never taken a snap under Friday night lights.
The worst part is these kids grow up knowing they can transfer the second things get hard. Coach Stallings used to tell us that adversity builds character. Now these kids see a depth chart they do not like and they are in the portal before the stadium lights turn off. I watched the 1992 championship team lose starters to injuries and the next man up just worked harder. There was no shopping around for the highest bidder. That team had soul. That team had loyalty. Now we have eighth graders with NIL agents and recruiting rankings and I am supposed to get excited about that.
You want to know why the SEC is losing its edge? It is not the schemes or the coaching. It is the fact that half these rosters turn over every witer. You cannot build a program when your offensive line is a rental. You cannot build a program when your quarterback leaves for whatever school offers the biggest bag. The 2026 season is gonna be a mess of mercenaries wearing different jerseys every year and we are supposed to pretend this is still the same sport we grew up loving.