the future of college “walk-ons”
The walk-on is one of college sports’ most cherished figures. They are the definition of grit, spirit, and pure love for the game—the athlete who plays for the jersey, not the scholarship. For decades, the path of the walk-on—the student who tries out and earns a spot on the roster—has been a vital part of team culture and roster depth. I, the founder of RecruitReach, turned down scholarships in order to be a preferred walk-on to the University of Tennessee.
Today, however, the walk-on's journey is at a critical crossroads. A perfect storm of financial pressure, court settlements that allow direct athlete pay, and potential changes to roster limits is forcing college athletic departments to rethink every non-revenue position. While the walk-on will never fully disappear, their path to the roster is becoming narrower, more competitive, and decidedly more professional.
The Financial Squeeze: Why Budgets Target Non-Scholarship Spots
The biggest threat to the traditional walk-on is the new financial reality of college sports. With the landmark court settlement allowing Division I schools to spend up to $20.5 million annually on direct payments to athletes, athletic directors are aggressively looking for ways to cut costs elsewhere.
Where does a large portion of that money come from? It has to be redirected from the existing budget. When departments look for cuts, it’s not just scholarship money for Olympic sports that’s at risk; operational costs tied to large rosters also become targets.
Cost of Support: Every athlete, scholarship or walk-on, requires equipment, travel gear, academic support services, training room access, and practice space. For non-revenue teams with large rosters (like track, swimming, or baseball), cutting just a few walk-on spots saves thousands of dollars in operational expenses that can be reallocated to cover the new athlete compensation fund. Schools like Washington State have already decided to cut some events from their track and field roster.
The Squeeze on the Coach: Coaches are under intense pressure to demonstrate financial efficiency. They may be forced to limit their total roster size to reduce costs, making the unrecruited walk-on—the "unknown quantity"—a costly risk they are no longer willing to take. The roster spot must now be justified by undeniable skill or a strategic need.
This financial stress is making the walk-on journey less romantic and much more businesslike.
The Evolution of the Roster: From Tryout to Invitation
The future of the walk-on isn't just about money; it's about strategy. The days of the unrecruited, open-tryout walk-on—the mythical "Rudy"—are quickly fading at the D1 level.
The path is overwhelmingly moving toward the Preferred Walk-on (PWO) model.
PWO as the New Standard: A PWO is an athlete who is specifically recruited by the coach and guaranteed a spot on the roster, even without an initial athletic scholarship. This is the new minimum requirement for many top programs. Coaches are prioritizing the PWO because they are a known commodity: they have verified film, strong academic eligibility, and a character reference from their high school coach. They are a calculated risk, not a blind gamble.
Roster Flexibility and Strategy: With the NCAA no longer limiting scholarships, only roster size, it’s difficult to believe there will be many walk-on spots remaining. Colleges will be looking to spend their resources where they count most. Olympic sports and non-revenue producing sports may see their roster sizes reduced rather than expand to the maximum size allowed and filled with walk-ons if there’s not enough money remaining for scholarships.
The reality is that coaches are using technology to vet every single player before they step foot on campus. If a coach hasn't heard of you, seen your film, and invited you to a PWO spot, your chances of making the team via an open tryout are minimal.
The Walk-on's New Value Proposition
For the determined athlete, the opportunity is still there, but the requirements have changed. The future walk-on must understand their new value proposition to the team:
Elite Practice Player: In team sports, the walk-on's primary value is providing depth and fierce competition in practice. They are the ones who push the starters every single day. Their role is to be an invaluable, highly motivated scout team member.
Unbreakable Character: Coaches will be even more selective about the character of their walk-ons. They need athletes who demonstrate incredible discipline, a positive attitude, and an intrinsic motivation that doesn't rely on a scholarship check. A great walk-on elevates the entire team's culture.
Academic Certainty: For a walk-on, strong academics are non-negotiable. With the financial and regulatory pressures facing departments, coaches cannot risk losing a valuable roster spot—even an un-funded one—to an athlete who fails to meet academic standards.
The walk-on of the future needs to be a proactive recruiter today. They must embrace the PWO path by strategically contacting coaches, showcasing their skills, and demonstrating their character long before they enroll. The path is harder, the competition is fiercer, but the reward for earning that coveted spot remains the same: the chance to compete at the highest level of college athletics.
