Five in Five - What Might That Look Like?

luthius dagan

Senior
Jun 30, 2025
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lol no. I’d be surprised if even 10% of high school grads are 19. And I’d bet as many or more high school grads are 17 than 19
You’re right, I was 18. For some reason I thought I was 19 when I graduated high school lol, but born 1996 and graduated 2014 haha. not sure why I thought I was 19

can they JuCo for a year and then still get 5, or does JuCo count?
 

AndreTheHawk

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
1,092
2,236
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I think most people graduate at 19, some at 18 if they have a late birthday. Just depends. So some people will be able to grayshirt when they graduate, but then they can’t practice with the team or compete attached. Very limited, not sure if the elite wrestlers of the world need to do that.
Really? I was 17 when I graduated High School. Unbelievable people think being 19 is somehow "normal". It isn't, it's complete ********.
 
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98lberEating2Lunches

All-Conference
Feb 11, 2018
957
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Under 5 for 5, is an elite wrestler who graduates HS at 17 (like Jayden James), somehow more valuable to a NCAA program than one who graduates at 18? Why?

Was it any different under the prior rules?
Why?

What about graduating HS at 19 under the prior rules?

I am trying to understand the importance of this particular hair-splitting.

Are we just talking about the ability to take a post HS greyshirt under 5 for 5?
 
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cjr1310

Sophomore
Oct 1, 2011
64
169
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Under 5 for 5, is an elite wrestler who graduates HS at 17 (like Jayden James), somehow more valuable to a NCAA program than one who graduates at 18? Why?

Was it any different under the prior rules?
Why?

What about graduating at 19 under the prior rules?

I am trying to understand the importance of this particular hair-splitting.

Are we just talking about the ability to take a post HS greyshirt under 5 for 5?
I suppose from a roster flexibility standpoint there’s some additional value in that you could delay enrollment by a year or 2 but that’s all I can see. Everything still has to fit together roster wise to get 5 years of competition so I think the additional value is minimal.
 

Anon1746362370

Sophomore
May 4, 2025
72
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Estimated Percentage Breakdown of High School Graduates
  • 18 Years Old (~65% – 70%): The vast majority of graduates. These students started kindergarten on time based on local age cut-offs and completed exactly 13 years of schooling (K-12). [1, 2]
  • 17 Years Old (~20% – 25%): A significant portion of the graduating class. These are typically students born in the summer or early fall who were among the youngest in their grade, as well as students who skipped a grade or completed accelerated online tracks. [1]
  • 19 Years Old (~5% – 8%): Students who graduate slightly older. This group primarily consists of students who were "redshirted" (held back from starting kindergarten by a year), students who repeated a grade, or those who took a medical leave of absence.
  • 20+ Years Old (Less than 2%): A very small percentage. This includes adult learners finishing high school diplomas later in life or students with severe cognitive disabilities who are legally entitled to receive public education services through age 21 or 22 depending on the state. [1]

How This Reflects Overall
 

vhsalum

All-Conference
Nov 14, 2002
1,498
3,538
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You’re right, I was 18. For some reason I thought I was 19 when I graduated high school lol, but born 1996 and graduated 2014 haha. not sure why I thought I was 19

can they JuCo for a year and then still get 5, or does JuCo count?

Juco counts.
 

maxpain

All-American
Jul 6, 2006
2,118
7,064
113
So are they going to open up another portal window this summer? I have seen some talk of that. It would be the right thing to do after a rule change.
 

sdvike

All-Conference
Feb 23, 2016
1,073
2,354
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So are they going to open up another portal window this summer? I have seen some talk of that. It would be the right thing to do after a rule change.
Im guessing if they should do that, it would be there one and only transfer.
 

cwobrien11

Heisman
Apr 22, 2009
20,013
34,555
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You have 5 years after you enroll as long as you're 20 after Aug 31 when you enroll . If you graduate at 17 in June with a September 1 birthday you could do 2 grey shirts before you enroll and get 5. So the new holdback is no nut November. Everyone will be trying for kids in December/January and enroll them early and graduate at 17 with a September or October birthday
I'm pretty sure that's off slightly. I'll try to find the link to it. The age based is just part of the equation. Unless it changed between the time I saw the final proposal and the time they actually voted on it, there was a high school graduation requirement as well. It was an either/or trigger. The clock would start the academic calendar after your high school graduation OR the academic calendar after you turn 19 with the clock automatically starting if you are competing.

Some examples that I had explained to me:
-If an 18-year-old graduates in December, he could attend college but not practice/compete with the team and the clock would not start until the fall.
-If an 18-year-old graduates in December and competes (something like Forest did this year), the clock starts.
-If an 18-year-old graduates in the spring his clock would start in the fall, independent of whether he is enrolled full time or competing.
-If an 18-year-old turns 19 before their senior year, the clock will start even though they are still enrolled in high school.

Unless something has drastically changed, I think we are going to see guys greyshirt this year just to take advantage of the either/or rule set for this specific class but after that, probably not so much. I think you may see some non-19-year-old December grads show up on campus and work with RTC's in the spring but that would be about it.