The NBA and NHL are in the height of the free agency frenzy. With Woj bombs dropping left and right, the NBA landscape is especially topsy-turvy. It's an exciting time, however, a franchise's title hopes could be altered drastically -- for better or worse -- with the addition or subtraction of a couple of players.
In a similar vein, what would it look like if the college football had offseason free agency?
The closest thing the sport has right now is the grad transfer rule in which a player can receive immediate eligibility. Most prominently, we see this with quarterbacks transferring to another program in search of playing time. It's not a perfect comparison since grad transfers are still subject to restrictions, but there are examples of high-profile "free agents" having a huge impact on new teams right away.
What if it went beyond that, though? What if players could leave midway through their careers with absolutely no penalty? In our hypothetical free agency, players are allowed to re-open their recruitment after notching two letters at the college level.
They don't have to leave, though. In fact, many of college football's top players are in good situations because of what's been built around them. However, it would be fascinating to see a program like, say, Alabama roll out the red crimson carpet for a guy like Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson.
With no salary, let alone a salary cap, this new "recruiting" process would have to be creative. We are assuming, after all, that everyone's playing by the rules. The good news for coaches is they have unlimited pitches. Maybe a player wants to try his luck on an offense better suited for his skills. Maybe he wants to win a national championship right away. In some instances, a player overlooked in high school could be more highly recruited this time around.
Below, we've listed who we feel would be 25 desired players eligible for free agency. We've also broken down 13 teams that are one, two or maybe three impact players away from competing for a national title.
Top Players Available for Free Agency
Clemson QB Deshaun Watson
Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett
Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes
Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey
Miami QB Brad Kaaya
Alabama OL Cam Robinson
Florida State OL Roderick Johnson
Michigan State DL Malik McDowell
Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield*
Ohio State LB Raekwon McMillan
Tennessee DE Derek Barnett
USC CB/WR Adoree' Jackson
Clemson WR Artavis Scott
Northwestern LB Anthony Walker
LSU S Jamal Adams
(*Mayfield is classified as a senior due to NCAA and Big 12 transfer rules, but has only two letters in his collegiate career.)
Top Teams in the Market
Team needs: Explosive offensive playmaker, linebacker
The Wolverines are expected to have a stout defense, but they need help at linebacker. On offense, Michigan lacks an explosive playmaker at a skill position to take them to the next level outside of Jehu Chesson.
Top potential targets: Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Raekwon McMillan, Zach Cunningham
Alabama
Team needs: Quarterback, secondary
Imagine Alabama pursuing Deshaun Watson or Brad Kaaya. Remember: Watson tallied 478 yards of offense against the Tide's historically great defense in the national championship last January. Also, head coach Nick Saban probably wouldn't rule out bringing on an experienced player in the secondary. Offensive coordinator and one-time USC coach Lane Kiffin would love to get his hands on Adoree' Jackson as well.
Top potential targets: Deshaun Watson, Brad Kaaya, Adoree' Jackson, Jamal Adams
Clemson
Team needs: Edge rusher, general defense
The Tigers are set on offense, but need help defensively after the attrition to the NFL draft. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables has churned out some nasty edge rushers, so he'd have quite the pitch for a guy like Garrett or Barnett.
Top potential targets: Myles Garrett, Derek Barnett, Adoree' Jackson
Florida State
Team needs: Wide receiver depth, offensive line depth
Florida State is generally in a good spot with its roster; it just needs more consistency out of its playmakers in the passing game. The top priority is to keep Dalvin Cook and Rod Johnson, but the Seminoles could also use some additional help in the wide receiver and offensive line rotations to match Clemson's high-powered offense.
Top potential targets: Juju Smith-Schuster, KD Cannon
Oklahoma
Team needs: Linebacker, wide receiver
Giving Baker Mayfield another reliable target on the outside would make the offense click even better. On defense, the Sooners need a versatile player in the middle who can do a few different things for coordinator Mike Stoops.
Top potential targets: Artavis Scott, KD Cannon, Raekwon McMillan
Ohio State
Team needs: Running back, defensive depth
Ohio State's first priority is to hold on to J.T Barrett, but giving him some help in the backfield isn't far behind. And with an all-time great running back class, the Buckeyes are one or two players away from getting back to the national championship. And with so many young players, adding experience would be a plus.
Top potential targets: Leonard Fournette, Nick Chubb, Samaje Perine, Malik McDowell, Myles Garrett
LSU
Team needs: Quarterback, defensive line
Obviously, keeping Fournette is the biggest thing LSU would need to accomplish. However, it would be interesting to see if LSU would pursue a quarterback or stick with Brandon Harris. Additionally, the Tigers could use some extra beef along the D-line, particularly in the middle, to give new coordinator Dave Aranda some immediate help.
Top potential targets: J.T. Barrett, Baker Mayfield, Malik McDowell
Team needs: Linebacker, wide receiver
The Irish were ravaged by injuries last year. That should create a more experienced team this time around. However, Notre Dame could always use suitable replacements for its two biggest stars: linebacker Jaylon Smith and receiver Will Fuller. Get those, and Notre Dame is an immediate favorite to get to the College Football Playoff.
Top potential targets: Raekwon McMillan, Anthony Walker, Juju Smith-Schuster
Teams on the Cusp
Stanford
Team needs: Quarterback, defensive star power
The Cardinal could ill-afford to lose McCaffrey, so keeping their Heisman hopeful is step No. 1. Beyond that, and with Kevin Hogan leaving, there's a window for Stanford to target an experienced star quarterback. Add in some additional experience on defense and the Cardinal would be in the thick of the playoff race.
Top potential targets: Patrick Mahomes, J.T. Barrett, Derek Barnett
Team needs: Running back, defense
There's a case to be made that replacing receiver Josh Doctson is the biggest need, but the Frogs are well established at that spot. However, an explosive running back -- say, McCaffrey -- would add a fascinating dynamic to an already potent offense. The Frogs have some young, promising pieces on defense as well, but an experienced player like Jackson or Barnett could be enough to elevate TCU to playoff status.
Top potential targets: Royce Freeman, Derek Barnett, Adoree' Jackson
Tennessee
Team needs: Wide receiver
The Vols don't need much. The talent is there for this team to finally realize its potential. But if Tennessee wants to finally realize that potential, it needs someone that can stretch the field vertically. Close losses and conservative play-calling doomed this team a season ago.
Top potential targets: Juju Smith-Schuster, KD Cannon
Team needs: Defensive line
The Hawkeyes return a veteran team, which is good news for any hope of returning to the Big Ten championship game. However, Iowa could use a little extra punch along the D-line after losing Drew Ott and Nate Meier.
Top potential targets: Malik McDowell, Derek Barnett, Myles Garrett
Wild Card: Houston
Team needs: Help in the trenches, wide receiver
Houston is the trendy pick to crash the playoff out of the Group of 5. Still, the Cougars could use a little help in the trenches to protect their star player, quarterback Greg Ward Jr. With Houston on the rise and coach Tom Herman cementing itself as a great recruiter, it would be wild to see if Herman could reel in a big name from a powerhouse program.
Top potential targets: Roderick Johnson, Cam Robinson, KD Cannon
