Devontez Walker Nicholas McLaughlin / USA TODAY NETWORK

Stunning NCAA reversal allows UNC receiver to play

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 10/5/23

Common sense finally prevailed.

On Thursday, the NCAA reversed course on its early stance of barring North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker from competing this season due to a change in its transfer portal rules after he entered the portal.

Huge news from NCAA: Tez Walker is eligible for the Tar Heels this year. NCAA: "Staff determined the new information qualifies Walker for a transfer waiver. The information had not been made available by UNC previously, despite the school’s multiple chances to do so."
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 5, 2023

Walker was named by The Athletic's Dane Brugler as one of the top draft-eligible underclassmen at wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. Last season at Kent State, Walker had 58 receptions, 921 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He initially committed to NC Central, but its 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Walker transferred to Kent State, where he played in 2021 and 2022. On Dec. 9, he entered the transfer portal and chose North Carolina 12 days later to be closer to his ailing grandmother.

The NCAA tightened its rules on players in the transfer portal on Jan. 11, only allowing players to transfer and have immediate eligibility more than once if given special accommodations, which made Walker ineligible.

Walker filed multiple appeals, which were all denied. The NCAA didn't care that his head coach at Kent State, Sean Lewis, left to be Colorado's offensive coordinator, that he never played at his first college or that he transferred before the NCAA changed its rules. Critical reasoning isn't the institution's strong suit.

It didn't specify what "new information" was provided to deem Walker eligible, and it's a decision that, while worth celebrating, comes a month late. He should have been able to play since the beginning of the season.

The NCAA also looks ridiculous for casting blame on North Carolina for Walker being ineligible. In a statement by NCAA president Charlie Baker and Division I Board of Directors chair Jere Morehead, they wrote:

"It was unfortunate that UNC failed to provide this important information previously... UNC's behavior and decision to wage a public relations campaign is inappropriate and outside the bounds of the process UNC's own staff supported. Had the UNC staff not behaved in this fashion and submitted this information weeks ago, this entire unfortunate episode could have been avoided."

It's not often the NCAA does the right thing. As Walker's case shows, when it does, it moves at a glacial pace and still manages to look like a loser.

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