Jordyn Adams Is 26 And Back In College Football, And The NCAA Is Still Debating What The Heck Happened

Alright, Seattle, listen up, because this is one of those sports stories that just makes your jaw drop. You’ve got a 26-year-old dude, Jordyn Adams, who was a first-round MLB Draft pick, just made his professional debut in 2023, and now, out of nowhere, he’s enrolling at SMU to play college football! Seriously, what in the world? This is wild, and you know the NCAA is scrambling to figure out how this is even possible.

From 5-Star Recruit to MLB Dream, Then What?

So, who is this guy? Jordyn Adams was a bona fide superstar athlete back in 2018 at Green Hope High School in North Carolina. We’re talking a five-star wide receiver recruit, ranked as the No. 3 WR in his class by 247Sports. Think about that, he was right behind future NFL studs Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ja’Marr Chase. He was even the No. 14 overall prospect nationally. The dude was set to play both football and baseball at North Carolina. But then the Los Angeles Angels came calling, picked him 17th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft, and signed him to a deal worth more than $3 million. Most of us would take that in a heartbeat, right? So, off he went to chase the baseball dream.

Eight Years Chasing Baseballs, Now Back to Football?

Adams dedicated eight years to professional baseball. He worked his way through the Angels' farm system, made his big league debut in 2023, appearing in 17 games, and then played 11 more games for them in 2024. After his time with the Angels, he bounced around, spending time in the Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers organizations. All told, he played 38 MLB games, snagging 13 hits, one home run, and five RBIs. Most of his career was in the minors, racking up 678 games and over 2,400 at-bats. He last appeared in a game on May 20 with Triple-A Nashville Sounds. But now, instead of continuing that path, he’s hitting the gridiron. Can you believe it?

The NCAA’s Wild Eligibility Loophole

So, how can a 26-year-old former professional athlete just waltz into college football? Well, this is where it gets interesting, and frankly, a bit messy for the NCAA. Adams never actually enrolled at North Carolina. Since he went straight into pro baseball and never played a down of college football, his eligibility situation is totally different from a traditional college athlete. It's uncommon, but not unprecedented. We've seen former MLB guys like Monte Harrison join Arkansas in 2023, and Brandon Weeden became Oklahoma State’s starting quarterback in 2010 after years in the minor leagues. Then there's Chris Weinke, who won the Heisman at age 28 after six seasons in pro baseball! The NCAA itself is actually debating significant eligibility changes, like an age-based "five-for-five" model that would start the clock after high school or a 19th birthday. If that passes, it could really impact future cases like Adams. It's a bizarre twist, and you just know everyone in college football will be watching Adams this season at SMU. Will he still have that five-star explosiveness on the field? This whole situation is a massive test for the NCAA's evolving rulebook, and we'll be glued to our screens to see how it all plays out.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.