"Protect the players from themselves too": Former Michigan TE gets real on transfer portal situation

Former Michigan Wolverines tight end Jake Butt thinks the transfer portal has gotten too crazy now.

Butt played at Michigan from 2013 until 2017 and was a star tight end. He never transferred from the Wolverines and ended up being a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

After retiring due to injuries, Butt became a college football analyst. Looking at the landscape of college football, Butt believes there needs to be some consequences for players transferring infinitely.

"I'm with you, I think it's a positive, but with anything we've probably overcorrected. You also have to protect the players from themselves, too," Butt said on Thursday's episode of Next Up with Adam Breneman (Timestamp: 13:00). "You can't expect every player to make the perfect decision when they commit to school.

"But, you also have to protect the players, because when I'm 20 years old, I'm not thinking long-term. ... Right now, there are zero consequences for players transferring infinitely."

Butt also believes with all the transferring, players are just trying to get the most amount of money in NIL and not thinking about their futures.

The former Wolverines tight end also believes players aren't getting degrees from any of the schools they transfer to, which is also an issue with the transfer portal.

Former Michigan TE lays out plan for NIL & transfer portal

Jake Butt has an idea on how to fix the NIL and transfer portal.

"What we should do, and it requires being able to tie pay for play. Which is okay, some of this money is going to be deferred to later," Butt said. "If you decide to transfer, you are going to forfeit some of the money we were planning on giving you.

"That at least creates the thought, the players have to say, I will give up money, but that is because I truly believe I'm going to be a better situation, not that I'm going to the next situation because I'm going to make more money," Butt added.

Ultimately, for now, college football players can continue to transfer as many times as they want, but Butt doesn't think that will happen anytime soon.