Oregon OL George Silva plans to enter NCAA transfer portal

Oregon offensive lineman George Silva plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Pete Nakos has learned. He was previously the top junior college offensive tackle in the 2023 cycle.

Silva was the No. 5 overall JUCO transfer during the 2023 recruiting cycle and the top offensive tackle to hit the open market. He appeared in seven games during the 2023 season, including the bowl game against Liberty, and played in six games this past year as a fifth-year senior.

Silva arrived at Oregon after three seasons at Fullerton College (Calif.) at the JUCO level. He had two years of eligibility remaining when he got to Eugene, but got one more season as a result of a blanket waiver by the NCAA after a landmark ruling in Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s lawsuit.

Silva previously praised the decision and indicated he planned to play another season of college football. Now, he’s preparing to enter the transfer portal for his final year of eligibility.

“If I can come back, I will come back for sure because I thought this was going to be my last year,” Silva said, via The Oregonian’s James Crepea. “If I can get another year that’ll be a blessing for me.”

Pavia started his career at the JUCO level for two years at the New Mexico Military Institute and played three years of FBS football – two at New Mexico State and one at Vanderbilt. He sued for one more year of eligibility, arguing his years at JUCO shouldn’t count against his eligibility.

Judge William Campbell sided with Pavia, granting a preliminary injunction which paved the way for him to return to Vanderbilt in 2025. The timing of Campbell’s decision came more than a week after the transfer portal opened. Pavia cited the portal window in the suit, citing the need for time to negotiate NIL deals.

The NCAA then followed suit, announcing a blanket waiver. Athletes who attended a non-NCAA school for at least one year and have eligibility left will be able to compete in 2025-26 as a result of the decision. That means players such as Diego Pavia and George Silva will be able to suit up, if they so choose. The NCAA is also appealing Campbell’s decision in the lawsuit, as expected.

In previously filed documents, Pavia wrote that he believed he could earn more than $1 million through NIL in 2025 if allowed another season. Sources told On3’s Pete Nakos that as the decision, Pavia does not plan to enter the transfer portal, and he has been outspoken about his desire to suit up for Vanderbilt one more time.