NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
In the latest example of a professional athlete moving back down to the collegiate level, former Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jordyn Adams finally gets a chance to play college football, at SMU.
One of the top catchers in the 2018 class, which also included Ja’Marr Chase, Adams was expected to head to North Carolina to play baseball and football until he was drafted 17th by the Angels that year, with a lucrative signing bonus.
A true 5-star prospect, expectations were high for Adams when he decided to sign with North Carolina.
But, since MLB came with a lucrative salary and opportunity, the talented catcher’s life story changed direction.
Brendan Sorsby bet on his own team, but the NCAA is kind of the bad guy in this matter
Jordyn Adams of the Milwaukee Brewers catches a fly ball during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Cleveland Guardians at American Family Fields in Phoenix on February 21, 2026. (David Durochik/Diamond Images)
After starting her career with the Los Angeles Angels, Jordyn would finally make her big league debut in 2023.
He ended up playing 17 games that season for the organization, before playing in 11 more games in 2024, eventually bouncing around a few clubhouses before ending his baseball career two weeks ago after playing in his final minor league game.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Finishing with 13 hits at the MLB level, his professional career never really took off, bouncing around the minor league system while briefly making it to the show. Adams hit 55 home runs during his time in the minors.
Jordyn Adams of the Los Angeles Angels hits a single to defeat the Chicago White Sox in the 13th inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on September 18, 2024. (John McCoy/Getty Images)
Now, following in the footsteps of others, most recently Monte Harrison at Arkansas, Jordyn Adams will finally lace up the pads in college.
As of last week, the two-way player signed with the SMU Mustangs, where he will play receiver this fall. Will he have the same burst of success that Monte Harrison had at Arkansas?
30-year-old Arkansas Razorbacks sophomore Monte Harrison will be a weapon for the Hogs after 10-year MLB career
That remains to be seen, but the possibility of pursuing his second career, while also entering college for the first time, was an opportunity he obviously had in mind.
Jordyn Adams bats during the ninth inning of his Orioles debut against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park in Baltimore on May 31, 2025. The Orioles won 4-2. (Diamond Images/Getty Images)
If you’re wondering, yes, it’s legal under NCAA rules, since he never actually attended college or started his eligibility meter.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
But, as the NCAA prepares to adopt the “5 out of 5” rule, the timing of Adams enrolling at SMU was obviously a clear sign that he should get into college now.
Under the potential new rules, an athlete’s clock would start the minute they graduate from high school or turn 19 years old.
Would this affect Adams? I would doubt it, and I don’t imagine SMU wants to waste time on a player who could ultimately find himself ineligible, so the decision makes sense for both parties. And remember, he never enrolled at North Carolina in 2018, so he technically has years of college football eligibility remaining.
He may be a little older, but we’re about to find out if Jordyn Adams still has any juice on the football field.
