Players from Massachusetts with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 30% of roster spots in 2016 and 17% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 33 of 111 roster spots were filled by Massachusetts players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 18 of 103 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 1 to 25.
The median hometown distance moved from 188 mi in 2016 to 331 mi on the 2026 roster. The reliable geography record begins in 2004. Among players with a known home state, 34% were from Massachusetts, compared with 21% on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 28.7% | 18.9% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 1.8% | 26.3% |
The 2026 roster
- 660 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 88 located players.
- 20.6%In-state20.6% of players with a known home state are from Massachusetts.
- 23.9%Backyard23.9% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 24.3%Previously rostered elsewhere24.3% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Massachusetts ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Massachusetts's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 103 | 20.6% | 24.3% | 331 mi |
| 2025 | 97 | 18.8% | 35.1% | 331 mi |
| 2024 | 109 | 22.6% | 36.7% | 386 mi |
| 2023 | 109 | 24.0% | 32.1% | 331 mi |
| 2022 | 107 | 24.8% | 18.7% | 332 mi |
| 2021 | 90 | 22.0% | 8.9% | 330 mi |
| 2020 | 118 | 31.9% | 0.8% | 184 mi |
| 2019 | 111 | 31.5% | 2.7% | 208 mi |
| 2018 | 106 | 29.2% | 1.9% | 200 mi |
| 2017 | 111 | 27.9% | 2.7% | 160 mi |
| 2016 | 111 | 29.7% | 0.9% | 188 mi |
| 2015 | 126 | 31.7% | 0.8% | 159 mi |
| 2014 | 106 | 32.1% | 0.9% | 145 mi |
| 2013 | 105 | 32.4% | 0.0% | 162 mi |
| 2012 | 93 | 31.5% | 4.3% | 150 mi |
| 2010archive | 90 | 45.6% | 30.0% proxy | — |
| 2009archive | 91 | 42.9% | 30.8% proxy | — |
| 2008archive | 92 | 41.3% | 37.0% proxy | — |
| 2007archive | 87 | 37.2% | 34.5% proxy | — |
| 2006archive | 72 | 26.8% | 27.8% proxy | — |
| 2005archive | 89 | 34.8% | 14.6% proxy | — |
| 2004archive | 88 | 34.5% | 14.8% proxy | — |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
archive = official athletic-site roster. “Proxy” is the share listing a previous school where that field behaved like a transfer field; it is not the same measure as the share previously rostered elsewhere.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 331 mi