Top SEC Football Players Reveal The Best Purchases They Made With NIL Money

July 1, 2021, the day that NIL was first introduced on the NCAA level, will forever live in history. On that day, the guise of amateurism was lifted and college athletes were granted the opportunity to profit from their Name, Image and Likeness while still in school.

Money used to exchange hands under the table. That is a thing of the past. Over the last 24 months, money has been out in the open.

Although there are a myriad of issues that have come with NIL, it’s been overwhelmingly positive. College athletes are getting paid. Finally.

Part of the financial equation operates through the system for which NIL was intended. Athletes are able to reach agreements with brands for paid appearances, social media promotion, and things of that nature.

The other part of the equation is collectives. NIL collectives, which are essentially just crowdfunding platforms, have formed all across the country to compensate players on school-specific rosters.

Quarterbacks get paid the most. It filters down by position value from there.

“The average school that (top recruits) will attend provides (them) with about $150,000 in resources annually. When you’re entering into NIL conversations, you’re not entering at $0. Do not go into it with an attitude.” — @ShannonTerry pic.twitter.com/v2SeOwbord

— Grayson Weir (@GsonJW) May 31, 2023

Collectives are a big component to the professionalization of collegiate athletics and whether you like it or not, change to the system does not seem likely in the near future. It is what it is.

As the powers that be work to find a solution to the ongoing issues with NIL, athletes are in a position to create an impressive pecuniary portfolio while still in school. Many of them are making enough to cover things like meals and groceries. Others are making a small fortune.

What are college athletes buying with NIL?

Of course, regardless of whether a college athlete has a sound financial plan in place for his or her NIL money, they are still a college student at the end of the day. College kids, like most everybody, love to buy stuff. And now they have a little extra jingle jangle in their pockets to do so.

So how are they spending that NIL money?

OutKick’s Davey Hudson was on the scene at SEC Media Days to ask that exact question. He spoke to 15 different athletes on seven different teams.

“What is the best purchase you made from an NIL deal?” was the question. Some of the athletes took their answers in a different direction. Here is what they had to say:

• Arkansas
  • DL Landon Jackson: TAG Heuer wristwatch
  • RB Rocket Sanders: Giving back to his son
• Auburn
  • OL Kam Stutts: Paid off his truck
  • TE Luke Deal: A house (!!) for him and his wife
• Florida
  • DB Jason Marshall: Iced out chain
  • OL Kingsley Eguakun: Helping his mom out with school
  • WR Ricky Pearsall: The shoes he had on
• Kentucky
  • OL Eli Cox: Free steaks
• Mississippi State
  • DT Jaden Crumedy: Winning (??)
• South Carolina
  • P Kai Kroeger: New golf bag OR playing TPC Sawgrass
  • QB Spencer Rattler: Paying for his sister’s college, and helping out his family
  • DT Tonka Hemingway: Mom and dad’s anniversary gift
• Tennessee
  • TE Jacob Warren: Yoga mat
  • QB Joe Milton: Veneers
  • DT Omari Thomas: Hosting a school supply drive

Imagine the things that Tim Tebow would have been able to purchase while he was still in school, if NIL had existed. You can’t, because the former Florida quarterback wasn’t able to make money.

Urban Meyer Estimates Tim Tebow Could Have Made $10 Million+ If NIL Had Existed During His Florida Career

Fortunately, legislation has caught up with the times and players are making the money that they deserve. Rattler is putting his sister through college and Deal is buying a house.

Life could be worse for college athletes in the NIL era!