Ohio State Recruit Says Washington Offered More NIL Money

Ohio State recruit Lincoln Kienholz talked about the type of decision facing modern, highly-recruited players in the NIL era.

Kienholz is part of the Buckeye's 2023 recruiting class, which is ranked No. 6 in the country. For a perennial powerhouse like OSU, that's a bit of a surprise and it has brought the program under the microscope.

Especially when Kienholz revealed that he almost went to Washington because of what they could offer him on the NIL front.

The four-star quarterback who hails from Pierre, S.D., had committed to the Huskies but changed his mind Dec. 14.

"I think Washington had better NIL than Ohio State," Kienholz said.

"I think I can go to Washington and get money, or I can go to Ohio State and be developed and then potentially reach my goal of going to the NFL," he told Midco Sports.

Obviously, he's thinking long-term. Buckeye fans may like hearing from one of their newest recruits, but his situation has also raised concerns.

Ohio State has been accused of not reaching its potential when it comes to offering competitive NIL packages.

Not every player is going to take the approach Kienholz did. It's tough to talk a college-bound high school senior out of taking the money.

While the Buckeyes are headed to the College Football Playoff, the Huskies had a more than respectable 10-2 year that saw them finish the year at No. 12, They'll meet No. 20 Texas in the Alamo Bowl next week.

But you know what they won't have?

Lincoln Kienholz.

Still, it may be a sign that Ohio State may need to start paying up. Not every prized recruit has the same outlook as Kienholz.

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