NIL Deals vs. NFL Rookie Contracts: Transfer Portal Has Led To Pro Dreams Delayed So Checks Can Be Cashed

Did you ever imagine a day when college football players would choose to stay in school for one more season rather than enter the NFL Draft, because of a paycheck? 

Welcome to the new era of collegiate sports, where quarterbacks can make more in a single season than some NFL rookies earn from their first professional deal. Five years ago, this scenario would've sounded absurd.

That was before NIL. What began as a "legal" mechanism for compensating athletes—without slipping cash bags out the back—has morphed into a full-on bidding war between programs. 

What once sparked a public feud between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher has now become a standard part of recruiting.

The Landscape Of College Athletics Is Changing Again. Don't Allow It To Ruin Your Experiences| Trey Wallace

Could you ever have imagined a quarterback at LSU or Texas Tech making more money than Jaxson Dart, the 25th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft?

College QB's Making More Than NFL First Round Picks

In his first deal, Jaxson Dart signed a four-year deal that would pay him in the neighborhood of $4.2 million per season. According to multiple reports, Sam Leavitt and Brendan Sorsby will make two-times that amount combined next season in college football. 

And you wonder why these athletes are deciding to hold-off on entering the NFL. 

The starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, Tyler Shough, is on a four-year deal that will pay him around $2.7 million per year. The starting quarterback of the Duke Blue Devils, Darian Mensah, made nearly double that amount last season. I guess boosters were happy with the investment, given Duke did win the ACC championship, though they were left out of the college football playoff. 

What Happens When College Athletes Don't Disclose NIL Deals In House Settlement Era? Backdoor Deals Return

I think you see where I'm heading here. College athletes are holding off on starting their professional careers so that they can cash in on the spending bonanza that is currently ongoing in the sport. 

Right now, if Alabama QB Ty Simpson wanted to, he could sign with a school like Miami and make $6 million next season. Even though it sounds as though he won’t, the opportunity is at least there. 

Who can blame them? I sure can't, especially with the monetary figures being offered to these athletes. 

This also comes down to the pressure college coaches are under to win immediately, as time is not on their sides any longer compared to just five years ago. Just last week, LSU coach Lane Kiffin decided it was in his best interest to hop on a plane and fly to Knoxville as Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt was wrapping up his visit to Tennessee. 

Why would he make such a decision, at the last minute? Because a lot is riding on Kiffin being successful in his first season on the Bayou, and he needed a playmaker at the position, while also knowing he could probably out-bid Tennessee or Miami for Leavitt's services. 

In the end, Kiffin and LSU won the portal sweepstakes, even though they’ll be spending over $5 million on the quarterback who might not be ready for action until after spring practice. 

In the meantime, a coach like Curt Cignetti at Indiana has proven you can turn a program around into a national title contender within a two-year span. Ultimately, this puts more pressure on coaches who have been leading programs for more than four years, or even three, to win right now. 

If you're going to do that, you had better be able to either develop your talent, or start poaching others with lucrative deals. 

Loyalty Is A Thing Of The Past, So Stop Getting Caught Up

Thinking that an athlete is choosing your school because of past championships or the ability to turn you into an NFL prospect is essentially a thing of the past for high-dollar prospects. 

In the past, schools like Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State or Oregon, just to name a few, were stockpiling talent along their two-deep. This led to others missing out, while star athletes were waiting for upwards of two years before actually seeing game action on a consistent basis. 

Not any longer, especially with the amount of money being spent. And, high school recruits who are signing these lucrative contracts are being thrust into the spotlight. There is no longer a time period for development. 

Just ask Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, who was one of the highest paid players in the sport last season, as a true freshman. 

Colorado swung for the fences with offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, who started his first two seasons in Boulder. Remember all the hoopla surrounding his commitment on Fox Sports 1, where he pledged his loyalty to Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes' football program? 

That lasted two years, which is actually one year longer than some in the sport. On Monday night, Seaton announced he would be entering the transfer portal, where he will command upwards of $3 to $4 million in 2026. 

And, I can almost assure you that the talented lineman did not enter the portal on a whim, or with hopes that a lucrative offer would follow. 

That's not how the game is played now, as ‘tampering’ is just another form of business practice in garnering talent. 

What we are seeing within the confines of college athletics is an era that has no boundaries. Some thought that the amount of money being spent on college athletes via the transfer portal would level off, but they were obviously wrong. 

As long as schools and boosters are willing to spend, the folks involved will walk the fine line between what is legal.