The world of college athletics is changing fast, and NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) is right at the center of it. Since 2021, student-athletes have been able to cash in on their own personal brands—something that was off-limits before.
This shift didn’t just put money in athletes’ pockets. It’s also shaken up recruiting, team culture, and the financial side of college sports in ways that are still unfolding.
So, what exactly is NIL? In short, it stands for Name, Image, and Likeness. It’s the legal right for college athletes to get paid for their fame.
Before 2021, NCAA athletes couldn’t make money this way at all—scholarships were as good as it got. But after the Supreme Court’s decision in NCAA v. Alston, and some long-overdue NCAA rule changes, the doors finally opened.
How NIL Works
Now, athletes can make money in a bunch of different ways. Here are some of the main ones:
- Endorsements: Doing commercials or public appearances for brands.
- Social Media Promotions: Paid posts, shoutouts, or sponsored content online.
- Autographs and Merchandise: Selling signed stuff or their own branded gear.
- Appearances/Hosting Events: Getting paid to show up or run an event.
There’s another big player here: collectives. These are booster-run groups, separate from the schools themselves, that pool money from donors, fans, and businesses. They use that cash to set up NIL deals for athletes, especially in football, where the stakes (and dollar amounts) are sky high.
NIL Rules and Regulations
Of course, there are rules. Schools can’t just hand out salaries like a pro team. Instead, they can help connect athletes with outside NIL opportunities.
Every deal—especially those over $600—has to be reported to make sure everything’s above board.
State and School Policies
Every state and school seems to have its own spin on NIL rules. Some common threads:
- Reporting: Athletes have to tell their school about every NIL deal.
- Approval: Some schools want to sign off before anything’s official.
- Prohibited Products: Athletes usually can’t promote stuff like drugs or alcohol.
The NCAA keeps pushing for some kind of national standard, but for now, it’s a patchwork. Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess.
Who Pays NIL Money?
The money doesn’t come from the schools themselves. Instead, it’s mostly from:
- Brands and Companies: For ads, sponsorships, and endorsements.
- Collectives: Booster groups that organize paid appearances or other gigs.
- Personal Ventures: Athletes selling merch or monetizing their social media.
Take star quarterback Shedeur Sanders as an example. He and his family landed an Oikos yogurt commercial during the 2023 Super Bowl. Not bad, right?
Impact on College Football
NIL has changed college football recruiting in a big way. Bigger schools with deep-pocketed boosters can offer sweeter NIL deals, making them magnets for top recruits.
Bidding wars for star players? Yep, that’s a thing now.
Top Schools in NIL Efforts
A 2024 report from 247Sports listed the top schools flexing their NIL muscles:
- Oregon: $969 million
- Texas A&M: $849 million
- Texas: $766 million
- Florida: $763 million
- Georgia: $716 million
These schools have used their booster networks to reel in top talent. It’s a new era, and NIL is front and center.
Highest-Paid College Football Players
Who’s making the most? It’s a mix of on-field talent and social media clout. On3 broke down the top earners for 2025:
- Arch Manning (Texas): $5.5 million
- Carson Beck (Miami): $4.9 million
- Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State): $4.2 million
- Garrett Nussmeier (LSU): $4.0 million
- LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina): $3.7 million
These guys are cashing in on their names and skills, showing just how much is possible now.
Future Changes in NIL
Looking ahead, 2025-26 could bring even bigger changes. A federal judge recently approved a settlement in the House vs. NCAA case, which means schools might soon be able to pay athletes directly.
- Direct Payments: Schools could hand out up to $20.5 million a year to athletes.
- Opt-In Model: Schools have to choose to participate, or else stick with the current NIL setup.
- Oversight: The College Sports Commission (CSC) will keep an eye on things.
Will this bring more clarity and fairness? Maybe. The only thing that’s certain is that college sports aren’t going back to the old way.
Conclusion
NIL has changed college athletics in ways nobody could’ve predicted. Student-athletes can finally profit from their own name, image, and likeness, which is something people argued about for years.
There’s no denying this shift comes with both opportunities and headaches. Athletes now face a different set of choices, and schools are scrambling to keep up.
Honestly, the rules are still evolving, and no one really knows where things will end up. But it’s clear that college sports just got a lot more interesting for everyone involved.
If you’re curious about how NIL works or want to dig deeper into its effect on college football, check out the full article on Sporting News.
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