Following the turmoil surrounding NIL deals after Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava’s transfer to UCLA shone a light on the potential dangers of high contracts, who are the highest-paid positions in college football?
Which Position Rules NIL Deals in College Football?
Texas Quarterback Arch Manning currently leads the NCAA in NIL Valuation, with a contract worth $6.6 million according to ON3’s rankings. With Manning leading the way when it comes to NIL Valuation, it comes as no surprise that the highest paid position in NCAA Football is the Quarterback position, with 17 QBs filling out the top 20.
Behind the Texas quarterback, Miami quarterback Carson Beck is currently the second-highest ranked player by NIL valuation on a contract worth $4.3 million, while LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers rank fourth and fifth, respectively.
Speaking to ESPN, Manning revealed that despite his family’s outrageous wealth, as the nephew of two former NFL Quarterbacks, he still wants to earn his own money.
“I didn’t want to be the guy rolling in with all this money when we have guys like Jake Majors who have 40 starts here and not making any, I’m taking all the money,” Manning told ESPN’s Marty Smith. “I wanted to earn my money, work hard, and get to know the players. Kind of earn my way up.”
Who Are The Outliers in NIL Valuation Rankings?
While the Quarterback position is quite clearly the most valuable position when it comes to NIL Valuation, with seventeen QBs in the top 20, there are three outliers who round out the top 20 who are not QBs.
The first, to no surprise, is Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, who is one of the top talents in College Football now, with many claiming he is ready for the NFL despite only being a freshman. The Buckeyes receiver is currently the third-highest valued player according to NIL Valuations, with a contract worth $4 million.
The other two, ranking 13th and 15th, respectively, are Alabama WR Ryan Williams and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, who signed deals worth $2.7 million and $2.4 million, respectively.
UCF Head Coach Slams “Broken” NIL System
Following the Iamaleava situation, UCF Head Coach Scott Frost recently criticized the current NIL system, which guarantees college athletes, such as Arch Manning and Carson Beck, millions of dollars a year.
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“When you’re 18, 19, 20 years old, and you think money is everything, and it’s not. Happiness and success are way more important than that, and I’ve learned that personally. I’m happy here and happy to be back here,” the coach said.
“Yes. I don’t think anybody’s really happy with the situation we’re in now, except maybe the institutions that have unlimited money to spend, and they want to keep that advantage,” he continued.
“It’s constant negotiation, and it’s a bidding war for every single player, whether they’re in the portal or not. That’s the reality, whether people want to admit it or not. It’s a sad state if a sport as beautiful as college football is won by the people with the richest boosters. That’s kinda where we are right now.”
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