Depending on how you look at it, NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) is currently the biggest talking point in college football—whether players are using it for its intended purpose or exploiting it for the wrong reasons. Schools are now paying athletes, and since some programs have deeper pockets than others, they can afford to spend significantly more to build their rosters.
However, not everyone supports the wide-open approach the NCAA has taken with NIL. If it were up to former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, he would implement a cap to level the playing field for all schools.
“Players need to get compensated, no doubt. But it has to be done in a way where, you know, in some kind of way, have competitive balance, you know, and that every school has the same thing. One school can’t spend $30 million for players while another school’s spending $3 million," Saban said.
Another coach who has been outspoken about NIL recently is Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart. Smart believes that underclassmen shouldn't be making as much as upperclassmen.
“I just want to be able to have a freshman come in and not make more than a senior, and I’d like for other sports to be able to still survive. You know, we’re on the brink of probably one to two years away from a lot of schools cutting sports,” Smart said.
Smart also dropped a bombshell when he revealed how much it costs just to keep a commitment.
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“Kirby Smart tells YahooSports that collectives are striking deals with high school recruits to keep and gain their commitments—paying them as much as $20,000 a month in this unregulated market,” YahooSports' Ross Dellenger posted.
High school players who haven't even practiced with their future teams are already making five figures a month. That sums up the new era of college athletics—and what it now takes to land and keep some of the top talent.