NIL valuation has become an interesting trend to follow among college athletes, and over the past year or so, it’s become astounding just how much young athletes benefit from their name, image, and likeness.
Being the starting quarterback for a high-profile football team seems to be the main avenue to making seven figures in this new-look world of college athletics, and the highest-earning player who fits that mold resides in the Big 12.
According to updated values for On3’s NIL Valuation Top 10, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders takes the cake with a whopping $5.1 million, beating out LSU gymnastics superstar Livvy Dunne ($4M) for the top spot.
Shedeur’s teammate, Travis Hunter, is among the top three earners as well, coming in at No. 3 on the list with NIL valuation of $3.1M. That puts him slightly ahead of Texas backup quarterback, Arch Manning, who checks in at No. 4 with virtually the same value.
The remaining members of the Top 10 on this list are all starting quarterbacks at major universities — and five out of six of them start at SEC programs.
Quinn Ewers, who will have to fight to keep his job safe from Arch, comes in at $2.2M, the same listed value that Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe’s NIL has.
Jackson Dart (Ole Miss) is next with $2.1M, and then the trio of Cam Ward (Miami, FL), Carson Beck (Georgia), and Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee) all check in at $1.9M.
What do you think? Is it ridiculous that college athletes are making this kind of money, or is it just how things should be after colleges benefitted off of athletes for decades?
Let us know it the member forum!
