NIL Budget Report Reveals Earnings and Spending Trends Before College Football Week 1

A new report projects that name, image and likeness (NIL) spending in college football will reach $2.6 billion annually by the 2027-28 season.

In a data report released Wednesday by Opendorse, it is predicted that NIL spending in college football in 2027-28 will have increased by more than $2 billion in total since the introduction of NIL in 2021-22. An estimated $458.1 million was spent on college football NIL during the inaugural year.

The report also found that football players account for 13.1 percent of all revenue generated by Power Four schools and 13.3 percent of revenue created by Group of 6 schools.

Additionally, 18 percent of football budgets at Power Four schools are collectively spent on quarterbacks, which is the most of any single position.

That comes as little surprise since 17 of the 20 players with the highest NIL valuations, per On3.com, are college football players, and 14 of them are quarterbacks.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning leads the way with a valuation of $6.8 million, followed by Miami quarterback Carson Beck at $4.3 million and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier at $3.8 million.

Among football players, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the only non-quarterback football player in the top 10, as his $4.2 million valuation is third overall, behind Manning and Beck.

Other findings in the report include $328 million in NIL offers being made to high school prospects in August, and a 61.5 percent increase in average annual NIL earnings following the December transfer window, plus an additional 13.6 percent increase after the spring transfer window.

Week 1 of the 2025 college football season kicks off this week, headlined by a massive clash between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.