Top FCS Football Prospect Reveals FBS Boosters Used Huge NIL Deals To Entice Him To Transfer

South Dakota State Athletics / iStockphoto

• A lot of money is being weaponized through NIL to entice top players to transfer.
• And it’s not just on the FBS level, just ask South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft.
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Name, Image and Likeness has added a lot of complications to the landscape of college football. Although under-the-table money has always played a factor in recruiting, NIL allows legal workarounds to avoid violating the NCAA’s policies on pay-for-play.

To compensate a college football player or recruit directly in exchange for his commitment to a specific program remains illegal. However, through the guise of NIL opportunities, players are being offered money to play at/for a particular school.

There have been multiple instances in which this is true:

• Florida State defensive back Jarvis Brownlee entered the transfer portal after reportedly holding out over NIL.
• The best wide receiver in college football turned down a six-figure offer to transfer to the SEC.
  • Now he is likely transferring to USC and is set to receive a big NIL deal wherever he ends up.
• Texas receiver Xavier Worthy decided to stay in Austin over offers from other teams to transfer.
• Emory Jones just announced his decision to transfer to a program that is in the middle of an NCAA investigation and will receive the largest NIL deal in school history.
• Boston College receiver Zay Jones turned down two six-figure deals and didn’t transfer.

And it isn’t just happening on the FBS level. FCS players are being offered six-figure NIL deals to leave their current programs and transfer.

South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft was an integral part of the Jackrabbits offense last year. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound junior caught 65 passes for 780 yards and six touchdowns.

As a result of his strong season, he was offered the chance to move up a level. He recently shared that he was offered “multiple” six-figure NIL deals to transfer.

Ultimately, despite receiving little to no compensation at SDSU, he decided not to leave.

Kraft did not reveal what schools were in contact. However, to offer six figures, the schools were presumably in one of the Power Five conferences. If not, and a school like Wyoming is offering five zeros, then there is a lot more money being moved around than could ever be expected.