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When NIL payments were first introduced to college athletics, the goal was to fairly compensate players for their labor on and off the field. But changing dynamics and the growing use of NIL money as a recruitment tool has created an interesting dynamic.
Now, the payments are so large that many athletes are actually making more money at the college level than they do when they go pro.
David Ubben of The Athletic recently sat down with multiple high-profile former college football players to discuss what it’s been like taking a pay cut in order to enter the NFL.
Ubben’s piece comes in the wake of star college quarterbacks such as Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt, and Chandler Morris of Virginia petitioning for an extra year of college eligibility.
Only Chambliss was successful, and his father, Trent, told Ubben that he was unsure if the family would’ve pursued the same route had NIL money not been available.
“Boy, that’s a good question,” he told Ubben.
NFL Players Reveal Stark Pay Disparity Between Pros And NIL Payments
And it’s easy to see why. Ubben spoke with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Riley Leonard and Pittsburgh Steelers QB Will Howard, who faced one another in the 2025 College Football Playoff championship game, about how life has changed in the pros.
“You can create generational wealth now, and it doesn’t have to start in the NFL,” Howard said.
For comparison’s sake, Miami reportedly paid Georgia quarterback Carson Beck over $3 million to lead them to the national championship game this past season. Now, Beck is projected as a fourth-round pick where he’s likely to make around $1.1 million per the NFL’s rookie wage scale.
Leonard, meanwhile, says he’s definitely taking a pay cut in Indianapolis, with whom he signed a four-year, $4.4 million deal prior to last season.
“I’m definitely making less with the Colts,” he said. “And you see the numbers flying around college football. The money’s doubled since I’ve been there.”
Beyond that, Leonard said it’s a lot harder to guarantee you actually see that money in the pros.
“In college, the money is way more guaranteed,” he told Ubben. “Only like $200,000 of my contract is guaranteed. You have to make the team every year for four years straight to earn it all.”
The NCAA recently proposed major changes to its eligibility rules. If those changes go into effect, the whole dynamic changes. But until that point, you’re going to continue to see athletes attempting to remain in college as long as possible.