In the ever-changing world of college athletics, money has become the name of the game... literally. The more a school can pay its athletes, either through NIL deals or directly, the more top-tier recruits that athletic program will attract.
There are 18-year-olds making millions of dollars before they even play a snap, but the players who make the most (more often than not) are the ones who have proven their worth on the field or court.
From Lubbock to Ann Arbor to Provo to Tuscaloosa, and beyond, there are a handful of players who make significantly more money off their NIL deals than others. Here are the top 20 college athletes with the highest NIL valuations:
All NIL valuations are from On3 NIL
There are quite a few players who were evaluated at $2,300,000 for their NIL worth. The first was senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who transferred to play for the Michigan Wolverines after two seasons for the UAB Blazers.
According to his social media accounts, Lendeborg has over 20,000 Instagram followers, more than 14.4K TikTok followers, and about 2,100 followers on X (formerly Twitter).
After an impressive start to his freshman season, expectations are even higher for Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola. With those high expectations come high NIL payouts. Not to mention, his uncanny likeness to NFL star quarterback Patrick Mahomes has brought a lot of additional attention to the young QB.
One of the more surprising athletes on this list is sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey, who just finished an impressive freshman season with the NC State Wolfpack.
As one of the top quarterback prospects in the ACC, Bailey made his name known last season and is projected to do even more of the same in 2025. The Miami native is the third and final player on this list with an NIL valuation resting around $2,300,000.
Choosing to stick around in Columbus for at least one more season certainly has burdened star defensive back Caleb Downs, who is heading toward his junior year with the Ohio State Buckeyes. After helping his team secure the National Championship last season, Downs' NIL valuation skyrocketed to $2,400,000.
TCU quarterback Josh Hoover has, quite literally, gotten better every single year he has played for the Horned Frogs. Now, as he heads into his redshirt junior season in Fort Worth, his team is looking for him to continue that trend.
The $2.4 million paycheck should help to motivate Hoover to ensure that his success keeps growing during what could be his final year at the collegiate level.
In the same sense that it may have been surprising to see CJ Bailey ranked so high on this list, it may be equally shocking that Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams is this low.
After stunning the world as a freshman, many would expect NIL deals to be through the roof for Williams. Sure, $2,700,000 is nothing to scoff at, but landing at No. 15 in the nation is slightly surprising for the Bama star.
John Mateer has patiently waited in the wings for his chance to lead the Washington State Cougars' offense. Now, it's officially his turn to hold the reins, and with that comes a hefty paycheck. In fact, Mateer is expected to make the same amount in NIL deals that Ryan Wilson will over the next year.
After his redshirt freshman season with the Tulane Green Wave, quarterback Darian Mensah decided to opt for a different jersey color and transferred to play for the Duke Blue Devils. Part of that decision included receiving an NIL package valued at $2,800,000.
The second basketball player on this list is none other than JT Toppin, who many expected to head for the NBA after his freshman season for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. However, a guaranteed $2.8 million paycheck from the team was too hard to pass up on, and Toppin announced he would return to Lubbock for at least one more season.
Yes, a true freshman is on this list. In fact, he isn't the only one. Quarterback Bryce Underwood, who committed to the Michigan Wolverines last year, is expected to make a resounding $2,900,000 without ever playing a snap of collegiate football before the upcoming season. To say the pressure on Underwood is high would be a drastic understatement.
After being part of the offense that led the Arizona State Sun Devils to their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoffs, quarterback Sam Leavitt inked a brand new NIL deal, worth upwards of $300,000. The valuation puts him within the top 10 of all collegiate athletes in the country.
Drew Allar is one of the most promising veteran quarterbacks in college football. As he looks to lead the Penn State Nittany Lions on yet another run to the College Football Playoffs, the senior QB will be pocketing about $3,100,000 in NIL deals and endorsements.
Last season, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik finally found his footing and took the Tigers to the First Round of the CFPs. However, he was bested by his former high school rival Quinn Ewers, who helped the Texas Longhorns to a 38-24 win over the Clemson Tigers.
Now, with another year under his belt (and Ewers in the NFL), Klubnik is looking to improve upon last year's success, and he's getting paid $3.3 million to do it.
There are three quarterbacks on this list who all hold an NIL valuation of $3.7 million and are all on teams in the SEC. First off is Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, who took over the starting role. last season. Now, as Lagway heads into his sophomore season with the Gators, expectations any NIL values are high for young QB.
The second SEC quarterback worth approximately $3,700,000 is South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers, who has already found himself in the conversation about who should win the Heisman Trophy next season. With 3,208 all-purpose yards and 25 total touchdowns last year, Sellers set himself up perfectly for his redshirt junior season with the Gamecocks.
There were a lot of concerns about LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier after his lackluster against the USC Trojans last season. However, Nussmeier gained his sea legs and led the Tigers to a 9-4 overall record, earning himself a $3,700,000 NIL valuation ahead of his fifth season with LSU.
The second and final true freshman on this list is AJ Dybansta, who is flying towards his first-ever season of collegiate basketball for the BYU Cougars. Dybansta was a five-star power forward in the recruiting class of 2025 and was the No. 1 overall prospect in the nation. Now, he'll be playing to prove he was worth the money.
Unlike Alabama's Ryan Williams, true sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith ran to the bank after his first season of collegiate football. Don't get it twisted, Smith undeniably earned the $4 million he is set to make after earning 88 yards and one touchdown in the National Championship game last season.
There were a lot of question marks around quarterback Carson Beck's future as he decided between staying at Georgia, entering the transfer portal, or entering the 2025 NFL Draft. Ultimately, Beck opted for the $4,300,000 that the Miami Hurricanes and head coach Mario Cristobal were offering him, staying at the college level for one more year.
Name, Imagine, and Likeness could not be set up better for an athlete like Arch Manning. Not only does he have the last name that he does, but he also plays for one of the most recognizable sports franchises in the world, and has quickly become one of the most recognizable players on his own accord.
As he finally takes over as the Texas Longhorns' starting quarterback, Manning is set to make $6.6 million during his junior season.