Is NIL Money in College Football Impacting the NFL Draft

Players must consider their draft stock, the possibility of getting hurt, their family and financial situation, and plenty of other factors. Keep in mind there is a clear distinction between being in college and being a professional. 

Somehow, the decisions young players are making have gotten even more complicated. In today’s world, betting platforms like sportsbooks and online casinos have found their way into the sporting landscape, becoming impossible for players and fans to ignore. The world of name, image, and likeness (NIL) has added yet another wrinkle into the decision-making process. But just how much is NIL money having an impact on the NFL Draft?

It’s perhaps too early to jump to any conclusions, but the early returns indicate that NIL is making a significant impact. In many cases, players no longer have to go to the NFL to chase the money and get a paycheck. Top-flight college football players at major programs can make more by returning to college for one more year than they would as rookies in the NFL. If there is a difference between the two, it’s not always big enough to convince a player to make that leap.

Obviously, the situation is going to be different for different players. Someone who is assured of being a first-round pick will likely get a guaranteed contract that’s worth an 8-figure sum. For those players, one more year of NIL money probably won’t outweigh playing in the NFL with a large contract, not to mention the opportunity to get other endorsement deals as well. However, the situation is different for players who could be mid-round picks or late-round picks. For those players, NIL money can be difficult to turn down compared to the uncertainty of going to the NFL and having to compete for a job.

The transfer portal is yet another wrinkle that is becoming a factor. Underclassmen at smaller programs are now free to transfer to more high-profile programs in bigger conferences. They can now test themselves against better competition and try to improve their draft stock rather than enter the NFL Draft and try to overcome the label of only excelling against weaker competition. At the same time, bigger programs offer more NIL possibilities, allowing players at smaller programs a better way to make money than declaring for the NFL Draft.

With this being the situation, underclassmen who aren’t going to be high-round picks are now more likely to stay in school an extra year. The year before NIL became a part of the college sports landscape, there were 130 underclassmen declaring for the draft. For the 2024 NFL Draft, that number was down to just 58. That is less than half as many underclassmen in the draft in a short period of time.

This doesn’t just impact the players; it impacts teams as well. The players available in the later rounds of the draft are more experienced and better prepared to play in the NFL as rookies and contribute to the team that selects them. In some ways, this can be helpful, but only if teams are recognizing how this changes things. The bottom line is that NIL money available for college players is leading to players staying in school longer. It’s also helping to make late-round NFL Draft selections a little more valuable for NFL teams.