Jackson State coach Deion Sanders thinks the players are paying way too much attention to NIL’s potential wins.
Ever since players were allowed to cash in on name, image and likeness, the sport of college football has turned into the Wild West with money thrown everywhere. No situation shed more light on the situation than when Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher sued over alleged NIL deals.
However, Sanders thinks everyone needs to take a step back and realize that NIL is nothing more than peanuts and the NFL is where kids can make real money.
“I want these kids to go back to focusing on the NFL and not the NIL. Now you have kids who don’t even think about the wonderful job Coach Saban has done and the track record he has accumulated or the coaching position. Does his scheme suit him? They think of NIL. If the money is right with me, I’ll go there, and that’s not the way to attack this thing because the NFL is what’s going to sustain you and keep you going. Not the NIL,” Sanders said during an ESPN interview Wednesday.
There’s no doubt that Deion Sanders is 100% right when it comes to total earning potential. There isn’t an NIL deal in the world that can match what you could earn in the NFL.
For example, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker’s fully guaranteed rookie contract is worth more than $37.3 million after being the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
There has been no NIL deal that has happened so far that even comes close to that number.
Prior to the 2021 season, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was thought to have NIL deals in place that would be around $1 million.
Now that he’s won the Heisman, his value is even higher, and he’s even appearing in Dr Pepper’s new Fansville ad. However, that still isn’t close to the kind of money Young will make on his rookie contract when he enters the NFL.
No matter how you slice it, the NFL will always be your best bet to make money as a football player based on NIL money. As Sanders pointed out, players aren’t looking for coaches who can help them get to the NFL.
The guys are now looking at how much money they can make in the immediate future. This is a very short way to approach the situation.
Hopefully the best players are surrounded by smart people who guide them to the best programs to help them turn professional and not just focus on cashing in NIL.
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