04/24/26 09:30:00
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04/24 09:27 CDT NFL draft in NIL era includes players taking a pay cut to go
from college to the pros
NFL draft in NIL era includes players taking a pay cut to go from college to
the pros
By MARK LONG
AP Pro Football Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) --- Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman
might do something this weekend he's never done in his storied NFL career:
draft a player who will take a pay cut by entering the league.
It won't be the last time, either.
The minimum salary for an NFL draft pick in 2026 is slotted at $915,120. But
with college revenue sharing going into effect before the 2025 season --- top
programs are now spending up to $20.5 million on student-athletes, with the
majority earmarked for the most talented football players --- there are
undoubtably players who will be drafted Saturday who topped the million-dollar
mark last season and will earn less in the pros.
At least in Year 1.
"So the character of those players, their passion and love of the game come to
the forefront even more," Roseman said.
Most of the players making more than $1 million in college football are
quarterbacks. Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Alabama's Ty Simpson were
first-round draft picks, with Mendoza going No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders and
Simpson surprisingly landing with the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13.
Mendoza's NFL rookie deal is slotted to top $57 million, including nearly $10.5
million in 2026. Simpson's contract will be roughly half that --- $25.4 million
total, including $4.6 million in the first year.
LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Miami's Carson Beck are projected to be the next
quarterbacks selected, with both potentially coming off the board in the second
or third round Friday night --- and both likely earning less as NFL rookies
than they made as established college starters.
Same goes for fellow QBs Drew Allar (Penn State), Taylen Green (Arkansas), Cole
Payton (North Dakota State), Sawyer Robertson (Baylor), Cade Klubnik (Clemson),
Joey Aguilar (Tennessee) and others.
Although revenue share payments are typically undisclosed, name, image and
likeness valuations are much more public. Nearly half of the top 50 NIL
valuations in 2025 belonged to QBs, according to On3, with two dozen of those
over $1.5 million.
"They come in almost like pros now," Raiders general manager John Spytek said.
"I actually think it's made it easier because you know what the guys are going
to do when they have money.
"You know the ones that love the game and are about the right things, and just
because they've got more money than we all had when we were in college, they
still prepare the right way, they play the right way, they love the game,
they're there for their teammates. I think it's kind of been a little bit
illuminating to the character of who they are."
The financial component has less of an impact on NFL decision-makers as the age
issue.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said this is the third consecutive year in
which 18% of the team's draft board is comprised of players at least 24 years
old. That number used to be 4%, he added.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the initial age surge. But soaring NIL payments
and rev share could be the deciding force for years to come.
"That's something that we don't really understand fully and what that means,"
DeCosta said. "I don't think it's a good thing, certainly. But historically
we've tried to draft younger players when we can. That's been something that we
feel strongly (about), but now we've got 18% of the draft board that's over 24
years old. So that's going to change the way that maybe we target players."
And some of them will be millionaires before they even sign an NFL contract.
"That's interesting. I don't know that it's rooted in financial thoughts as
much as you talk about age quite a bit and whether or not tread on the tires is
something of note," Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said.
"I think most of the times the guys have a little bit more financial awareness,
and that can be a really helpful tool.
"The fact that they're not just being dumped a good chunk of cash for the first
time when they enter the NFL. They now have some version of experience
navigating that, and that can be a really helpful piece for sure."
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