How do top high school football stars feel about NIL figures, transfer portal? Recruiting confidential
Did recruits take the biggest offer? Are coaches honest about their intentions with the portal? Which schools have the best food?
www.nytimes.com
I pulled out some of the best parts below.
ORLANDO, Fla. — We caught up with some of the best high school football players in the country at the Under Armour Next All-America Game media day to tackle a variety of recruiting topics.
This year, the event included approximately 60 high school seniors and 30 juniors, which allowed us to talk to players who are done with the recruiting process and those still going through it.
We spoke to more than 30 players and granted them anonymity so they could speak candidly on topics such as NIL, the transfer portal, campus visits and more.
Based on conversations you’ve had with college programs (coaches, NIL directors) and other elite recruits, how much are you expecting to get paid in your first year in college? What is a baseline number for your position at a Power 4 program?
• It depends on which college you go to. They all spend different amounts on freshmen. As a defensive end going to a Power 4 school, I’ve been told $60,000 to $80,000 a semester. Every contract is different. You can sign a two-year, three-year deal. What you get after your first deal is up to you and how you play.
• The going rate for a high school All-American defensive back depends on how bad a school wants you or how bad they need you. No low-ball number — knowing taxes are going to take 40 percent‚ $300,000 to $700,000. Taxes are the devil.
• My agent has told me anywhere from $300,000 to $700,000 for a high school All-American linebacker.
How much did coaches bring up NIL on visits? Did they avoid the subject?
• For me, making money is a big thing. But I felt like building a relationship with the coaches was more important. Each school would tell you how much you could make if you start, do things right. One conversation I remember was with (Georgia coach) Kirby Smart. You didn’t talk to an NIL manager at Georgia. He put a paper down, showed it to me and he said your money goes up the more you start and make plays. It was really organized. Some schools try to bring up things like development to push you away from the money. A lot of people are mad (players) are making decisions based on money. At the end of the day, you can’t go somewhere and not get what you’re worth. (Note: This player did not sign with Georgia.)
• The only time I talked about NIL was on official visits. It was usually with the collective. Kirby Smart was the only coach who handled it. (Note: This player did not sign with Georgia.)
• I wouldn’t say NIL was the main topic on visits, but I would say it was an important talking point for many of the schools I went to on official visits. As far as the plans, they said it was different for each player. They want it to be private so we don’t know how much each guy makes because it kind of hinders that ability to actually play ball. If you know what he’s making, then you’re like, “I should be making more.” So, it’s whatever they have planned out for you and going from there.
When do you get your first NIL check? What do you plan to do with it?
• My mom and dad told me that football is going to end one day — if I make it to the league or not. I’m bright enough to do something after football. I’m gonna invest a lot of it.
Anything else people should know about NIL?
• People don’t know, those contracts are very strategic on what they want you to do and if you don’t fit that certain type of (performance) your money’s gonna get taken down. So with all these NIL valuations that everybody’s getting, it sounds great, but what is in that contract? What are those clauses that say, “If you don’t do this, this and that, you’re gonna get cut to this?” And then you get cut to that, it’s gonna be like, “You told me one thing, you lied to me.” No. Read the contract. You have to have somebody that is understanding and that knows those types of things because you sign your life away.
• I have a clause where I can get out of my contract any time I want to. And that’s why I loved my agency so much because they’re not money grabbing. They’re like, “Well, if you feel uncomfortable at any time, say you wanna do this, this and that, we can help you find other (options).” It wasn’t a situation where they were trying to feed off me. They’ve got (NFL) guys signed. They don’t need a couple thousand dollars from an 18-year-old.
Do you feel like coaches have been honest and transparent with you about going to get older players in the transfer portal?
• I had a long talk with (Florida State) coach (Mike) Norvell about it. I asked him how he feels about players jumping in the portal. He said if you want to come back after you jump in the portal, he’s open to it. And if you don’t fit there, he’ll help you find a new program. He’s not going to leave guys out in the cold. He’s the only coach who has ever told me that. It just shows he’s a good guy. (Note: This player is uncommitted.)
• You’ve got to have a lot of trust with that because coaches could be telling you one thing and then meaning a different thing. So I had to really take that into (account) because of how much it messes up high school kids nowadays. They could take a dude that has way more experience than you and then you can’t play and they’re gonna take your scholarship.
Who had the best and worst food on trips?
• Texas had the worst food. It’s not the worst, (but) it’s because they gave the same food every time. The best food? I did go on one visit now that I’m thinking of it, U of H had this barbecue and one of my friends is a big U of H fan so I wanted to take him to a game so I went to take a visit there to go watch a game. But they had some really good barbecue.
