20-Year-Old College Athlete Becomes Multi-Millionaire? article by Kaveeshan Gnanarajah

 20-Year-Old College Athlete Becomes Multi-Millionaire??

For the past couple of decades, college athletes have made millions, if not billions, of dollars for their schools while being COMPLETELY FORBIDDEN from earning a single cent off their own names. Coaches have signed multi-million-dollar contracts and television networks have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to broadcast games, yet the athletes themselves couldn't even accept a free meal without risking their eligibility. That all changed in July 2021 when the Supreme Court finally ruled that college athletes could profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness, known as NIL.  Now, just four years later, college athletes are projected to earn $1.95 billion in NIL between July 2025 and June 2026. Top athletes, such as Texas quarterback Arch Manning for example, are securing deals worth millions, transforming what it means to be a college athlete.

Here's the thing: NIL isn't the free money machine everyone makes it out to be. You see all these stories about college athletes cashing in and becoming millionaires, but nobody really points out that those people are like the top 0.1%. For most players, NIL deals are more about getting some gas money or maybe covering your textbooks than buying a fancy car. Over half the deals are for $100 or less. Seriously, that's not even enough for a nice family dinner anymore. 

What you don't see on social media is that football and basketball players get most of the big deals. So yeah, it kind of creates this weird class system in the locker room, one person might land a huge endorsement while their teammates get a free meal at a local diner.

A lot of people still think NIL is a good thing because it finally lets you get paid for your hard work, no more schools and companies making bank off your name while you get nothing. But don't get tricked into thinking NIL is some easy path to riches. For almost everyone, it's just a small boost, not a lottery ticket. The old system where athletes couldn't even sell their own autographs is gone for good, but the new NIL world isn't as simple or as perfect as it looks online.

From, 

Kaveeshan Gnanarajah

Benbow, Dana Hunsinger. “At $ 6.8 Million, Arch Manning’s QB Prowess, Famous Name Makes Him College’s Richest NIL Athlete.” The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Star, 25 Aug. 2025, www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2025/08/25/arch-manning-richest-nil-athlete-6-8-million-texas-longhorns/85637087007/.

Maestas, AJ, and Jason Belzer. “How Much Is NIL Worth to Student Athletes?” Athletic Director U, Athletic Director U, 5 Apr. 2020, athleticdirectoru.com/articles/how-much-is-nil-really-worth-to-student-athletes/.