NIL is allowing for some interesting happenings in college ball...a team that has been previously only semi competitive can make some moves with $$$.
Duke...payed $8 million to aquire a QB...
Athlon:
"“They’re all-in on NIL, and [QB Darian] Mensah was a big investment for them. If he’s as effective as he was at Tulane, they could be a title contender because that defense is absolutely legit. They’re returning almost everyone, and last year was some of Manny Diaz’s best work of his career.”
Duke inked a two-year, $8 million NIL deal with Mensah, one of the biggest NIL contracts in college football history. It's a bit of a gamble on the rising redshirt sophomore, but Mensah was spectacular in his first season as a starter at Tulane in 2024.
In this new day..a great recruiter will not put together a great team, the payroll might. Kids may have favorite teams but in the high school locker rooms they talk about money their is less "team" than individual in college ball. And there is less "team" than individual...a player may change teams for a better offer.