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The NIL Standard

@thenilstandard

Independent NIL valuations for college football & men's basketball. Model-driven estimates — a number, not a contract.

thenilstandard.com/
Joined September 2024
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We value every Power 4 roster from public depth charts, production data, and market signals ESPN surveyed GMs and agents in August on what starters cost. Our median lands in range at 13 of 13.
Dark table card. Header: Independent validation. Large green figure: 13 / 13 position groups inside the reported range. Subhead: The NIL Standard median vs. reported typical starter, ESPN GM/agent survey, August 2026. Columns: position, reported typical, our median, in band. Quarterback $1M-$3M, $2,000,000, in band. Edge Rusher $500K-$1.2M, $928,774, in band. Offensive Tackle $600K-$1.2M, $906,808, in band. Defensive Tackle $500K-$1M, $752,400, in band. Wide Receiver $400K-$1M, $725,726, in band. Cornerback $400K-$900K, $571,992, in band. Safety $300K-$900K, $566,608, in band. Running Back $300K-$800K, $526,951, in band. Interior Offensive Line $400K-$800K, $524,512, in band. Linebacker $300K-$700K, $462,463, in band. Tight End $300K-$600K, $439,073, in band. Kicker $50K-$200K, $104,750, in band. Punter $50K-$150K, $96,250, in band. Source: ESPN GM/agent survey, Aug 11, 2026. Data as of Aug 27, 2026.

ALT Dark table card. Header: Independent validation. Large green figure: 13 / 13 position groups inside the reported range. Subhead: The NIL Standard median vs. reported typical starter, ESPN GM/agent survey, August 2026. Columns: position, reported typical, our median, in band. Quarterback $1M-$3M, $2,000,000, in band. Edge Rusher $500K-$1.2M, $928,774, in band. Offensive Tackle $600K-$1.2M, $906,808, in band. Defensive Tackle $500K-$1M, $752,400, in band. Wide Receiver $400K-$1M, $725,726, in band. Cornerback $400K-$900K, $571,992, in band. Safety $300K-$900K, $566,608, in band. Running Back $300K-$800K, $526,951, in band. Interior Offensive Line $400K-$800K, $524,512, in band. Linebacker $300K-$700K, $462,463, in band. Tight End $300K-$600K, $439,073, in band. Kicker $50K-$200K, $104,750, in band. Punter $50K-$150K, $96,250, in band. Source: ESPN GM/agent survey, Aug 11, 2026. Data as of Aug 27, 2026.

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The best public pay data college sports has ever had. We read every table. The headline: the school now writes the bigger check. At every core Power 4 football position, median school pay is 3.5× to 6.2× the median NIL total. Full breakdown below ↓
College Sports Commission (@theCSCommission) profile pictureCollege Sports Commission
@theCSCommissionOct 30
A first for college sports, the CSC has published aggregated, anonymized student-athlete compensation data from CAPS and NIL Go. Full report ⬇️ collegesportscommission.org/…
Compensation Reports - College Sports Commission

Compensation Reports - College Sports Commission

The data includes only the compensation categories described below and does not include every form of financial support a student-athlete receives, such as scholarships, cost-of-attendance stipends,...

collegesportscommission.org
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Every position, every conference, and how to read the numbers without misusing them: thenilstandard.com/insights/…
Schools Pay for Football. Brands Pay for Fame. | The NIL Standard

Schools Pay for Football. Brands Pay for Fame. | The NIL Standard

The College Sports Commission just released the first official pay data of the revenue-sharing era. We read every table — 12 football position groups, every major basketball conference, and the...

thenilstandard.com
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The first official pay data of the revenue-sharing era is out. At every core Power 4 football position, the median school payment is 3.5× to 6.2× the median NIL total. Schools pay for football. Brands pay for fame. Data via @theCSCommission
Chart titled "Schools pay for football. Brands pay for fame." from The NIL Standard, using College Sports Commission data published Oct. 30, 2026. Paired bars compare the median school revenue-share payment with the median third-party NIL total for Power 4 (A4) football players at eight positions. School pay is a multiple of NIL at every position: QB 3.5x, RB 4.2x, WR 4.0x, TE 4.7x, OL 6.2x, DL 5.7x, LB 5.2x, DB 4.6x. A strip at the bottom reads: 75% of A4 football players paid by their school; 29% outside the A4.

ALT Chart titled "Schools pay for football. Brands pay for fame." from The NIL Standard, using College Sports Commission data published Oct. 30, 2026. Paired bars compare the median school revenue-share payment with the median third-party NIL total for Power 4 (A4) football players at eight positions. School pay is a multiple of NIL at every position: QB 3.5x, RB 4.2x, WR 4.0x, TE 4.7x, OL 6.2x, DL 5.7x, LB 5.2x, DB 4.6x. A strip at the bottom reads: 75% of A4 football players paid by their school; 29% outside the A4.

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Basketball conferences built very different payrolls. The Big 12 paid 79% of its roster. The SEC paid 45%, but its paid players had the highest floor of any league.
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Every position, every conference, and how to read the numbers without misusing them: thenilstandard.com/insights/…
Schools Pay for Football. Brands Pay for Fame. | The NIL Standard

Schools Pay for Football. Brands Pay for Fame. | The NIL Standard

The College Sports Commission just released the first official pay data of the revenue-sharing era. We read every table — 12 football position groups, every major basketball conference, and the...

thenilstandard.com
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1/ The Protect College Sports Act now has a hard deadline. Senate passed it 77-22. The House returns Nov 9. If it isn't law by Jan 3, it dies and starts over under Democratic majorities in both chambers. The money at the center of the bill:
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2/ The bill caps what schools can pay athletes at $21.58M (up to $49.08M with retention and non-revenue money). By our estimates, all 68 Power 4 schools spend more than $21.58M on football and men's basketball alone. 21 top $44.08M.
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3/ Where it can go from here, the House fault lines, and every school's estimate: thenilstandard.com/football/…
The Midterms Put a Clock on the Protect College Sports Act

The Midterms Put a Clock on the Protect College Sports Act

The Senate passed it 77-22. Last night's results leave the House about five weeks to finish the job before the bill expires.

thenilstandard.com
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Every Power 4 school spends more on football and men's basketball alone than the federal NIL bill's $21.58M base cap, by our estimates. 68 of 68 top it 46 do on football alone 21 top $44.08M, the cap plus full retention fund The House has until Jan 3. thenilstandard.com/football/…
The Midterms Put a Clock on the Protect College Sports Act

The Midterms Put a Clock on the Protect College Sports Act

The Senate passed it 77-22. Last night's results leave the House about five weeks to finish the job before the bill expires.

thenilstandard.com
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Last night's results put a deadline on the Protect College Sports Act. Senate passed it 77-22. The House returns Nov 9 with ~5 weeks to act. If it isn't law by Jan 3, it starts over under Democratic control. What happens next, and what's at stake: thenilstandard.com/football/…
The Midterms Put a Clock on the Protect College Sports Act

The Midterms Put a Clock on the Protect College Sports Act

The Senate passed it 77-22. Last night's results leave the House about five weeks to finish the job before the bill expires.

thenilstandard.com
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Thanks for building on our basketball valuations, @TaxGoldman. The number that jumps out to us: 10 of the top 25 now play in states with no income tax, up from 3 last year. Texas alone has five. Tax geography is quietly becoming a roster-building edge.
TaxProfNathanGoldman (@TaxGoldman) profile pictureTaxProfNathanGoldman@TaxGoldmanNov 2
Same $5M NIL valuation. $631K difference in take-home pay. Where a college hoops star plays matters as much as what he's worth. I broke down the 2026 NIL tax bills for the top 25 players: forbes.com/sites/nathangoldm… #NIL #CollegeBasketball #Tax #SportsMoney #TaxPolicy #NILTaxes
Breaking Down The Top 25 College Basketball Stars’ 2026 NIL Tax Bills

Breaking Down The Top 25 College Basketball Stars’ 2026 NIL Tax Bills

College basketball's top 25 NIL earners are valued at $99.9 million in 2026 — and will owe roughly $40.7 million in federal, state, and local taxes. See who owes what.

forbes.com
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Appreciate @TaxGoldman using The NIL Standard’s basketball valuations in his @Forbes breakdown of 2026 NIL tax bills for college hoops’ top 25. His takeaway: two players at the same $5M valuation, a $631K gap in take-home — all because of state and city tax. forbes.com/sites/nathangoldm…
Breaking Down The Top 25 College Basketball Stars’ 2026 NIL Tax Bills

Breaking Down The Top 25 College Basketball Stars’ 2026 NIL Tax Bills

College basketball's top 25 NIL earners are valued at $99.9 million in 2026 — and will owe roughly $40.7 million in federal, state, and local taxes. See who owes what.

forbes.com
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Our number: the Big Ten's top third, MSU's stated goal, starts around $33M. We estimate Michigan State's football roster spend at $23M, 11th of 18. That's ~$10M short of 6th-place Nebraska. Great breakdown from @W00dsyOwl at @TheOnlyColors 👇
Darin Radatz 🦉 (@W00dsyOwl) profile pictureDarin Radatz 🦉
@W00dsyOwlNov 3
No Film Room this week, but still talking MSU football! How much NIL money do the Spartans need to compete? What’s your number? theonlycolors.com/football/4…
Michigan State Football: Show Me the NIL Money

Michigan State Football: Show Me the NIL Money

Michigan State’s football roster is valued at around $23 million, but that only ranks 11th in the Big Ten. How much more will it take to get the Spartans winning again?

theonlycolors.com
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Smart read from @W00dsyOwl at @TheOnlyColors on Michigan State's NIL gap. Our estimate: $23M in MSU football roster spend, 11th in the Big Ten and $6.5M below the conference average. Worth your time 👇 theonlycolors.com/football/4…
Michigan State Football: Show Me the NIL Money

Michigan State Football: Show Me the NIL Money

Michigan State’s football roster is valued at around $23 million, but that only ranks 11th in the Big Ten. How much more will it take to get the Spartans winning again?

theonlycolors.com
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On Nov 12, TNS Pro unlocks our 2027 outlook: where each player's NIL value is heading next season, built on this year's production. Founding reservations are open now ↓
The NIL Standard graphic: The name you know. The names you will. Five college football players: Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State QB; Arch Manning, Texas QB; Jesse Legree, Oregon State WR; Malachi Toney, Miami WR; Bear Bachmeier, BYU QB. Their 2026 estimated NIL values and 2027 Pro outlooks are blurred, with locks on 2027. Pro launches Nov 12. Reserve at thenilstandard.com/pro.

ALT The NIL Standard graphic: The name you know. The names you will. Five college football players: Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State QB; Arch Manning, Texas QB; Jesse Legree, Oregon State WR; Malachi Toney, Miami WR; Bear Bachmeier, BYU QB. Their 2026 estimated NIL values and 2027 Pro outlooks are blurred, with locks on 2027. Pro launches Nov 12. Reserve at thenilstandard.com/pro.

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Reserve at thenilstandard.com/pro?from=… Founding reservations close Nov 10 at 8 a.m. ET. You won't be charged until Pro goes live on Nov 12, and you can cancel any time before then.
TNS Pro: the 2027 NIL outlook

TNS Pro: the 2027 NIL outlook

The valuations on this site stay free. Pro adds the 2027 outlook, player by player: the estimate, its range and ceiling, and what drives it.

thenilstandard.com
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Thanks to @TheBradTeague and @BaylorBearsOnSI for putting our estimated roster values to work on where Baylor stands in the Big 12 and against the AP top five. si.com/college/baylor/footba…
Baylor's NIL Spending Has Bolstered Key Areas — But Success Isn't Guaranteed

Baylor's NIL Spending Has Bolstered Key Areas — But Success Isn't Guaranteed

It's what the NIL era is.

si.com
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Which Mississippi State players are outplaying their NIL estimates? @marvinwrites dug into it for @CowbellCorner using our valuations, and Anthony Evans III leads the way. si.com/college/mississippist…
A Mississippi State Receiver Is Outplaying His NIL Estimate

A Mississippi State Receiver Is Outplaying His NIL Estimate

Mississippi State Bulldogs players carry NIL valuations that describe what outside models think their names might command.

si.com
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