Ryan Puglisi talks NIL, Georgia ahead of Elite 11 Finals

Sitting in a conference center in Nashville for the On3 NIL Elite Series, Ryan Puglisi appeared ready for the moment. Calm and precise with his words, the four-star quarterback had just wrapped up two weeks of hearing about Georgia picking up Dylan Raiola. The top-ranked prospect’s commitment was heralded as a crucial pickup for the Bulldogs.

Puglisi let it slide.

Committed to the two-time national champions since October, many who haven’t even met the 6-foot-2.5, 200-pound quarterback just expected him to re-open his recruitment.

Why would he stay put and face adversity and have to compete for a starting job? Heck, in today’s world of college football recruiting and NIL, Puglisi could command a high dollar value.

It’s not how he views the situation at all, though. Playing for the best of the best only attracts him to Georgia. He and Raiola have exchanged a few texts; Puglisi has been an active leader in recruiting the final pieces of the 2024 class. The rising senior at Connecticut’s Avon Old Farms has every intention to compete with Raiola for the starting job.

He will have his first chance to prove himself starting Wednesday night in Los Angeles. One of twenty quarterbacks competing at the 25th edition of the Elite 11 Finals, he’ll meet Raiola in person for the first time.

“They’ve been flat-out honest with me throughout the entire process,” Puglisi told On3. “Me and Dylan, we’ve already been talking a lot – just texting back and forth. It wasn’t a surprise to me and it wasn’t a surprise to them. But it was a surprise to everyone else in the world. Just going off of that, they’ve been super honest and straightforward.”

“The few text messages Dylan and I have had have been great, being able to clear the air. Things can go out and be said. But it doesn’t come from us. I’m ready to compete with him.”

‘Don’t know what is true’ with NIL in recruiting

While NIL did not factor into Puglisi’s decision, he heard all the financial pitches throughout his recruitment. The quarterback had significant interest in Alabama, Boston College, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan State and Oklahoma.

For some of the top-ranked prospects, NIL has everything to do with what school they ultimately pick. Throughout discussions with his family, Puglisi did not take any NIL figures too seriously because of the stories recruits have experienced. Prospects have been lied to by coaches about how much current athletes are being paid. Others have caught NIL collectives lying about how much an NIL package is worth.

“Our biggest thing was when someone threw out a number, we took it with a grain of salt,” he said. “Because you don’t know what is true and what’s not. I’ll never know until I get there – until I step foot on campus. That’s my mindset.”

The NIL quarterback market was reset in March 2022 when The Athletic reported five-star recruit Nico Iamaleava – the top Class of 2023 recruit in the country – signed a three-year deal with the Tennessee-focused Spyre Sports Group which could make him up to $8 million.

Since then, the market has resettled as NIL continues to mature. Many of the startling seven-figure packages have come down to the six-figure range. Yet, it’s still life-changing cash for plenty of prospects and their families. Puglisi has a $165,000 On3 NIL Valuation.

“I definitely say it’s pretty surreal just because we’re still so young,” he said of being offered significant NIL dollars. “I’m just 17 years old and people are offering us life-changing money. It’s something I take with gratitude. I’m just excited to go play a high-level sport. Whether the money comes with it or not, I’m still going to be grateful.”

“The people that are getting that [Nico] money, I’m happy for them. That’s life-changing money. It’s going to help their families tremendously one day.”

Puglisi on NIL’s biggest misconception

Playing college football remains the dream and goal for Puglisi. What has been described as elite arm talent, the quarterback is also an MLB prospect with a fastball that touches 93 mph. He made the move from Lawrence Academy to Avon Old Farms after his sophomore year.

While he may not be the most polished at his position, the No. 12 quarterback in the 2024 class has the natural tools with plenty of upside. Ryan Puglisi has the opportunity to impress over the next three days in southern California. He could even flip the narrative that Raiola is the better quarterback prospect with a strong showing.

No matter what, his heart is set on Georgia. And his love for football has led him to the SEC, not NIL dollars.

“That it’s [money] the only thing that matters,” he emphatically said. “At the end of the day, you picked up a football for a reason. Going into your freshman year, you weren’t going to college to try and get paid. You played football because you loved it.”