Survey shows over 50% of top 2025 recruits polled content taking less NIL dollars than top offer

The On3 Elite Series, a seminar educating the top 2025 high school football recruits on NIL, entrepreneurship, and planning for life after football, took place in Nashville last week. On3 surveyed those top 2025 recruits to gain a better understanding of the NIL marketplace. 

On3 offered the survey to 41 blue-chip recruits with five declining and 36 opting in. We granted them anonymity so they could be honest in their answers, delivering insights on what top prospects are looking for in their recruitments when it comes to NIL. 

Of the 36 athletes surveyed, 33 listed the amount of money they wanted. The majority of desired financial packages ranged from $200,000 to $600,000 per year, with the median at $400,000. The lowest recorded NIL offer wanted was $33,000. More than 20 of the athletes asked to fill out the survey were rated as five-star recruits.

Notably, 22 recruits provided details for the amount of money they desired and their largest NIL package to date. In a surprising outcome, 12 said they were content with taking less money than their largest NIL offer, which is 54% percent of the pool who answered both questions. 

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding NIL in the high school ranks has been top prospects picking colleges solely off the highest dollar price. Responses from the survey show culture fit and NFL development remain deciding factors for many of the top recruits in the nation, outweighing a larger payday. 

On3 offered an anonymous NIL survey to 41 of the nation's top recruits last week at the On3 Elite Series💰

Results show over 50% of the prospects polled would take less NIL dollars than their top offer for the right school💪

More data: https://t.co/D8p0xVe71O pic.twitter.com/urbFipF9KS

— On3 (@On3sports) June 5, 2024

With June filled with official visits, prospects are about to plunge head-first into the recruiting process, especially NIL negotiations. Five participants in the survey said the largest offer they have received was over $1 million. On3 believes the majority of those responses came from quarterbacks or elite offensive tackles and defensive linemen. Across the college football landscape, those three position groups consistently earn the top compensation.  

The largest offer recorded was over $1.5 million and could max out just under $3 million. Another participant listed $2 million as their most lucrative NIL package to date. Twenty-four of the 36 recruits listed their largest NIL offer, with a median of $450,000 per year.

Top recruits share biggest NIL concerns

Tennessee’s Spyre Sports NIL collective signed five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava to a three-year deal that could pay him more than $8 million by his junior year. When news of the deal was first reported by The Athletic in March 2022, it proved to be a high-water mark of dollars being spent in high school recruiting. The NIL market has resettled since, with the majority of funds being allocated to roster retention and attracting top transfer portal talent.  

As part of the survey, On3 also asked top recruits what their biggest worry was when navigating NIL deals. Prospects repeatedly alluded to broken promises and being lied to. Responses included: 

• “People lying to me, saying numbers just to get me to commit.”
• “That people are making empty promises or that they make it seem like the kid is driven by money.”
• “Being scammed into a bad situation.”
• “If they are really going to pay it.”
• “That I’m being lied to and not receiving anything.”

One survey participant just wrote “Jaden Rashada,” alluding to the four-year, $13.85 million contract the former four-star quarterback signed with a Florida NIL collective that was later voided. Other concerns mentioned were taxes and NIL proving to be a distraction. 

“That’s all about building trust with people and knowing you’re around the right people,” five-star safety Trey McNutt told On3 last week when asked about the Rashada situation. “I know myself, I can see through people when I’m talking to them, whether they’re real or fake. Situations do happen like that and it’s unfortunate. But they just got to move on from it and build back up. I would hope it doesn’t happen to me, but you also have to read the contract right and know what you’re signing. 

“And it’s super important to have it on paper, have it written down, and be able to read it over.”