Highest-Paid College Football Players if NIL Existed Since 2000
When Johnny Manziel famously debuted his "show me the money" gesture during his redshirt freshman season at Texas A&M, it wasn't meant to take on larger-than-life symbolism. Instead, it was simply an inside joke between Manziel and teammate Ben Molina that the two would break out during practices or scrimmages.
Once Manziel introduced the college football world to the gesture, where he would rub his fingers together like he was counting cash— it became a signature celebration that symbolized swagger, self-confidence, and defiance. It represented the financial value he brought to Texas A&M and the NCAA, and later came to represent the contradiction of high-revenue college athletics and unpaid players—making him an early icon of the NIL era.
A decade later, everything changed, as the NCAA’s policy allowing athletes to officially profit off NIL went into play. But what if NIL existed in college athletics before that time? What athletes would have been the most profitable if NIL went into effect at the turn of the century? How would former college standouts like Manziel or Florida's Tim Tebow have fared?
FOX Sports college football writers Laken Litman, RJ Young and Michael Cohen take a look at who they believe would have been the most profitable college football players if NIL had been around since 2000.
* All three writers were each given a hypothetical $100 million to distribute to their five choices while being asked to rank them from 1-5, with No. 1 being the most profitable. Here is a look at their picks and how they chose to distribute those funds.
Laken Litman, College Football & Soccer Analyst1. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&MLiterally nicknamed "Money Manziel." That moniker complemented his well-known "show me the money" touchdown celebration as a nod to the NCAA, which punished him for profiting off signing autographs. As a freshman, Manziel mesmerized the college football world with a highlight-worthy season, passing for 3,419 yards with 24 touchdowns and adding 1,181 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns. He led Texas A&M to an upset win of No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa and went on to become the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.
NIL money: $35 million
2. Reggie Bush, RB, USCThe most electrifying player in college football at that time – and maybe ever. He was a threat on the run or in the passing games, and helped lead USC to back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004 before winning the Heisman – which was taken away due to receiving "improper benefits" and later given back – in 2005. If NIL existed then, perhaps the height of Bush’s powers would have come during the 2005 season after he put up an astounding 513 total yards against Fresno State.
NIL money: $25 million
In 2010, the star quarterback led the Tigers to an undefeated season, which included putting the team on his back and leading them from a 24-0 deficit against Alabama to a thrilling 28-27 victory in Tuscaloosa before winning the Heisman and a national championship. Newton had a larger-than-life personality and smile – he was Superman, after all. This went along nicely with his stats: During his best season in 2010, the Tigers’ QB passed for 2,854 yards with 30 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, which went along with his 1,473 rushing yards and another 20 TDs.
NIL money: $20 million
Young saved his best season and best game for last. As a junior in 2005, Young threw for more than 3,000 yards and ran for more than 1,000 while leading Texas to an undefeated season, culminating in the greatest national championship game of all time when the Longhorns beat Bush and USC, 41-38. In that title game, Young threw for 267 yards and rushed for 200 yards with three touchdowns. He likely would have raked in all the NIL deals at that time given his charisma, swagger and natural talent, and then you add in the fact that he was the starting QB at Texas and the opportunities would have been endless.
NIL money: $15 million
5. Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSUThe most ruthless defensive player in college football at the time. Listed at just 5-foot-9 and hovering around 180 pounds, Mathieu played bigger than his frame. He was fearless and tenacious on defense and special teams, and had a unique look with a signature blonde hairdo – qualities that earned him the nickname "Honey Badger" and would have been quite appealing had NIL deals been on the table.
NIL money: $5 million
RJ Young, National College Football Analyst1. Matt Leinart, QB, USCFollowing a 13-0 season and winning the Heisman Trophy as a junior, Leinart opted to run it back with what was the dynasty of the early 20th century: Pete Carroll’s USC Trojans. Not only was Leinart the starting quarterback for the undefeated defending national champions, but he was the man who won a Heisman before the highlight reel that was Reggie Bush, his teammate. Leinart was also a hometown hero in the entertainment capital of the world at the university Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre adopted as their own. After a dominant 55-19 victory over Oklahoma, who had made the BCS national title game three out of the last four years, and owning Notre Dame, there had never been a more "Name Your Price" Player than Leinart entering the 2005 season.
NIL money: $24 million
2. Tim Tebow, QB, FloridaThe difference between Tebow at the height of his popularity and Leinart is simple: The year that Leinart won the Heisman, he followed up just a month later by raising the national championship trophy. Tebow, who won the 2007 Heisman, needed to wait a year before he could pair his '07 accomplishment with an ‘08 national title. But that would’ve mattered little with the balance of power swinging from a couple of Big 12 and Pac-10 programs to what we now know as the vaunted SEC. And Tebow was a harbinger of the dominance to come. The homeschooled kid with a million-dollar smile and church charm would’ve been a ready-made spokesperson for many and worth every penny thrown his way following his Heisman-winning season, and the dollars would’ve only gone up as he got closer and closer to winning the national title.
NIL money: $22 million
Murray is the best high school football player the state of Texas has ever produced. But when he was selected ninth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft, ahead of what would be the only full season he’d play as the starting QB at Oklahoma, his NIL value was at its peak. Given Murray played and won the Heisman in 2018, just three years before the advent of NIL profiting, as well as immediate transfer eligibility, the price Murray could’ve demanded for his service would’ve likely been on par with players like Leinart and Tebow.
NIL money: $20 million
4. Trevor Lawrence, QB, ClemsonAfter becoming the first true freshman QB to lead his team to a national title since Jamelle Holieway did it with Oklahoma in 1985, the number that Lawrence would’ve commanded as a sophomore and junior would’ve likely been the highest in the country, especially considering what he means to Clemson and the history of the College Football Playoff. With Lawrence at Clemson, the Tigers finished 34-2, a 94.4% winning record— third-best in college football history — and he finished second in the 2020 Heisman balloting.
NIL money: $19 million
5. Adrian Peterson, RB, OklahomaPeterson wasn’t supposed to be featured as a freshman in 2004. But he was, and he finished No. 2 in the Heisman voting behind Leinart after rushing for 1,925 yards in 2004 and leading Oklahoma to a national title appearance. Given the freedom of movement players are allowed today to transfer alongside the advent of NIL, there’s no question that Peterson would command a price that is on-par with what Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith would receive to remain at OSU.
NIL money: $15 million
[Related: Jeremiah Smith launches into greater level of stardom]
Michael Cohen, College Football & Basketball Writer1. Michael Vick, QB, Virginia TechAs a redshirt freshman in 1999, the year before this theoretical exercise begins, Vick became a nationwide phenomenon during his first season as the Hokies’ starter. One of the best dual-threat quarterbacks of all time, he scored three rushing touchdowns in the opening half of his collegiate debut against James Madison to kickstart an unforgettable campaign. Vick guided Virginia Tech to an 11-0 record that earned the Hokies a berth in the BCS National Championship game against Florida State. He finished the season third in the Heisman Trophy voting after throwing for 1,840 yards and 12 touchdowns while also rushing for 585 yards and eight touchdowns. The NIL money would have poured in ahead of his second and final season as the Hokies’ starter in 2000 before the Atlanta Falcons selected him No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.
NIL money: $30 million
2. Lamar Jackson, QB, LouisvilleThe natural heir to Vick’s throne as an elite dual-threat weapon, Jackson turned in one of the greatest quarterback seasons in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy in 2016. His statistical production wildly outpaced anything Vick ever did at Virginia Tech with gaudy numbers in the air (3,543 yards, 30 TDs) and on the ground (1,571 yards, 21 TDs) to form a highlight reel that, to this day, still feels otherworldly. Can you imagine any other quarterback pulling off Jackson’s hurdle touchdown against Syracuse? He all but replicated that incredible season as a junior in 2017 by throwing for 3,660 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for 1,601 yards and 18 additional scores. His market share in the NIL world would have been immense.
NIL money: $25 million
Given that only one of McFadden’s three seasons at Arkansas ended with double-digit victories, it’s easy to forget just how good this legendary tailback really was. He rushed for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns as a true freshman in 2005 to set the stage for two unforgettable campaigns in 2006 and 2007, both of which saw McFadden finish second in the Heisman Trophy voting before the Oakland Raiders took him No. 4 overall in the NFL Draft. He ran for 1,647 yards and 14 touchdowns in ’06 for a Razorbacks team that finished 10-4 overall and 7-1 in the SEC while also completing 7-of-9 passes for 69 yards and three touchdowns as the team’s wildcat quarterback. His junior season was even better: 325 carries for 1,830 yards and 21 touchdowns with an additional four passing touchdowns through the air. A player doesn’t get much more marketable than that.
NIL Money: $20 million
Another player whose career straddles the turn of the century, Peppers would have had immense market value given his crossover appeal as a member of both the football and basketball teams for the Tar Heels. On the football field, where Peppers was a menacing pass rusher, he earned first-team All-American honors in 2000 after leading the nation with 15 sacks and finishing third in the country with 24 tackles for loss. The following year, in 2001, he was named a consensus All-American after ranking up 9.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss and three interceptions, all of which netted him the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Lombardi Award, the Bill Willis Award and a 10th-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting. On the basketball court, where Peppers played two seasons, he averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game across 56 appearances. He scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game against Penn State in 2001. Tar Heels boosters would have swooned.
NIL money: $15 million
5. Tavon Austin, WR, West VirginiaWho doesn’t love a diminutive dynamo? Austin measured in at a lithe 5-8 and 174 pounds when he attended the NFL scouting combine in 2013 and ran the 40-yard dash in a blistering 4.29 seconds following an exceptional career with the Mountaineers. A standout high school running back, Austin was officially converted to wide receiver during his freshman season at West Virginia, but he remained an explosive threat wherever and whenever he touched the ball: as a pass catcher (29 career TDs), as a runner (six career TDs), as a kick returner (four career TDs), as a punt returner (one career TD). He finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a senior in 2012 after catching 114 passes for 1,289 yards and 12 scores while also carrying the ball 72 times for 643 yards and three more touchdowns, plus one touchdown each as a kick returner and punt returner. Austin was a beloved weapon among loyal disciples of the EA Sports College Football video game franchise.
NIL money: $10 million
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him at @RJ_Young.
Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.
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