Ohio State’s postseason loss to Miami has been followed by a steady stream of departures, turning the transfer portal into an unexpected second battleground for the Buckeyes. With the roster already thinning, the spotlight has now shifted to star freshman running back Bo Jackson, whose future in Columbus appears tied to a significant NIL renegotiation. It’s a scenario Ohio State knows well after wide receiver Quincy Porter sought a raise and exited once talks stalled.

“The primary discussion all day Wednesday on the Letterman Row message board has been about Bo Jackson,” Ohio State insider Jeremy Birmingham said on the  January 8 episode of The Beat podcast on WBNS 10TV. “Because he’s a guy who is in a similar position to Quincy Porter. But he actually contributed and had a major impact on the team.

I think Ohio State still has to make some tough decisions in those circumstances. Because I still struggle with the idea that a college second-year running back should make more money than a second-round pick in the NFL draft, like TreVeyon Henderson. And from what I understand, the request from that side is more than what Tre’s salary was for the New England Patriots this year. And more than both TreVeyon and Quinshon Judkins made in their final year at Ohio State, and maybe combined. So, it becomes a very different conversation than it ever has been before.”

According to On3, Bo Jackson’s current NIL valuation is approximately $579,000 as of early 2026. To put that into perspective, TreVeyon Henderson’s rookie deal as a second-round pick with the Patriots is worth over $11 million across four years. It includes a $4.74 million signing bonus and an $840,000 base salary. For just one season, that total (bonus plus salary) sets a pretty clear benchmark. Anything Jackson asks for beyond that would instantly put him among the highest-paid running backs in the entire country in 2026.

Based on the figures being discussed publicly, Jackson’s camp could be seeking a deal approaching $1.8 million, a number that would far exceed what Ohio State’s running backs earned last season.

For more context, Henderson’s own NIL valuation peaked at about $922,000 back in September 2022, ranking him 23rd nationally at the time. Quinshon Judkins was reportedly making around $1.1 million in late 2024. So if Jackson is asking for more than that combined, yeah, it starts to sound excessive.

That’s where things get tricky for Ohio State. The Buckeyes were estimated to have spent around $20 million in total NIL money on their entire roster during the 2024 season. And this strategy helped fuel their national championship run. A nearly $2 million commitment to one player would represent close to ten percent of that total, a significant allocation at a position that is not typically prioritized at the top of the NIL market.

This past year didn’t end the same way. OSU remained dominant for most of the season before stumbling against Indiana in the Big Ten title race and subsequently losing to Miami in the quarterfinals.

The Buckeyes have already allocated $18 million in institutional NIL funds across four sports starting in the 2025–26 season following the landmark NCAA settlement. All of that money management is going to matter even more in 2026. If one running back commands a massive slice of the pie, it becomes a real challenge to stay aggressive in the portal or on the recruiting trail.

That said, this isn’t about calling Jackson greedy or suggesting he’s eyeing a transfer. It’s more of a snapshot of where college football is right now. And to be fair, Jackson has absolutely earned a seat at the negotiating table after a breakout freshman season, in which he piled up 1,090 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 179 carries, averaging a strong 6.1 yards per carry. With production like that, it’s only natural for the conversation to shift toward a new deal.

Quincy Porter faced a clear rejection

Bo Jackson’s situation right now feels a lot like what Quincy Porter went through before he entered the transfer portal. Porter and his agent reportedly went to Ohio State seeking a boost in his NIL deal, requesting a raise that was “north of seven figures.” The Buckeyes didn’t bite, and not long after, Porter was on his way out. The big difference, though, is production.

Jackson has numbers to back up his case. Porter didn’t. In his freshman season, Porter managed just four catches for 59 yards. With elite talent stacked at the top of Ohio State’s depth chart, headlined by All-American Jeremiah Smith, there just wasn’t much room for him to make an immediate impact. From Porter’s side, the argument was about upside. His camp believed he should be paid based on his potential as a former five-star recruit.

Things got even murkier when wide receivers coach Brian Hartline left Columbus to take the head coaching job at USF. Hartline had been a major recruiter for Porter, and his departure added another layer of uncertainty. An undisclosed injury also kept Porter off the field for part of the season. It made it even harder for him to carve out a role. Now in the portal, he’s expected to be one of the most sought after names available.

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