David Pollack Suspects Foul Play With NIL & Student Academics After Kirby Smart’s Georgia Announces Historic Feat

The advent of NIL has polarized the masses more than any appendage of collegiate athletics. We’ve had discourse ad nauseam, but it remains divisive. NIL has its proponents and it has its cynics. Both factions have their reasons. But the latest revelation, courtesy of Georgia alum and royalty David Pollack, adds a fresh wrinkle to the conversation that- if true -really tips the scales in favor of the cynics.

At the crux of why NIL was introduced at all were two reasons. One, it promised more parity and a level playing field. In theory, at least. Bluebloods and perennial superpowers couldn’t hoard talent at the same clip anymore, since other “smaller” schools will have a shot at magnetizing prospects. Which would in turn mean the gulf in prosperity diminishes. Secondly, and more topically, NIL would allow players to make monetary gain while the sport thrives off their Name, Image, Likeness and service to it. Offer these student athletes reciprocation for their efforts. A novel idea that hardly anyone will have an issue with. The issues stem from the implementation of this concept, rather. But that’s a whole ‘nother can of worms. Turns out, paying teenagers isn’t as novel an idea itself. Who’d have thought! David Pollack claims there’s a very ugly byproduct of NIL that hasn’t been explored enough.

Speaking on his podcast, Pollack discussed NIL in the context of the recent commitment of class of ‘26 recruit Jackson Cantwell to Miami. Cantwell, the No.1 overall player in the country, has come under scrutiny for allegedly picking Miami over his other top preference Georgia because he was offered more money. These allegations aren’t unfounded, but are prejudicial and derivative. Pollack didn’t delve into affairs pertaining to Cantwell much,  but the conversation instigated him into sharing some intel. Intel that, as hyperbolic as this sounds, forces even the biggest advocates of NIL to reconsider their stance. Maybe even switch sides.

“You know what’s happening right now across the country? This is a fact, I’ve heard this from tons of coaches,” said David Pollack. He prefaced the “what” by mentioning how “These kids are getting paid, which is good. They’re maximizing their opportunities. They’re making money.” He then spilled the beans. “You know what they’re doing in school? They’re paying people to do their work. A 100%.” Pollack proceeded to elaborate. “They’re taking their money, which they’re earning and can choose to spend their money they want. [But] they pay to go get somebody to write their paper,” he claimed. This is a very strong accusation which, to be frank, doesn’t even seem as far-fetched as it seems. And that is an even bigger problem.

“They don’t have to use AI, because AI will get them in trouble, obviously. And there’s ways to fix that, correct that. But now they can go to another student who will make money and say, ‘Hey, will you write my paper for me?’ That’s happening across the country,” added David Pollack. There’s no smoke without fire. It’s worth mentioning, for the uninitiated, that Pollack wouldn’t go on a limb to say something this dire. He’s got a rep as a former ESPN analyst and a bonafide Georgia legend. All-American, All-SEC, first-round NFL Draft selection. For a figure of this ilk to say this means it’s rather prevalent. Which is a travesty and certainly not the intention behind introducing NIL. It’s massively counterproductive, actually, once you take a macro view of it. 

There may not be absolutely any correlation whatsoever, nor are we insinuating one. But this follows on from Georgia’s football program taking unprecedented strides on the academic front.

David Pollock’s revelation was preceded by his alma mater doing better than ever in the classroom

The Bulldogs have been a modern-day dynasty on the gridiron. Kirby Smart’s arrival in Athens has been akin to a messiah descending over the program and spurring it on to unprecedented highs. Georgia has unequivocally been the best program in College Football over the past decade. Pushing Alabama off its pedestal in the process. However, this success on the field hasn’t quite translated over to the classroom with the same potency for their student athletes. Until now.

Georgia’s graduation rate was rock-bottom in the entire FBS back in January 2024. That’s outright embarrassing, and Kirby Smart would attest to that. A year and a half on, they’re in much healthier shape. Georgia’s current Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 979, based on a 4-year average, ranks 8th in the SEC. That figure is the highest it has been for UGA in about 2 decades. Much better reading. There’s still a fair way to go before the academic eminence of the football team matches its eminence in red and black. But progress is progress. The timing, in juxtaposition with David Pollack’s comments, is admittedly a little iffy. But drawing any parallels would be clutching at straws at this stage.