Schools now treat elite talent like free-agent signings, and the price tags are staggering. Four college football players will earn $5 million or more in 2026, all from their respective programs. When ON3 released its Top 10 NIL valuation list on July 14, only these four crossed that threshold.

That figure aligns with program budget disclosures and reporting from CBS Sports and The Athletic. In the Top 10 NIL valuation list on July 14, Miami’s transfer QB Darian Mensah was at the top, who’s going to make $6.5 million this season. Last season at Duke, Mensah threw for 3,973 yards and 34 TDs while winning an ACC title. His portal entry forced Miami to act fast. The Hurricanes paid a premium because they needed a quarterback who could deliver immediately after losing the 2025 championship game.

“Landing a premier quarterback on the final day of the portal came at a hefty price, and Mensah is set to be the highest-paid quarterback in college football this season,” wrote On3’s Pete Nakos. “The exit from Duke came with a price tag, with Mensah reaching a settlement to end a contract dispute.”

Dante Moore’s NIL valuation put him on the ON3 list at No. 4, but in CFB, he is the second-highest-paid player. This season, he will receive nearly $6 million from the Ducks. After leading Oregon to a 13-2 campaign, he has a chance to declare for the NFL draft. In fact, he is expected to be a first-round pick. But he chose to return for another season. Moore said staying with his teammates mattered more than testing the NFL draft market, according to interviews this offseason.

Moore’s return came at a premium. For Oregon, paying nearly $6 million to a quarterback who led a 13-2 season and could have been a first-round NFL pick shows what programs now spend to keep championship-caliber talent. While investment brings expectations, the Heisman runner-up has to lead the Ducks to a title run. Oregon’s 2025 season fell short in the CFP quarterfinal to Texas Tech.

Quarterbacks dominate the top earnings, but Ohio State proved elite receivers command similar money. Smith’s $5 million deal came after competing bids from rival schools pushed near $10 million. Ohio State matched that market pressure to keep him in Columbus rather than lose him to the portal. Keeping him meant matching that market reality, not just rewarding his 87 catches and 1,243 yards from last season. Now, whether his choice to remain with the Buckeyes pans out or not in 2026, it’s a waiting game.

However, it’s sure Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss will make the same amount at Ole Miss as Smith will at OSU: $5M. Ole Miss assigned him a $5 million roster value even before a Mississippi judge cleared him to play this season. The injunction came after the NCAA denied his eligibility waiver twice. Last season, the Rebels landed him through the portal from Ferris State, and he didn’t take time to make an impact with a CFP title run, throwing for 3,937 yards.

Ole Miss expects more success this season with Chambliss at the helm after his legal battle for eligibility.

Old NIL helped college football players earn

Now college football programs are allowed to pay their players directly. But just a year ago, those players earned heavily through partnerships and NIL deals. Among them, Texas’ Arch Manning was at the top with approximately $6.8M as per ON3 NIL valuation, as reported by Fox Sports in 2025. He has inked deals with companies like Red Bull, EA Sports, Uber, and more.

Then, at the second position was Miami QB Carson Beck with $4 million. He has signed NIL deals with Powerade and Chipotle, among others. Last season, he transferred from Georgia to show his full potential, and he delivered for the Hurricanes. But NIL valuation then didn’t solely depend on performance. Though there were more who earned through sponsorship, OSU’s Jeremiah Smith is one noteworthy name.

Smith’s NIL valuation was approx. 4.2 million. He has partnerships with Red Bull, Lululemon, Nintendo, and so on. The WR is still earning through NIL deals. In fact, many new names follow that old trend.