College football fans have been talking about how NIL money is changing the game for years. Nowadays, brand deals and endorsement checks are shaping careers before the NFL even calls, so it’s no longer just TDs and trophy cases that determine a player’s value. Today’s QBs are lighting up the scoreboard on Saturdays while simultaneously creating empires off the field.

In today’s world, the demand for college football quarterbacks keeps rising. At least 24 quarterbacks will earn more than $1 million this season, and five will earn more than $3 million, according to the most recent NIL quarterbacks evaluation released by Pete Nakos of On3. As the 2025 season approaches, the cost of hiring top signal-callers has grown to unprecedented heights. At the top of the highest-paid QB list sits an unexpected name.

Darian Mensah, the quarterback for Duke, has a huge two-year, $8 million NIL contract that might grow to $10 million with incentives, making him one of the highest-paid players in college football right now. The former Tulane star, who only used the transfer portal in December before arriving in Durham, has experienced a sharp climb. Only a few months after switching from green to blue, Mensah is now stepping into not just a new team but also the national spotlight with a huge contract.

And the stats back it up. Mensah has thrown for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns in 13 career games, showing accuracy and poise that have made him one of the AAC’s rising stars. He also added 132 yards and one score on the ground while driving a Tulane offense that was among the top 10 in the country in terms of efficiency and scoring last year. Not only does that kind of production attract coaches, but it also attracts brands willing to invest millions in who could be the next big star.

And they did pour in. When Mensah arrived at Duke, he received the kind of payout that is usually reserved for well-known SEC figures, but this time, an ACC newbie took home the trophy. And it’s not just who sits at the top of the list. It’s also about who isn’t there. Naturally, you’d expect the star QBs of the SEC and the Big 10 to be up there, but that’s not the case.

For instance, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, who just finished a breakout season in which he threw for over 4,000 yards and almost 30 touchdowns, will make $1.6 million for the 2025 season. Despite being a Heisman contender and Brian Kelly’s team competing for a national title, Nussmeier is not even in the top 12 of the highest-paid QBs.

Who else is making huge bucks in 2025?

While Darian Mensah’s name at the top may have come across as surprising, the second name on the list is hardly that. The only surprising bit can be that he’s a freshman. Bryce Underwood, who switched camps from LSU to Ann Arbor last year, will make around $3 million as part of his 4-year, $12 million deal at the Wolverines.

After Underwood, we are in familiar territory. The third name is Miami’s Carson Beck. The Georgia transfer will make around $3 million. Interestingly, it was his contract that was mocked by Lane Kiffin during the preseason in an appearance on The Pivot podcast. Following Beck is Matt Rhule’s second-year QB, Dylan Raiola, who’s in a similar territory as Bryce and Carson. They are followed by Penn State’s Drew Allar and Oklahoma’s John Mateer.

While these names are understandable, you’d be surprised to know the next two. Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and Kansas State’s Avery Johnson. K-State’s QB1 showed up last year, and if they have any hopes of making it to the conference title game, the fans would hope that he proves his worth again this year.