NIL's impact on high school football

[skyway]

We all know NIL is rapidly changing college sports and recruiting. It is now severely impacting high school football as well. ON3, a fairly new but probably the top recruiting site now, given they have many of the biggest names in the game now working for them, now shows the top players' NIL value. The top handful of juniors (class of 2023) have values over $200,000. Kissimmee Osceola has two DLs worth over 100k each. Venice has a couple defenders worth over 100k. You get the idea. If you thought transferring was out of control before, wait (if any wait is needed now) until guys start transferring to secure NIL deals worth thousands of dollars! 

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[Ray Icaza]

1 hour ago, skyway said:

We all know NIL is rapidly changing college sports and recruiting. It is now severely impacting high school football as well. ON3, a fairly new but probably the top recruiting site now, given they have many of the biggest names in the game now working for them, now shows the top players' NIL value. The top handful of juniors (class of 2023) have values over $200,000. Kissimmee Osceola has two DLs worth over 100k each. Venice has a couple defenders worth over 100k. You get the idea. If you thought transferring was out of control before, wait (if any wait is needed now) until guys start transferring to secure NIL deals worth thousands of dollars! 

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I commented on this very issue last year when the top QB recruit (Quinn Ewers) skipped his HS senior year and went to Ohio State to collect the NIL cash.  Then turned around this year and transferred back to Texas, what a sick state of affairs.

[PinellasFB]

8 minutes ago, Ray Icaza said:

I commented on this very issue last year when the top QB recruit (Quinn Ewers) skipped his HS senior year and went to Ohio State to collect the NIL cash.  Then turned around this year and transferred back to Texas, what a sick state of affairs.

Texas A&M is about to learn the hard way that its hard to hold onto those pay-to-win players it just bought in the 2022 class.  I expect a bunch of them to portal out to their favorite school after their one year TAMU money grab, just like Ewers did to tOSU.

[Ray Icaza]

Multiple college recruiters have been at spring practices every day I've been there thus far, not checking up on just the 2 DL guys, but on a couple of our DB's and some offensive players also.  It really is unbelievable, but I think social media drives alot of it.

[Ray Icaza]

2 minutes ago, PinellasFB said:

Texas A&M is about to learn the hard way that its hard to hold onto those pay-to-win players it just bought in the 2022 class.  I expect a bunch of them to portal out to their favorite school after their one year TAMU money grab, just like Ewers did to tOSU.

Top college coaches are already having second thoughts about this development and will probably adjust with some loyalty requirements going forward as it is spinning out of control.  

[PinellasFB]

I really think this will ruin HS football just as it has ruined the college game.  There will be a handful of teams with all the best players in the state and everyone else will not even bother fielding a team.  One thing not considered is the impact on the kids who just want to play HS ball and are not college football material (which is 99% of the players).  I am watching my son's team get poached of its best players and the kids left behind are devastated.  Our two returning team captains were cherry picked off the team that was already going to be young and rebuilding next year.  Now nobody feels like even bothering to show up.  I really want to tell the coach to go independent for a year while they rebuild but I'm sure he's aware of his options at this point.  My heart breaks for these kids that are putting in so much work just to see key pieces yanked from the team.

[Perspective]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the NIL deals are coming from someone affiliated with the school (i.e., a alum/booster), wouldn't that violate current FHSAA rules?

[Ray Icaza]

1 hour ago, Perspective said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the NIL deals are coming from someone affiliated with the school (i.e., a alum/booster), wouldn't that violate current FHSAA rules?

Most of the NIL money is coming from groups of well healed boosters at the Power Five schools and not a local car dealer getting a local kid to promote their product for payment.  What you describe is clearly against the rules, but like in 2011 here in Florida when there is no enforcement/penalty the flood gates opened up.  With no enforcement at the college level, it will be the same with HS kids.  What good are rules without any enforcement?

[skyway]

On 5/5/2022 at 6:40 AM, Perspective said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the NIL deals are coming from someone affiliated with the school (i.e., a alum/booster), wouldn't that violate current FHSAA rules?

Are there rules now? 

I'm only half-kidding. I think something hard to grasp for more "old school" folks is this idea of a "brand". It seems sick and twisted for 16 year-old kids to be seriously thinking about their "brand", or image. But, they are doing exactly that. Marketability is not just something some of you may consider as professionals. It's something high school kids consider as well. There are numerous ways for kids to make themselves more marketable. Some are pretty simple and silly, like growing really long hair, or playing with one really long sock and one short sock. Some involve changing teams, so as to engineer the most marketable set of dynamics. If a QB in rural eastern Polk county, or even another state like Arizona, is playing for a mediocre team and not receiving much/any interest from recruiters, moving to play with other star players (especially WRs) may ignite exponentially more attention and marketability for themselves. (What I reference above is the likely starting QBs for Lakeland and Lake Gibson, respectively.)

NONE of the above has to involve, or even likely involves, any staff member or booster for any school doing anything whatsoever. It's all the kids thinking about what's best for them, and talking to other kids.  Every kid has a cell phone, with access to the internet and social media. And, kids tend to hit the fields for informal, "pick-up" games whenever they please. And they don't keep the games to only players from one school. 

What's really concerning is where this is headed if it's not reined in.  it shouldn't be hard to consider some of the possibilities given the fact that we now have juniors in high school with nationally renown websites placing six-figure values next to their names. And I see current sophomores also with six-figure valuations.

 

[Ray Icaza]

34 minutes ago, skyway said:

Are there rules now? 

I'm only half-kidding. I think something hard to grasp for more "old school" folks is this idea of a "brand". It seems sick and twisted for 16 year-old kids to be seriously thinking about their "brand", or image. But, they are doing exactly that. Marketability is not just something some of you may consider as professionals. It's something high school kids consider as well. There are numerous ways for kids to make themselves more marketable. Some are pretty simple and silly, like growing really long hair, or playing with one really long sock and one short sock. Some involve changing teams, so as to engineer the most marketable set of dynamics. If a QB in rural eastern Polk county, or even another state like Arizona, is playing for a mediocre team and not receiving much/any interest from recruiters, moving to play with other star players (especially WRs) may ignite exponentially more attention and marketability for themselves. (What I reference above is the likely starting QBs for Lakeland and Lake Gibson, respectively.)

NONE of the above has to involve, or even likely involves, any staff member or booster for any school doing anything whatsoever. It's all the kids thinking about what's best for them, and talking to other kids.  Every kid has a cell phone, with access to the internet and social media. And, kids tend to hit the fields for informal, "pick-up" games whenever they please. And they don't keep the games to only players from one school. 

What's really concerning is where this is headed if it's not reined in.  it shouldn't be hard to consider some of the possibilities given the fact that we now have juniors in high school with nationally renown websites placing six-figure values next to their names. And I see current sophomores also with six-figure valuations.

 

I am in agreement that the coaching staff or boosters at a school is not usually making "DIRECT" contact with a desired player from another school, but rather their players or outside family/friends.  Reality is it doesn't always produce the results they are led to believe regarding better recruitment than at the school they left unless it is a really lousy program.  Case in point since Venice is in the thread, Ryan Browne QB class of 2022; left an excellent program to go to another excellent program but the net results if my info is correct:  ONE total offer, Western Michigan.   His team did win a state championship and he obviously was a factor in that but he hasn't been showered with offers.  A consideration that is being overlooked is unless you are already an upper 3*, but better yet a 4* or 5* the transfer portal especially for QB's is going to negate opportunities for these types of players.  

[Dan in Daytona]

If what retired college and NFL head coach Barry Switzer says is in the works at OU then everything is on the table going forward until the NCAA see's the flames and wakes up. As soon as this coming fall football season every Sooner player (85 ?) will receive between $ 40,000 and $ 50,000. That's right, EVERY SINGLE PLAYER. They call it 1Okalahoma. The following is " just" speculation : Lets round off 85 players to 100..., and lets pay them 50K, now multiply by 100 = $5,000,000 total. Head coaches today can make $10,000,000 in yearly compensation with outside contracts added. The deal doesn't appear so crazy when you realize 100 young men (18-22 'ish) risk life and limb and STILL only make 1/2 the salary of one football coach. Carrying on with the hypothetical.... a loaded up OU stomps poor OSU at home on Saturday afternoon. All team members get a pay envelope after they shower and dress. Let's say $2,500 each. Come Monday afternoon, how many all together are in jail, in the hospital, the morgue, or missing and unexcused from practice ? Like the rest of you old guys, I see trouble.... and fast. Until further notice kids, OU is the place to be.   

[Ray Icaza]

7 hours ago, Dan in Daytona said:

If what retired college and NFL head coach Barry Switzer says is in the works at OU then everything is on the table going forward until the NCAA see's the flames and wakes up. As soon as this coming fall football season every Sooner player (85 ?) will receive between $ 40,000 and $ 50,000. That's right, EVERY SINGLE PLAYER. They call it 1Okalahoma. The following is " just" speculation : Lets round off 85 players to 100..., and lets pay them 50K, now multiply by 100 = $5,000,000 total. Head coaches today can make $10,000,000 in yearly compensation with outside contracts added. The deal doesn't appear so crazy when you realize 100 young men (18-22 'ish) risk life and limb and STILL only make 1/2 the salary of one football coach. Carrying on with the hypothetical.... a loaded up OU stomps poor OSU at home on Saturday afternoon. All team members get a pay envelope after they shower and dress. Let's say $2,500 each. Come Monday afternoon, how many all together are in jail, in the hospital, the morgue, or missing and unexcused from practice ? Like the rest of you old guys, I see trouble.... and fast. Until further notice kids, OU is the place to be.   

I guess OU is a big "EQUITY" believer as if they pay every player the same, how will the 4* and 5* feel when they could get $250,000 plus while some of their teammates are worth under $10K?  All sorts of dynamics that were not contemplated when they launched this disaster.  

[Dan in Daytona]

2 hours ago, Ray Icaza said:

I guess OU is a big "EQUITY" believer as if they pay every player the same, how will the 4* and 5* feel when they could get $250,000 plus while some of their teammates are worth under $10K?  All sorts of dynamics that were not contemplated when they launched this disaster.  

Word is 5* rocket armed QB recruit Cam Winston Mahones (6'5", 230lbs, 4.35 forty) has an additional NIL with Mercedes-Benz of Germany, and a personal service contract with Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones. I hope that clears things up for you, thanks. 

[Ray Icaza]

Bit of light-hearted humor is always a good thing.

[Ray Icaza]

On 5/7/2022 at 1:59 PM, Ray Icaza said:

Bit of light-hearted humor is always a good thing.

Thus far, seven states have approved NIL deals for HS athletes with neither FL or GA among them.  Couple of big time basketball players (Ian Jackson & Johnuel Fland) out of the NY city area seem to be the recipients of lucrative contracts with this undoubtedly spreading to more states.  No way to justify it for a college kid that would not apply to a HS kid and that was my BIG BEEF with this Supreme Court ruling when I first commented on this topic months at the beginning of the 21-22 season.