NIL

2025 NBA Draft Shaped by Lure of College NIL

Soon after projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and the rest of the 2025 NBA Draft’s lottery picks fly off the board Wednesday, NBA general managers will find an absence of prospect depth. Many draft-eligible players not projected for the lottery were advised by agents to prioritize college basketball’s commercial opportunities and clear development […]

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3 weeks ago

June 25, 2025

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2025 NBA Draft Shaped by Lure of College NIL

Soon after projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and the rest of the 2025 NBA Draft’s lottery picks fly off the board Wednesday, NBA general managers will find an absence of prospect depth.

Many draft-eligible players not projected for the lottery were advised by agents to prioritize college basketball’s commercial opportunities and clear development pathways over the lack of certainty and cash guarantees of being a late NBA selection.

The NBA announced last month that 50 non-international early-entry players had withdrawn their names from the draft—a sign of aspiring next-level pros taking caution when they have the option to return to school.

“It’s a risk assessment,” Life Sports Agency founder and NBA agent Todd Ramasar said in a phone interview. “Should I take $2.5-$4 million from this school that’s fully guaranteed? I know I’m going to start and enjoy the college experience. Or should I take the risk, and maybe be paid the same amount of money, if I’m a first-round pick? And not if I’m a second-round pick, because if I’m projected [there] then I have a chance to go undrafted.”

Ramasar, who represents Nique Clifford from Colorado State and Cedric Coward from Washington State, said college players enjoy benefits from gross NIL income since taxes are typically not withheld on 1099 marketing dollars (though players are responsible for paying those taxes later). That’s compared to NBA players, who are W2 employees and are subject to net pay after taxes. “If you’re smart and have the right tax advisors, there’s [different] write-offs or you can put parents on salaries,” he said. “You can be a lot more creative.”

ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony said teams have indicated that picks in the 45-59 range are not as coveted anymore because of the lack of potential, with a slew of players returning to school to develop and reap NIL dollars instead.

“They’re making more money than they will as second-round picks or on two-way contracts,” Givony said on a media call this week. “It’s a win-win for everybody. It takes a little bit of depth out of the second round but at the same time NBA teams are getting more mature and polished players in the coming years.”

The NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement incentivizes teams to seek second-round players who can contribute quickly, rather than long-term projects who might be years away from rotation minutes. There are now stiff penalties that go beyond tax hikes for teams that exceed salary cap thresholds; clubs in the dreaded “second apron” face trade and free-agent signing limitations.

Ramasar said Indiana Pacers postseason hero and client Andrew Nembhard is an example of this system working well for all involved. Indiana used a 2022 second-round pick on the former Gonzaga guard, placing him on a four-year, $8 million rookie deal that meant he played on a tiny salary last year as a major postseason contributor. Ramasar said Nembhard performed at a “$10-20 million” value during that 2024 run to the Eastern Conference Finals, which led him to securing a three-year, $59 million extension before this year’s NBA Finals run.

“They can contribute to their rosters much quicker than a talented younger prospect,” Ramasar said. “You may be more inclined to draft an upperclassman that’s a plug-and-play [guy]. The idea of maintaining a championship roster, you need players that are on rookie deals to play at a higher level than their contract value.”

The changes in the NIL landscape are expected to create more opportunities for older prospects who have no choice but to enter the draft and otherwise may never have received consideration to be selected at all.

Former Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager turned ESPN commentator Bobby Marks said there will also be an uptick in two-way contracts compared to last year because of the older draft pool and teams having limited roster spots.

This is the first NBA Draft preceding a college basketball season in which players can be paid by schools directly after the House settlement was approved earlier this month. The lure of those earnings has led to players out of eligibility, such as Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler, to sue to NCAA for the right to play another year.

Zeigler’s attempts to use the courtroom to stay on the college court have so far been unsuccessful; a federal judge earlier this month denied him a preliminary injunction that would have let him play for the Volunteers next season. But the 5-foot-9 guard—well below the typical height of an NBA player—is an example of the type of older prospect suddenly in the mix for a professional tryout.

NIL

“I wasn’t even good enough to get free stuff” – Charles Barkley recalls his underappreciated recruitment compared to today’s NIL deals.

“I wasn’t even good enough to get free stuff” – Charles Barkley recalls his underappreciated recruitment compared to today’s NIL deals. originally appeared on Basketball Network. In the recent rise of NIL deals in the new era of college sports, Charles Barkley’s recruitment story shows the difference between college athletes now and then. Advertisement When Barkley, […]

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11 minutes ago

July 16, 2025

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“I wasn’t even good enough to get free stuff” – Charles Barkley recalls his underappreciated recruitment compared to today’s NIL deals. originally appeared on Basketball Network.

In the recent rise of NIL deals in the new era of college sports, Charles Barkley’s recruitment story shows the difference between college athletes now and then.

When Barkley, one of the most iconic basketball figures of all time, entered college at Auburn, he wasn’t heavily recruited; in fact, he had only three options: UAB, Alabama and Auburn. He chose the latter because of the immediate impact he could have there, not for the money, unlike the college athletes nowadays.

“I wasn’t even good enough to get free stuff,” recalled Chuck during an interview with Graham Bensinger on YouTube.

Barkley’s experiences might shock the newer generations who have been around the latest college sports landscape. The idea was that players were viewed as athletes who were there to receive a free college education rather than making connections and gaining financial opportunities through their NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals.

NIL deals

A new age of recruitment is upon us. NIL deals have transformed the recruiting process mainly for Division I college athletes. However, top prospects who are both standout players and athletes earn more money, depending on their marketability.

High school prospect A.J. Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall high school recruit according to ESPN’s 100 rankings and No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Mock Draft, has an NIL valuation north of $4 million, making him the top earner in this upcoming NCAA season. Something that old-school legends like Barkley could never have imagined while in college.

While earning that kind of money seems great, it’s a double-edged sword. Athletes nowadays have to perform on the court while also maintaining their brand to continue securing this kind of money, a pressure that players like Barkley didn’t face; their sole focus was on their education and on-court performances.

Related: “He was a son of a b—-. To put it mildly…” – Dominique Wilkins thinks Kawhi Leonard wouldn’t stand a chance guarding prime Larry Bird

The change in college sports

Although the new system clearly has benefits, fans will argue that the NCAA’s business-first mentality has resulted in a loss of purity for the game.

When Barkley was in college, athletes weren’t even thinking about personal branding or financial opportunities; they weren’t even thinking about the NBA. Their main goal was to earn a degree and get a chance to play in the best league in the world.

“I wasn’t even thinking about the NBA, I was just thinking about going to college for free,” he emphasized about his sole purpose for college ball.

A significant shift from today’s view, where athletes with a large social media following coming out of high school often don’t even need to be exceptionally talented to have NIL deals waiting for them.

For example, Mikey Williams, who has a massive social media following and was the No. 34 overall prospect in the 2023 class, has generated a $2.3 million NIL valuation despite currently attending Sacramento State University. This money was unimaginable to the college players when Barkley played.

Many fans find it difficult to grasp the evolution of college basketball since the days of all-time greats like Chuckster. And with NIL deals gaining traction, the transformation is still underway, shaping a future that’s bound to keep progressing.

The question is, will it affect the NBA and overseas basketball, with players declining the option to go pro and instead staying in college to cash in on their hefty deals?

Related: “Because making all this money on these kids and not educating them is a travesty” – When Charles Barkley slammed the NCAA’s $11B industry for failing student-athletes

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.

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They pulled off huge March Madness upsets. Now they’re opting out of revenue sharing

Associated Press Saint Peter’s, Fairleigh Dickinson and Maryland-Baltimore County — three schools that have taken March Madness by storm at various points in the past decade — have declined to opt in to college sports’ new revenue sharing model. The newly formed College Sports Commission, which oversees revenue sharing following the House settlement, posted a […]

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28 minutes ago

July 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Associated Press

Saint Peter’s, Fairleigh Dickinson and Maryland-Baltimore County — three schools that have taken March Madness by storm at various points in the past decade — have declined to opt in to college sports’ new revenue sharing model.

The newly formed College Sports Commission, which oversees revenue sharing following the House settlement, posted a list of schools that have opted into revenue sharing. All members of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference are participating, and other Division I schools had to opt in or out by June 30.

Saint Peter’s, which reached the men’s Elite Eight as a No. 15 seed in 2022, did not opt in. Iona and Manhattan, who play with Saint Peter’s in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, didn’t either.

UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson, the only two teams to pull off a 16-over-1 upset in the men’s basketball tournament, opted out as well. Fairleigh Dickinson is part of the Northeast Conference, which had just one school — Long Island University — opt in.

“It’s expensive to opt in,” Idaho athletic director Terry Gawlik told the Lewiston Tribune. “We don’t have that kind of money to pay for that.”

Idaho is one of several Big Sky schools opting out.

In addition to the costs of sharing revenue directly with athletes, Title IX concerns and scholarship limitations are among the reasons a school might opt out.

“Revenue sharing and scholarship limits are really one piece, but the big thing for us is the roster limitation,” Central Arkansas athletic director Matt Whiting told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette while explaining his school’s decision to opt out.

Military rules prevent Navy, Air Force, and Army from compensating athletes through name, image and likeness deals, but aside from them, the Football Bowl Subdivision leagues have full participation in the settlement.

Other conferences with all full members opting in included the Atlantic 10, Big East, Coastal Athletic, Horizon, Missouri Valley, Southwestern Athletic, Western Athletic and West Coast. The Big West had everyone opt in except Cal Poly and UC Davis, which play football in the Big Sky.

Nebraska-Omaha is the lone full member of the Summit League to opt out, and Tennessee State is the only full Ohio Valley member to do so.

The Ivy League said in January that its eight schools — which do not award athletic scholarships — would not participate. The Patriot League didn’t have any full members opt in either, although Fordham, Georgetown and Richmond — associate members who play football in that conference — did.

Of the 68 schools that made the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last year, only American, Nebraska-Omaha, Saint Francis and Yale have opted out of revenue sharing. Five schools that made the women’s tournament opted out: Columbia, Fairleigh Dickinson, Harvard, Lehigh and Princeton.

Commissioners of historically Black conferences have expressed concern that the push to make athletes school employees could potentially destroy athletic programs — but the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference had everyone opt in except North Carolina Central.

Some schools that don’t play Division I football or basketball opted in — such as Johns Hopkins with its storied lacrosse program. Augusta University, which is located in the same town as the Masters and perhaps unsurprisingly competes in Division I in golf, was on the list of teams opting in.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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Title IX Goes Head to Head with Antitrust: NCAA NIL Settlement Challenged by Female Student-Athletes in House v. NCAA | Venable LLP

Published

53 minutes ago

July 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

For anyone who thought an unprecedented $2.8 billion settlement agreement actually resolved one of the many murky issues of student-athlete compensation in college athletics —not so fast. On June 6, federal Judge Claudia Wilken officially approved the class action antitrust lawsuit House v. NCAA. The landmark settlement turned the amateurism model of athletics in higher education on its head and is set to provide back pay to Division I student-athletes for name, image, and likeness (NIL) earnings. While it took five years of litigation to get approval of the settlement, it took just five days for a group of plaintiffs to appeal it.

NCAA NIL Settlement in House v. NCAA Faces Immediate Title IX Challenge

On June 11, a group of female student-athlete plaintiffs in House noticed an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals registering their objection to the back-pay provision of the final settlement. Although no appellate briefs have been filed yet, these female student-athletes are expected to assert that the settlement’s terms for paying out back-pay damages violates the prohibition on sex discrimination under Title IX because the settlement is set to overwhelmingly pay out most of the back-pay damages to male athletes.

Allegations of Unequal NIL Compensation Based on Gender

More specifically, the settlement’s formula for paying out back-pay damages has allocated 75% of the fund to men’s football players and 15% to men’s basketball players in the five premiere athletic conferences in NCAA Division I, with only 5% of the damages fund allocated to women’s basketball players and the remaining 5% to all other student-athletes.

Proponents of this formula argue that it tracks the gross revenue averages of college sports, and accordingly football players should get the biggest piece of the pie. Opponents, including the appealing female student-athletes, argue that the back-pay damages formula in the agreement will pay male athletes 90% more than female athletes, which they assert is an unlawful disparity based on gender.

The anticipated argument is, essentially, that if the schools and/or the NCAA on behalf of schools had allocated 90% of their revenue to the male athletes during the plaintiffs’ college athletic careers, then they clearly would have violated Title IX’s requirement to provide “substantially proportionate” financial assistance to male and female student-athletes. In short, the schools would not have met their obligation to ensure equitable opportunities for both men’s and women’s sports programs.

Judge Wilken’s view in approving the settlement was that the litigation was an antitrust case, not a Title IX case, and the Title IX compliance, unionization, and collective bargaining issues are outside the scope of the House litigation. She nonetheless left the door open to a Title IX challenge on appeal, indicating that future lawsuits can be filed if the way that schools compensate athletes violates Title IX. Despite the appeal putting the brakes on the payout of back-pay damages under the settlement, the other terms of the agreement were left uninterrupted and went into effect on July 1. This includes roster limits, scholarship limits, and the rules regarding direct pay and revenue-sharing with student-athletes.

What’s Next: Ninth Circuit to Weigh Title IX and NIL Backpay

The Ninth Circuit now has an opportunity to weigh in on whether Title IX does have a bearing on these back-pay damages. It may simply decide that Judge Wilken did or did not abuse her discretion in approving the settlement. Or it could take on the larger controversial and contested issue: How does Title IX apply to NIL payments and revenue sharing with student-athletes, and does the revenue-sharing model set forth under the settlement agreement terms for future compensation for student-athletes run afoul of Title IX?

Regardless of how far-reaching the Ninth Circuit’s opinion ultimately goes in the House appeal this is not the last Title IX challenge we will see to the allocation of direct payments and revenue sharing funds to student-athletes in the near future.

The federal government’s current position on the issue of direct pay and revenue sharing with regard to Title IX does not currently provide decisive direction to courts that may grapple with this issue in the future. The U.S. Department of Education guidance under the Biden administration indicated payments to student-athletes would have been considered “athletic financial assistance,” which requires proportional allocation among male and female athletes at a given institution. The Trump administration rescinded that guidance in February, and in the current landscape, it is unclear whether compensating student-athletes will be viewed by the Office of Civil Rights—the agency division tasked with Title IX enforcement—as subject to Title IX.

Division I schools have been mulling over their options since the proposed settlement agreement was under review. However, the thorny issues of direct pay to student-athletes, equitable sports programming, and NIL deals are not reserved exclusively for D-1 schools and their athletic departments—any college or university with an athletic program should closely track the developments in federal and state law in this space.

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Vandal Soccer to Host WSU, BSU as Part of 2025 Schedule

Story Links MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho Vandal soccer plays host to Washington State, Boise State, South Dakota, and UTEP in non-conference play while traveling to Washington, Grand Canyon, Bakersfield and making an East Coast swing to face UMass Lowell and Stonehill College. In Big Sky play, Idaho welcomes Montana, […]

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59 minutes ago

July 16, 2025

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MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho Vandal soccer plays host to Washington State, Boise State, South Dakota, and UTEP in non-conference play while traveling to Washington, Grand Canyon, Bakersfield and making an East Coast swing to face UMass Lowell and Stonehill College.

In Big Sky play, Idaho welcomes Montana, Eastern Washington, Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona to the dome while traveling to Idaho State, Weber State, Sacramento State and Portland State.

The schedule is among the best in program history and includes some of the Northwest’s top programs.

Idaho opens the season with a pair of exhibition games in early August. The Vandals welcome in West Coast Conference team Gonzaga on Monday, Aug. 4 before traveling to Oregon to play the Big Ten member Ducks on Friday, Aug. 8.

The regular season opens in the dome with a contest against UC Riverside on Aug. 14 before closing out the week against Big Ten Washington on Sunday, Aug. 17 in Seattle.

The Vandals have a Northeast swing with games against UMass Lowell on Aug. 21 before playing Stonehill College (Mass.) on Aug. 23.

Idaho hosts Washington State on Aug. 28, South Dakota on Aug. 31 and UTEP on Sept. 4 before heading road to play at Grand Canyon on Sept. 11 and CSU Bakersfield on Sept. 14.

The Vandals host Boise State on Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. to close out non-conference play.

Idaho hits the road for games against Idaho State (Sept. 25), Weber State (Sept. 28) and Sacramento State (Oct. 2) to open Big Sky Conference action.

Montana comes to the dome on Oct. 5 followed by Eastern Washington on Oct. 12.

The Vandals’ final road game will be at Portland State on Oct. 19 before closing the season with home games against Northern Colorado (Oct. 24) and Northern Arizona (Oct. 26).

Idaho has played in the Big Sky Championship match each of the last three seasons, winning the title in 2023.

Season tickets are on sale now at GoVandals.com/Tickets.

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Josh Heupel drops truth bomb on Nico Iamaleava’s departure at Tennessee

The post Josh Heupel drops truth bomb on Nico Iamaleava’s departure at Tennessee appeared first on ClutchPoints. Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel has had a lot on his plate this offseason, as the team lost their starting quarterback. Nico Iamaleava decided to leave the program, after a dispute over NIL compensation. Now, Heupel is commenting […]

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1 hour ago

July 16, 2025

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The post Josh Heupel drops truth bomb on Nico Iamaleava’s departure at Tennessee appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel has had a lot on his plate this offseason, as the team lost their starting quarterback. Nico Iamaleava decided to leave the program, after a dispute over NIL compensation. Now, Heupel is commenting on that entire incident.

“It’s never about who is not in your building. It’s about who is in your building,” Heupel said, per ESPN.

Iamaleava is now at UCLA, after entering the transfer portal. He threw for 2,616 passing yards last season with the Volunteers. He also finished the season with 19 touchdown passes.

The situation also made waves across college football. It caused a national discussion about new guardrails for NIL. NIL stands for name, image and likeness. It allows college players to get paid.

The Volunteers made the College Football Playoff last season, before losing to Ohio State. Tennessee won 10 games on the campaign.

Tennessee football has competition at quarterback for 2025

The Volunteers currently have three quarterbacks that are fighting for the starting spot. They are: Joey Aguilar, Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre. Aguilar is considered the top man to beat for the job. He has the most experience at the college level, although he has never started a game for a power 4 program.

Aguilar came to Tennessee in the transfer portal. He spent last season at Appalachian State, but had briefly been with UCLA after his time with the Mountaineers. Last season with App State, Aguilar threw for 3,003 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has thrown for at least 3,000 yards the last two years.

MacIntyre is considered a top prospect, who was highly ranked by college football recruiting services in the 2025 class. He is from the state of Tennessee and was considered the top recruit in the state this past year by many scouting services.

Merklinger was used sparingly in the 2024 season by the Volunteers. He ended up taking a redshirt after playing a few games. The young quarterback is also a highly regarded prospect.

Tennessee football starts their 2025 season against Syracuse. The two schools meet on August 30.

Related: Georgia football QB Gunner Stockton confidently brushes off Paul Finebaum criticism

Related: Steve Sarkisian reveals major point of emphasis that cost Longhorns national titles

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2025 MLB Draft

Image credit: Tennessee coach Tony Vitello (Photo by Eddie Kelly/ProLook Photos) The MLB Draft is always a reshuffling of power in college baseball—some programs win big, others lose cornerstone talent and a few do both. The 2025 edition was no different. From top-heavy draft classes to surprising returns and transfer-class coups, this year’s draft left […]

Published

2 hours ago

July 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Image credit:
Tennessee coach Tony Vitello (Photo by Eddie Kelly/ProLook Photos)

The MLB Draft is always a reshuffling of power in college baseball—some programs win big, others lose cornerstone talent and a few do both.

The 2025 edition was no different. From top-heavy draft classes to surprising returns and transfer-class coups, this year’s draft left a clear mark on the college landscape. Here’s a look at which teams (and the sport itself) came out ahead—and which didn’t.

Winners

Tennessee

It felt inevitable that the Volunteers would end up on this list one way or another thanks to having a good chunk of their recruiting class—both high school and transfer—eligible for selection. To say head coach Tony Vitello’s program made out well would be an understatement.

Relief workhorse and expected 2026 rotation member Brandon Arvidson opted to return for another season. Virginia transfer Henry Ford (Baseball America’s No. 8 overall transfer) went undrafted, a surprising outcome for the draft-eligible sophomore who was widely expected to end up with a pro team this summer. Virginia transfer lefty Evan Blanco went unselected, as well. High schoolers Cameron Appenzeller and Trent Grindlinger are also expected to arrive in Knoxville. Those four alone give a massive boost to a program eyeing a second national title in three years.

Tennessee also had eight players taken in the first three rounds—a testament to the program’s elite development under Vitello and a gleaming pitch to future transfers and recruits.

Looking ahead to 2026, Tennessee once again looks every bit the part of a national title contender.

Texas

Texas had already positioned itself as a draft winner before the first pick was even made. Pitchers Luke Harrison, Ruger Riojas and Max Grubbs all announced their intentions to return in 2026, giving the Longhorns one of the most experienced rotations in the SEC. The program also brings back key 2025 relievers Dylan Volantis and Thomas Burns, further solidifying a pitching staff that looks formidable on paper.

Between those returners, a strong freshman class and impact transfers, Texas has assembled a staff with elite tools. It’s an ideal sandbox for pitching coach Max Weiner, who’s widely regarded as one of the game’s best young minds. His unique approach to pitch calling and shape manipulation has quickly become a hallmark of the program.

The Longhorns also did well on the position player front, with Temo Becerra (Stanford), Josh Livingston (Wichita State) and Cal Higgins (Western Kentucky) all going unselected. While any of them could still sign as undrafted free agents, the odds of them reaching campus improved significantly the moment the draft ended.

Butler transfer Jack Moroknek is expected to sign. Mississippi State transfer Luke Dotson and Georgia State transfer Kaleb Freeman might, too. But Texas is loaded nonetheless.

Georgia

No team had more roster capital at stake in the 2025 draft than Georgia. Between draft-eligible returners, high-profile transfers and high school signees, the Bulldogs had a sizable chunk of their projected roster available for selection. The results broke in their favor.

Draft-eligible sophomore Tre Phelps, who’s hit 22 home runs in just under 100 games as a Bulldog, elected to return. So did Jack Arcamone, a data-friendly catching prospect from Richmond who was widely expected to sign a pro deal. Georgia also secured Matt Scott, a former Stanford righthander whose arm talent is undeniable but who needs refinement to unlock early-round upside.

New Orleans transfer Bryce Calloway, USC transfer Caden Aoki, West Georgia transfer Lane Pearson and others also went unselected and are expected to reach campus barring a significant free agent offer.

After being eliminated in its own regional in 2025, Georgia is eyeing its first trip to Omaha since 2008. The outcome of this year’s draft only strengthens that pursuit.

Arizona State

Arizona State is less a winner for what it retained—though its impressive transfer haul remains almost entirely intact barring undrafted free agent signings—and more for what it lost. All nine of the Sun Devils’ draftees came off the board in the top 10 rounds, tying Arkansas for the most of any program in the country. That total also matched the mark set by ASU’s 1981 team, which went on to win the national title.

This year’s result was a bit more complicated. Unlike in ’81, the Sun Devils failed to host a regional and were eliminated in the opening round. The contrast is sharp, and while it’s tougher to win now than it was four decades ago, the expectation at a program with ASU’s draft pedigree should be more than just sending players to pro ball.

Still, the foundation for a turnaround is in place. Arizona State brought in a strong and deep transfer class, including PJ Moutziridis (Cal), and it also returns Cole Carlon and Landon Hairston—three players with top-of-the-draft upside. Talent will return to Tempe en masse. In 2026, the Sun Devils will have every reason to expect results to match.

College Baseball

It’s a broad category—especially given that this entire exercise is built around college baseball winners and losers—but it’s hard to come away from the 2025 draft without feeling like the sport itself came out ahead.

While the total number of college players selected in the top 10 rounds didn’t quite match last year’s all-time high of 254, this year still marked the fourth-most in the bonus pool era (since 2012) with 247. More notably, three of the four most college-heavy top-10 rounds have now occurred in the last four drafts, solidifying a clear and continued shift in MLB’s preferences.

The trend echoes a belief shared widely by coaches across the country: MLB increasingly sees college as a premium development pipeline. That’s reflected not just in draft behavior but in debut timelines, too. More players are reaching the majors within two years of their draft season than ever before—and the overwhelming majority of them played college baseball.

No matter which programs won or lost the most, college baseball itself remains sharply on the rise.

Losers

LSU

Calling LSU a draft “loser” feels like a stretch for a program coming off its second national title in three years, led by arguably the best coach in the sport, with a strong transfer class and a notable portion of its championship roster returning. The Tigers will be elite again, and their draft outcomes don’t change that.

But in a vacuum, the toll on their recruiting class was severe—enough to land them on this side of the ledger.

Eight signees were drafted and are expected to sign: Brady Ebel (No. 42 on the BA 500), Briggs McKenzie (No. 46), Jaden Fauske (No. 54), Quentin Young (No. 56), Miguel Sime Jr. (No. 88), Dean Moss (No. 97), Landon Hodge (No. 131) and River Hamilton (No. 171). Most weren’t expected to make it to campus, but the sheer volume is hard to ignore.

LSU did hold on to key names like William Patrick, Marcos Paz, Reagen Ricken and Omar Serna, and it returns Zac Cowan, Chris Stanfield and Jaden Noot, none of whom were drafted.

The Tigers will be fine. But their recruiting class took a hit few others could withstand.

Clemson

Clemson didn’t bring in a particularly deep transfer class, nor was its high school crop loaded with top-end draft talent. But the Tigers still took two significant hits—one from each group.

Ryan Wideman, a dynamic outfielder from Western Kentucky, was selected in the third round and is now unlikely to reach campus. So is Dax Kilby, Clemson’s top high school commit, who was taken 39th overall.

It wasn’t a catastrophic draft, but it stung in the two places that mattered most.

Florida State

No program lost more to the 2025 draft than Florida State. The Seminoles had a nation-leading 11 players selected—Jamie Arnold, Alex Lodise, Cam Leiter, Max Williams, Drew Faurot, Peyton Prescott, Joey Volini, Evan Chrest, Gage Harrelson, Jaxson West and Maison Martinez—and nearly all are expected to sign. Even if a few return, FSU is still likely to lose the bulk of its starting lineup, two-thirds of its weekend rotation and several key bullpen arms.

Replacing that kind of production is a monumental task. The Seminoles will lean on a solid transfer class headlined by former FAU lefthander Trey Beard, but many of their incoming pieces are stepping up significantly in level of competition—a gamble for a team with so much to replace.

Head coach Link Jarrett has brought stability and national relevance back to the program he once played for. But given how much just walked out the door, 2026 may present his toughest challenge since he inherited the storied program.

Arkansas

Coming off a run to the national semifinals, Arkansas is now staring down one of the most significant roster overhauls in the country. The Razorbacks lost Gage Wood, Wehiwa Aloy, Zach Root, Charles Davalan, Christian Foutch, Aiden Jimenez, Landon Beidelschies, Brent Iredale, Ben Bybee, Justin Thomas and Parker Coil to the draft. That’s the entire weekend rotation, a Golden Spikes Award-winning shortstop, multiple key lineup bats and much of the bullpen.

All gone.

To their credit, the Razorbacks have reloaded with an impressive transfer class and remain one of the best-coached teams in the country under head coach Dave Van Horn. But like Florida State, they face a massive rebuild and are still chasing that elusive first national title.