How Boise State approaches NIL payments with new recruits

Boise State football has endured somewhat of a recruiting crisis at the quarterback position over the past year.

Three class of 2026 recruits have decommitted from the program in 2025, including two four-star players in Bryson Beaver and Tradon Bessinger. Beaver is now committed to Oregon, while Bessinger has yet to announce his new school. He decommitted from the Broncos after visiting Iowa last weekend.

“I am never going to try and force young men to be here,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said earlier this week. “I’m not going to use money to try to make a kid come here. That’s not what I believe. I want kids that want to be here. I want kids that want to be part of this team, and if they don’t, this ain’t the right fit for them.”

Although no specific Name, Image, and Likeness numbers have been reported in connection to either player, it’s well known that the Nike-backed Oregon Ducks boast significant spending power. In 2024, it was reported that Oregon had a $23 million NIL war chest. Similarly, 247Sports reported in late 2024 that Iowa had a top-25 NIL budget of $9.6 million.

Boise State’s budget pales in comparison. Former offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said in January that Boise State’s 2024 NIL budget was just shy of $2 million.

The loss of two highly ranked recruits can raise questions about whether NIL money is why players are leaving for greener pastures. Danielson addressed that Thursday, and outlined his and the program’s attitude toward paying players: retention over acquisition.

“For us, it’s not about talent acquisition, this is about talent retention,” Danielson said. “We’ve got really good football players on this team, and when they do what they’re supposed to here, I want to take care of them and pay them everything we’ve got.”

That doesn’t mean freshmen at Boise State can’t earn NIL money once they arrive. Danielson said freshmen are allowed to sign NIL deals, and they’ll show recruits some of the deals current players have, and what can be earned down the road.

Danielson also said he’d love to be able to pay incoming freshmen eventually, but the program isn’t at that point.

“As we grow our funds and continue to raise, which I believe we are going to, then I think it completely opens the door to be able to pay freshmen or pay players coming into the program that have not been here,” Danielson said. “But everything for us will always start with talent retention. That will not change regardless of the money we get.”

Boise State Athletics established BroncoPRO in 2024, an NIL and revenue-sharing entity designed to provide support and opportunities to athletes. The program helps players manage their brand and secure NIL deals, essentially acting as an agency for Broncos.

Danielson said that as BroncoPRO continues to grow, more opportunities for freshmen to earn money will become available, but the emphasis will still be on achieving the right to earn that money.

“Everything’s tiered in regards to BroncoPRO to where our guys are at,” Danielson said. “And it’s not just their play on the field, it’s where they’re developing to, how are they in the weight room, how are they in school. Because this is a foundational moment for our young players.

“We haven’t been able to put a lot of resources into it in regards to our freshmen, just because of the reality of what we have.”

Boise State vs. Fresno State

• When: 1:30 p.m. Saturday
• Where: Albertsons Stadium (32,796, turf)
• TV: Fox Sports 1 (Noah Reed, Robert Smith)
• Radio: KBOI 670 AM / 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
• Records: Boise State is 6-2, 4-0 Mountain West; Fresno State 5-3, 2-2
• Series: Boise State leads the series 17-9
• Betting line: Boise State by 17.5
• Weather: 65 degrees, partly cloudy, 12% chance of rain