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Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith might already be the best pass-catcher in college football and he is getting compensated accordingly. The 19-year-old sophomore is likely one of the highest-paid players outside of the quarterback position, which does not even include what he makes through outside ventures like appearances, social media partnerships, etc.

Exact numbers are not made public when it comes to Name, Image and Likeness but Smith has enough money in his bank account to purchase pants with a price tag greater than $10,000. Can’t relate!

Smith was ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the college football recruiting Class of 2024. The Miami-native ultimately committed to Ohio State over Florida and Florida State. Although the opportunity to play for Brian Hartline and compete for a national championship was the primary catalyst for his decision, finances also played a significant role. The Buckeyes are paying him very well.

According to Syracuse head coach Fran Brown, Jeremiah Smith is getting $2 million a year. Nobody outside of Columbus knows for certain but I would imagine that number is probably about right. It might even be too low, considering that he received offers north of $4 million to transfer during the offseason.

Whatever Smith is getting paid is a lot— especially for a 19-year-old sophomore in college. He can afford $10,500 pants!

Jeremiah Smith recently swung by internet famous vintage clothing store Heat Archive in Columbus. His goal was to leave the store with cash in hand for an old pair of Chrome Hearts slacks. Owner Andrew Kounouzvelis started the negotiations at $5,000. Smith wanted $8,000.

They later compromised on a $2,000 coin flip. Heads was $4,000. Tails was $6,000. It was tails!

Being able to compensate college athletes over the last few years has changed the landscape of college sports, most notably the revenue behemoth that is college football. Name, Image and Likeness has helped usher in a new era of bidding wars and recruiting efforts that didn’t exist just less than a decade ago. And now, with the House Settlement, things will change even more.

Especially at a place like Ohio State that has a huge athletic department and a massive budget.

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But NIL is still in practice, and there are still athletes getting paid for the usage of their name, so it’s a big deal. We always hear about the astronomical figures the top-end stars are pulling in, but there are smaller ones as well. However, the multi-million dollar contracts aren’t as prevalent as one would think. In fact, we’re ranking the top Big Ten NIL valuations, and there are fewer than ten that make the list worth mentioning.

Here’s a list of the top eight NIL valuations according to On3 in the Big Ten, ranked from least to most expensive. You may be surprised by what and who is on this list., and of course, the bigger programs with the most money like Ohio State appear on this list more than some that do not at all.

No. 8 – Evan Stewart, Wide Receiver | Oregon Ducks

NIL Valuation – $1.7 Million

National Rank – No. 25

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Stewart had a great year last season, but played second fiddle to Tez Johnson in star power. This year, it should be him as the No. 1 threat and player personality many will follow.

NIL Valuation | $1.8 Million

National Rank – No. 21

Singleton is entering his senior year and is part of a running back tandem that should be very dangerous this season. He’s a star running back for Penn State, and that alone garners attention and a pretty significant NIL package.

No. 6 – Nico Iamaleava, Quarterback | UCLA Bruins

NIL Valuation | $2 Million

National Rank – No. 19

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Nico is well-known after having a fantastic season last year with Tennessee. He is one of the most recognizable quarterbacks with all the potential he possesses with his dual-threat ability, and now he’ll be doing his work out in Westwood for UCLA.

NIL Valuation | $2.3 Million

National Rank – No. 17

Raiola’s commitment was highly publicized. He first committed to Ohio State, then Georgia, before finally landing at Nebraska, where he had family ties. He had a very impressive, though a bit inconsistent freshman campaign and should be poised for a continuation and further breakout in 2025.

No. 4 – Caleb Downs, Safety | Ohio State Buckeyes

NIL Valuation | $2.4 Million

National Rank – No. 15

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Downs came to Ohio State via the transfer portal after becoming a freshman All-American at Alabama. He had a stellar sophomore campaign in Columbus and is a fan favorite. He might be the best defender in all of college football, playing for arguably the most-followed college football program. That all translates to a massive NIL package.

No. 3 – Bryce Underwood, Quarterback | Michigan Wolverines

NIL Valuation | $3 Million

National Rank – No. 10

There is a ton of hype for the No. 1 quarterback coming out of high school, and Michigan is hoping he makes good on all of it. There was a lot of buzz surrounding his recruitment, and he has many folks following what he might do at the college level, even though he has yet to do anything in Ann Arbor.

No. 2 – Drew Allar, Quarterback | Penn State Nittany Lions

NIL Valuation | $3.1 Million

National Rank – No. 8

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Allar was a five-star quarterback coming out of Ohio before committing to play for Penn State. Though he has yet to win the biggest of games, he has a big arm and is the face of the Nittany Lions’ chances at not only making the College Football Playoff, but going on a run to a national championship.

No. 1 – Jeremiah Smith, Wide Receiver | Ohio State Buckeyes

NIL Valuation | $4.2 Million

National Rank – No. 3

Everyone knows Smith. He was an absolute star who flashed on the scene for Ohio State as a freshman after being ranked as the top overall recruit in the 2024 class. He more than made good on all that buzz and is arguably the best player in college football returning for two more seasons, still in Columbus. He is adored in Central Ohio and feared across the rest of the country.

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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ranking the top eight Big Ten football NIL valuations for 2025

The CBS Sports final consensus Big Board is set, taking into consideration the perspective of analysts from CBS Sports and 247Sports. 

While the list provides a fitting view of the market with less than one week before the NBA Draft, there are a handful of prospects that I am personally higher on, and also some that might end up going higher than expected next Wednesday.

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Prospects who could be picked higher than they are ranked 

Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma

CBS Sports Big Board: No. 11 

Fears is a polarizing prospect. Some people think he has star upside and others think he has bust potential. To be clear, I’m in line with where we have him ranked, if not even perhaps a little lower, when balancing out the risk reward ratio. I understand the burst, creativity, and ability to get into the paint at will that has some people so excited. What concerns me most though isn’t even the inconsistent shooting or defensive commitment. It’s the question about how he impacts the game when the team’s offense isn’t built around him. 

His archetype – the explosive lead guard playmaker – almost has to be the focal point of an offense in order to work. If not, the next best outcome could be an instant offense type creator off someone’s second unit. I just wouldn’t be willing to use a mid to high lottery pick for that. Ultimately though, it doesn’t matter what I, or even most, think. It only takes one team in that range to believe in his upside and with reported interest from Utah (5), New Orleans (7) and Brooklyn (8), it’s very possible that Fears is off the board before we have him currently rated.

Noa Essengue, France

CBS Sports Big Board: No. 14

Essengue has been a trending prospect in recent weeks, despite the fact that his season in the German League is still ongoing and has prevented him from working out for NBA teams. Viewed as one of the youngest and most athletic players in the draft, Essengue also measured better than expected at 6’10” barefoot with a 7’0.75″ wingspan. He’s clearly going to have to keep refining his game and adding muscle mass to his frame, but the fact that he’s already able to make a consistent impact in a high-level international league is very encouraging. He’s an emphatic leaper and finisher. He runs well, is mobile, and can really cover the court. There’s a lot of untapped upside on the defensive end of the floor and offensively he has a knack for findings ways to score and get to the free-throw line. There is a wide-range of opinions on Essengue, but like Fears, it only takes one GM to fall in love with his upside for him to come off the board, and that might very well happen before the 14th pick.

Will Riley, Illinois

CBS Sports Big Board: No. 32

When the NBA hands out green room invitations, there win-loss record is very convincing. We have Riley ranked as the number 32 prospect on our board, but he was one of the first 19 players the NBA invited to be live and in person on draft night. I’m betting the NBA may know something we don’t, since the last thing they want is TV coverage of a young player and his family getting embarrassed by not hearing their name called on night one. Riley is another polarizing prospect. 

He was supposed to be finishing up his high school career this year, but instead reclassified up and committed to Illinois a year earlier than expected. While there were some notable inconsistencies in his season, there were enough flashes of upside to intrigue NBA decision-makers. His shooting upside is higher than his 33% from behind the arc indicates, while there were even more signs of playmaking as the year went on. 

The other factor in his favor is that given the amount of players who opted to return to college basketball and collect an NIL payday, there aren’t going to be nearly as many high upside propositions left for teams looking to take a big swing late in the first round.

Prospects who should be ranked higher

Walter Clayton, Florida

CBS Sports Big Board: No. 29 

One of the cardinal rules of NBA Draft scouting is to not overreact to what happens in the NCAA Tournament. However, I think the collective thinking may be overcompensating a bit here. To be clear, my enthusiasm for Clayton’s NBA prospectus has very little to do with what happened in the NCAA Tournament, since it came in a highlighted role that I don’t expect him to play in the NBA. 

But Clayton is one of the best pure shooters in the draft and that’s one of the most coveted skills a role player can have at the next level. Beyond that, he has a naturally strong and durable frame, stemming from his high school football days. After three years of playing off the ball, Florida also put the ball in his hands this season, and had obviously good success. 

That’s not to say he’s a pure point guard, but he does now have the versatility to play on or off the ball at the next level, which is also coveted in the modern NBA. His defensive consistency is going to have to increase, but given that it will be a requisite for playing time at the next level, I expect it will. I’m admittedly higher than most, but I’d be thinking about him as early as late in the lottery.

Joan Beringer, France

CBS Sports Big Board: No. 23 

When you look back on recent NBA seasons and rookies who have exceeded expectations, there is one archetype that comes up more consistently than most – the athletic centers who can run the floor, protect the rim, and be a lob threat. That’s exactly what Beringer is. He’s still relatively new to the game and so there are some growing pains in front of him, but the fact that his role is so defined, and translatable, should ease the transition. 

Beringer has massive measurements (6-foot-11 barefoot with a 7-4.5 wingspan and 9-3 standing reach), is a high-level athlete, mobile for his size, and pretty comfortable with contact even while he continues to fill-out. What makes prospectus even more compelling is that in addition to his physical tools, he also has terrific hands, which will aid him catching balls in traffic and on the glass. He’s not only a name that I might consider as high as the late-lottery, but also one that I expect to be off the board before the No. 23 spot where he finished on our consensus Big Board.

Noah Penda, France

CBS Sports Big Board: No. 31

Penda is the third Frenchmen on this list and that is not a coincidental theme. France has continued to produce high level young talent, and collectively speaking, I believe that most of draft media has perhaps underrated the depth of this group. Penda may be a prime example. For those teams who aren’t star hunting, and are instead looking for a player capable of cracking the rotation sooner rather than later, Penda should be in consideration in the mid-first-round on.

At 6-7.25 without shoes and 242 pounds with a 6-11.5 wingspan, he has NBA caliber size, strength, and length from Day 1. His massive hands are just an added bonus for teams that value that marker for future success. Beyond the physical, he’s credited for being an advanced processor of the game, on both ends of the floor. Defensively, his instincts and anticipation give him extremely high playmaking metrics. 

Offensively, he may not be a dynamic scorer or even as consistent an outside shooter as needed just yet, but he’s a quick decision-maker and good passer. If he gets to the point where he makes standstill threes, I think he’s got a chance to have a long career as a connector on the wing.

Penn State football lost out on a crew of recruits — many of whom opted to take their talents to Notre Dame. Joey O’Brien and Khary Adams were two of the most recent recruits to commit to the Fighting Irish over the Nittany Lions.

In recent developments with NIL, schools are now able to pay athletes directly. However, some schools are at a greater advantage than others given the resources they’re able to allocate per sport. In other words, not every athletics department has or will opt to reach the $20.5 million cap to give to their student-athletes.

“The way I kind of understand it is this is revenue sharing rules and NIL rules kind of are all under this umbrella,” Franklin said, according to Pro Football Network. “But I would also say that I really think it’s pretty much going to be everything. I think football is going to be run by this entity.”

College football spearheads a vast majority, at the very least, of athletics programs. Schools who have the funds to pay their athletes will naturally become more and more appealing to new recruits looking for their NCAA home in the near future.

“If you want to be a part of this, you’re in, and if you don’t want to be a part of it, then go play somewhere else,” Franklin said.

It can’t go unnoticed that Penn State is a big spender, and that’s expected to be showcased in its 2025-26 roster. One thing holding the Nittany Lions back, potentially though, is not setting aside funds to their incoming freshmen. Notre Dame as a whole, on the other hand, is a marketable brand that can and will compete with top-spending schools. It’s possible that NIL packages for incoming freshmen is part of that.

“[It’s] very similar to, I think maybe a Major League Baseball model, an NFL model,” Franklin said according to On3. “[This] is what they are trying to bring to college football.”

Despite knowing that college football will be run by this “entity,” Franklin intends to build a roster that comes from the relationships made with the coaches and team. This happened with transfer Trebor Pena.

“A lot of the financial descriptions of how that played out? None of those things were true regarding Penn State,” Franklin said. “At least based on our experience, they were nonfactors . . . in terms of what his deciding factors about coming to Penn State were,”

The Nittany Lions also searched for more funds to give to their top running backs, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. This is something that can stand out negatively to new recruits. While recruitment isn’t all about money, NIL packages can definitely sway a student-athlete one way or another if they have good relationships with various teams’ staffs.

It’s not upfront and they won’t commit to schools knowing they’ll be paid a certain amount as teams are not allowed to use NIL as a bargaining chip for high school recruits. However, when considering the school as a brand and market, it’s easier to narrow down where they’ll succeed the most on the field and in the bank.

At the end of the day, Franklin doesn’t want his team exclusively molded by NIL funds and the revenue-sharing model. What needs to happen for Penn State, though, is winning in those big game scenarios that can make, break, hurt, or help the season, roster, and future of the program as a whole. That’s the real bargaining chip that’s up for grabs. Notre Dame just currently happens to have an edge on Penn State in both of those matters.

The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective VC Connect filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness contract to play for the Florida school this upcoming season.

Allegations of tampering rarely get to this level and the 23-page lawsuit, which was filed in state court in Wisconsin and obtained by The Associated Press, is unusual. Depending on its resolution, it could have a a wider impact on future NIL deals across college athletics.

The player in question in the filing is referred to only as “Student-Athlete A.” But the case summary describes facts that line up with the situation involving cornerback Xavier Lucas, who last December announced his plans to enter the transfer portal.

Shortly afterward, Darren Heitner, who has been representing Lucas, indicated that Wisconsin was refusing to put Lucas’ name in the portal and that it was hindering his ability to talk with other schools. In January, Heitner announced that Lucas would be playing for Miami this fall.

The situation is fallout from the rapid changes engulfing college athletics, specifically a combination of two things: Athletes went to court and won the ability to transfer with much more freedom and the 2021 NCAA decision clearing the way for them to strike NIL endorsement deals now worth millions of dollars. That has changed the recruiting landscape and forced the issue of contracts and signed commitments to the fore.

“Indeed, student-athletes’ newfound NIL rights will be rendered meaningless if third parties are allowed to induce student-athletes to abandon their contractual commitments,” a portion of the lawsuit reads.

UW claims Miami interferred with athlete’s NIL

Wisconsin said in January that it had credible information that Miami and Lucas made impermissible contact with each other before the former Badgers cornerback decided to transfer.

Wisconsin and VC Connect allege that the inducement for Lucas to attend Miami happened within days of him entering his NIL agreement to play for the Badgers, and that they incurred substantial monetary and reputational harm. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and “a declaration that Miami’s conduct directed towards Student-Athlete A constituted tampering.”

A message left with the University of Miami seeking comment was not immediately returned. In a text message Friday, Heitner declined to comment on the lawsuit but he said that Lucas still plans to attend Miami and play football.

Wisconsin said it had the support of its leadership and the Big Ten Conference in filing the lawsuit, noting its commitment to “ensuring integrity and fundamental fairness in the evolving landscape of college athletics.”

“While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field,” the statement said. “In addition to our legal action, we will continue to be proactive to protect the interests of our student-athletes, our program and the broader collegiate athletics community.

Lucas, who is from Pompano Beach, Florida, had 12 tackles, an interception and a sack as a freshman for Wisconsin last season.

Heitner said that Lucas hasn’t received any money from Wisconsin and therefore owes no money to the school. Heitner also argued that Wisconsin had violated an NCAA bylaw by not entering Lucas into the transfer database within two business days of the player’s request.

Wisconsin issued a statement at the time saying it hadn’t put Lucas’ name in the portal because he had entered a two-year binding NIL agreement.

In April, the surprise transfers of brothers Nico and Madden Iamaleava from Tennessee to UCLA prompted fresh questions about contracts and buyouts.

Nico Iamaleava, who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season, walked away from a reported $2.4 million NIL contract. Arkansas freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava entered the portal after spring practices wrapped up.

Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek released a statement indicating he would support efforts by the Razorbacks’ NIL collective to enforce buyout clauses in athlete contracts. Iamaleava reportedly had a contract valued at $500,000 upon signing with Arkansas.

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