NIL
USC Secures Luke Wafle After Three
Although we could’ve submitted a USC prediction for coveted four-star New Jersey Edge Luke Wafle on Sunday (June 15) morning when his USC official visit concluded, it was in our best interest not to.
About 24 hours before his scheduled announcement, it appeared that decision would work out in our favor. Less than 12 hours later, the tide had changed in favor of the Trojans again. USC was battling Ohio State, Penn State and Texas, but the fight for the highly coveted Hun School athlete was really down to the Trojans vs the Buckeyes.
Ohio State upped its NIL offer to become more competitive and keep the blue-chipper close to home. Wafle even informed USC that he was opting to stay closer to home. That phone call came early on Wednesday morning.
By early Wednesday evening, USC’s relentless pursuit appeared to pay off. We learned USC was back in the pole position after multiple sources confirmed. On Monday morning the update was, “It’s done.” Obviously USC won the battle with Wafle announcing for the Trojans at 2pm ET on the On3 Recruiting YouTube channel.
USC, Luke Wafle and a three-year NIL deal
With high profile recruits and battles between schools and NIL collectives, speculation on how lucrative the NIL opportunity was gets hot. By Thursday afternoon, fans from multiple schools were speculating on what Wafle’s deal might be.
On3 offered their take on Thursday.
“The Trojans were tracking for Wafle’s commitment coming out of last weekend’s official visit to Los Angeles. Ohio State upped its NIL package and began to trend Wednesday morning. USC then made a counter-offer to that and ultimately got the pledge locked in. We’re hearing Wafle’s package is between 2.2 and 2.6 million dollars over two years.”
What we’re told at WeAreSC from a very trusted source, is while Wafle’s NIL deal with USC is an extremely strong opportunity, it’s not a two-year deal. At the last minute USC changed it to a three-year deal.
Summary of events with USC and Wafle June 15-19
Here’s a brief summary of events with Wafle starting on Sunday morning.
On Sunday morning (June 15) I checked in on the status or vibe with Luke Wafle. At that time I was told by a source he would likely commit to USC on Monday. I posted we expected some huge news by the end of the week. Even though I was told it would be Monday, I know how this stuff works sometimes, so I said “later this week.”
Obviously it didn’t happen on Monday and a few days passed. I checked in again Wednesday afternoon and was told “Thursday.” That’s what prompted a “Still Happening” thread on our message board at WeAreSC.
Then on Wednesday morning we learned with an assist from Steve Wiltfong, that it looked like Ohio State would get Wafle. I checked myself and was told USC was out….at least at that time.
Not long after that, we’ve learned from Steve and USC sources that were definitely still in the battle. I was getting ready to watch Jonas Williams at the Elite 11 Finals, but checked in again last night it still looked good for the Trojans.
On Thursday morning we submitted a USC prediction for Wafle and USC has an 87% chance of getting him per the On3 RPM.
The trend of USC getting dunked on with NIL sort of ended with Jahkeem Stewart in December, but USC getting Wafle as predicted, it’s kind of an exclamation point on where things currently stand with the USC football program.
2026 USC Commits (No. 1 Ranking)
USC’s No. 1 ranked 2026 recruiting class currently has 30 committed players from the 2026 recruiting class in Luke Wafle, Talanoa Ili, Peyton Dyer, Mark Bowman, Shaun Scott, Luc Weaver, Keenyi Pepe, Elbert Hill, Roderick Tezeno, Kannon Smith, Vlad Dyakonov, Deshonne Redeaux, Jake Johnson, TomTom Topui, Malik Brooks, Chase Deniz, Jaimeon Winfield, John Fifita, Esun Tafa, Trent Mosely, Simote Katonaga, Jonas Williams, Brandon Lockhart, Braeden Jones, Madden Riordan, Joshua Holland, Shahn Alston, Andrew Williams and Ja’Myron “Tron” Baker.
The Oregon Ducks are coming off of a 51-34 win over the James Madison Duke at Autzen Stadium on Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The Ducks now advance to face the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the CFP Quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL. on Jan. 1, but two more members of the Oregon secondary won’t be in attendance.
Per reports from On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Oregon cornerback Sione Laulea is entering the portal and won’t be with the team for the rest of the CFP. Joining him in the portal will be Oregon safety Kingston Lopa, who will have three years of eligibility left. He also won’t be with the Ducks during what hopes to be a run to the National Championship.
Laulea, who arrived to Eugene before the 2024 season, was the top JUCO cornerback prospect out of San Mateo College headed into his first year at Oregon.
Sione Laulea Chose Oregon for Development
He told the media before this season that he chose the Ducks because he thought it was the best fit for him from a developmental standpoint.
“I transferred from junior college, and the biggest fit for me was just development, because I feel like I used two years, so with two years left in eligibility, I feel like I had to make the most out of my two years,” he said. “So the place that was going to develop me the most and where I fit most in the scheme, and I felt like this was a place, especially with the coaching staff, with Tosh (Lupoi) being such an aggressive caller, and (Chris Hampton) as a secondary coach.”
“I feel like it’s been great,” he continued. “As you guys know, there’s not a lot of experience in our back end, specifically the corner room, but there’s some dogs either way, whether we touch the field or not. You can see it clearly in practice that everyone’s making plays on the ball, and it’s pretty much neck and neck.”
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However, things never quite worked out for Laulea. He appeared in 10 games with Oregon while posting just 10 total tackles (five solo), three pass breakups and one pick. His only interception as a Duck came in the 38-9 win over No. 20 Illinois last season.
As for Lopa, he arrived to Oregon as a four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class out of Grant Union in Sacramento, CA.
He received some notable praise from Oregon head coach Dan Lanning during the spring.
“It’s just what he does every day in practice. You know, the part that we get to see, and Kingston to be an unbelievable player for us. You know, he’s had a really good spring so far. But you know, he earned those moments by what he did in practice,” Lanning said.
Lopa appeared in 13 games this season while posting 12 total tackles and one pass breakup.
Florida wide receiver Naeshaun Montgomery is planning to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, On3 has learned. He caught three passes for 26 yards in 2025.
Montgomery played high school football at Miami Central (West Palm Beach, FL), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 262 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted algorithm that complies all major recruiting media services.
He had a bunch of different premier programs interested in his services as a recruit. We’ll see who comes calling this time around for the wide receiver.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
More on Naeshaun Montgomery, NCAA Transfer Portal
Meanwhile, the NCAA Division I Administrative Committee passed dates for the one-time-only college football transfer portal back earlier in October. As it stands, the 2025-26 college football transfer portal will last 15 days. It’ll span Jan. 2 to Jan. 16, the NCAA announced.
Moving forward, the entire Division I football notification of transfer windows is slated for Jan 2-16. As has been the previous standard, athletes on College Football Playoff teams still playing would have 5 days beginning the day after their team’s final game to enter the transfer portal.
Additionally, players have 15 days to enter the portal, but they’re not under a deadline to commit when they enter. Traditionally, the deadline for committing is how late a school can enroll a player through admissions.
One caveat is that if a head coach is fired, the transfer portal will not open for players immediately. The NCAA revealed that moving forward, players will only have 15 days to enter the portal after a coaching change, instead of the former allocation of 30 days. Players will also have to wait five days after a new coach is hired or announced.
Finally, graduate transfers also cannot enter the transfer portal until Jan. 2 with the new one-time-only portal window. All these new guidelines are bound to shake things up, but the transfer portal will still remain as interesting and entertaining as ever.
Dec. 22, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET
- Some Tennessee football players are expected to negotiate for higher NIL pay after strong performances in the 2025 season.
- Since July, schools can directly pay athletes through revenue sharing, in addition to third-party NIL deals.
- Players who have likely increased their value include DeSean Bishop, Braylon Staley, and several standout freshmen.
- NIL negotiations have become a regular part of the college football calendar, influencing player decisions on transfers and the NFL draft.
Some Tennessee football players will negotiate a raise in NIL pay after overperforming in the 2025 season.
Those discussions have become part of the college football calendar in this era of frequent player movement, and money is a driving force in big decisions.
Negotiations likely started long before No. 23 Tennessee (8-4) plays Illinois (8-4) in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). And they’ll continue when the transfer portal opens on Jan. 2.
The top players with eligibility remaining consider declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. Some players consider testing the transfer market by entering the portal. And overperforming players hope to cash in with a pay raise from their school.
Since July, schools have been allowed to pay athletes directly with revenue shares, essentially a royalty for use of their name, image and likeness. Players can earn additional money in third-party NIL pay from collectives, corporations and business owners.
Some players get raises. Other players get pay cuts.
Schools pay players directly under a salary cap of sorts. The payroll works out to about $13.5 million for each college football team, or approximately $170,000 per scholarship player. Those distributions and payroll strategies vary between teams.
And third-party NIL pay can double the earnings of the best players.
None of that payroll information is available to the public, which means it’s impossible to know whether a player is overpaid, underpaid or fairly paid. But it’s reasonable to believe their pay corresponds to their projected level of play.
And if they exceed those expectations, a raise is in order. With that being said, let’s take an educated guess at which players have increased their value.
DeSean Bishop
No Tennessee player has increased his value over the past year as much as running back DeSean Bishop. In January, the former Karns High standout was promoted from walk-on to scholarship player. That likely didn’t come with a big NIL payday because he wasn’t even a starter yet.
But Bishop earned that scholarship, and then some, in the 2025 season. He was named All-SEC second team after rushing for 983 yards and 14 TDs in the regular season. If Bishop wasn’t paid NIL this season, he certainly will next season. And if he was paid this season, it likely didn’t align with an all-conference season.
Braylon Staley
Braylon Staley showed promise heading into the 2025 season, but he was unproven. That quickly changed when he played well in UT’s biggest games and earned SEC Freshman of the Year with 64 receptions, 806 yards and six TDs.
UT may have already paid Staley a solid NIL amount. After all, he was a four-star recruit and top 100 player coming out of high school. But it’s doubtful that Staley was paid like one of the SEC’s top receivers, which he clearly now is.
Wendell Moe
This one is debatable, but leverage could come into play. Wendell Moe was a solid pick-up in the portal in 2025, but he turned into an AP All-SEC performer.
It’s difficult to predict how much UT paid Moe in the 2025 season without knowing the transfer market for his position. If he was coveted by multiple teams, Moe may have been paid well and simply played to that level.
But now Moe has proven to be a good SEC offensive lineman and potential NFL draft prospect. That could land him at least a moderate NIL raise to return in 2026.
Jesse Perry
In the 2024 class, offensive lineman Jesse Perry was rated fifth among five offensive linemen signed by Tennessee, according to 247Sports Composite. He was a three-star recruit.
NIL pay doesn’t always correspond to recruit ratings. But Perry’s moderate grades indicate that he had to prove his value on the field before earning a notable NIL check.
Perry did that in the 2025 season. He started 11 games, including seven at right tackle and four at right guard, and earned Freshman All-America honors.
Granted, his future NIL pay will depend on whether he’s a surefire starter or a versatile backup, but Perry is certainly in a stronger position than a year ago.
Ty Redmond
Like Perry, cornerback Ty Redmond probably entered the 2025 season with a low NIL value and had to prove himself. In the 2025 class, Redmond was rated fourth among five defensive backs signed by Tennessee, according to 247Sports Composite. He was a three-star recruit.
But Redmond, after some early growing pains, turned into a promising young cornerback. He was an All-SEC third-team selection and Freshman All-SEC performer. He tied for the SEC lead with 13 passes defended and led the Vols with three interceptions.
Regardless of what Redmond earned in 2025, he is in a stronger position after his freshman season.
Jordan Ross
This one is more speculative than the rest on this list. After all, edge rusher Jordan Ross was a five-star signee in the 2024 class, so he may already command high pay in NIL money based on his recruit rating.
That being said, Ross is on this list because of his play, his position and his perceived essential status in new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ defensive scheme. Knowles values edge rushers, and Ross is UT’s most dynamic.
Before being slowed by injuries, Ross showed flashes as a playmaker in the mold of former UT edge rushers Byron Young, James Pearce and Joshua Josephs. He had three tackles-for-loss, 1.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Emailadam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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The No. 10 seed Miami Hurricanes defeated the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies 10-3 in the first round of the College Football Playoff. It was a defensive battle, ultimately decided by a late fourth-quarter score and red-zone interception by Miami.
With the score tied at 3 and 1 minute, 44 seconds left in the game, Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney scored on an 11-yard touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Carson Beck.
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Up next for the Hurricanes is a Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic matchup against the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes. It’s an uphill battle, as ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Hurricanes a 29.5% chance of winning.
Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10).© Robert Myers-Imagn Images
Before his heroic performance, though, the wide receiver revealed an exciting Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) update. In a joint Instagram post, Toney revealed a new NIL partnership with Hellstar, a popular clothing brand that has a sports training component.
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“We are so proud to announce our first Hellstar Sports College Athlete NIL signing – Malachi Toney🌟.,” the post caption read. “We had the privilege to coach @malitoney10 while he was apart of our high school 7 on 7 program, so now seeing him shine on the collegiate level we couldn’t be more proud.”
Toney’s On3 NIL valuation of $878,000 is the 12th-highest among college football wide receivers. Among players on Miami, it’s the fourth-highest, behind quarterback Carson Beck ($3.1 million), EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. ($1.2 million) and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa ($1.1 million).
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Through 14 games, Toney has been a major contributor to Miami’s success. He leads the team in receptions (89), yards (992) and touchdowns (eight).
With an exciting NIL opportunity under his belt, he and Miami look to stay hot against Ohio State. Kickoff is Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium, airing on ESPN and streaming on the ESPN app.
Related: Texas Receives Clear Message From Nation’s No. 2 WR Amid Intense Recruiting Battle
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
In the growing landscape of college athletics, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals play a vital role in sports. Some programs are set up better than others based on a program’s valuation. Programs with higher valuations can help some of the top-performing teams stay successful.
CNBC released its valuation rankings for the country’s athletic departments, showing their growth from the 2024 fiscal year. The Colorado Buffaloes are ranked No. 47 in the nation, a rise from No. 55 in 2024.
Breaking Down Colorado Buffaloes’ Valuation Ranking
Colorado’s 2025 valuation is $574 million, with a year-over-year value change of 22 percent. The program’s 2024 revenue is set at $147 million, with a 16 percent year-over-year revenue change.
A program’s valuation determines its monetary worth, and it is important to look at the growth, which shows that Colorado is trending in the right direction. It is also important to note that the valuation rankings are based on all of the athletics, not just the football program.
Where Colorado Ranks In The Big 12
When focusing on the Big 12 conference, several of the programs are in the same vicinity with their valuation ranking.
- No. 39 Kansas: $620M
- No. 41 Oklahoma State: $600M
- No. 42 Baylor: $585M
- No. 46 Iowa State: $575M
- No. 47 Colorado: $574M
- No. 49 Texas Tech: $570M
- No. 50 TCU: $568M
- No. 55 Arizona: $529M
- No. 57 BYU: $500M
- No. 58 West Virginia: $481M
- No. 60 Utah: $451M
- No. 62 Kansas State: $435M
- No. 63 Arizona State: $430M
- No. 68 Cincinnati: $280M
- No. 70 UCF: $262M
- No. 73 Houston: $222M
MORE: Colorado Gets Hit With Biggest Transfer Portal Loss Yet
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While from the top valuation of Kansas to the bottom, which is Houston is a significant difference in the Big 12, the conference teams are still in a similar vicinity overall. With it having to do with all athletics, the programs that have consistently strong teams, such as Kansas’ basketball team, make sense to have a higher valuation.
Looking at the Big 12 as a whole shows that the Colorado Buffaloes are in the top five for their valuation and trending upward.
Calling Back To Deion Sanders’ Comments On Fairness
While valuation is not the same as revenue, seeing the difference in the conferences does call back to Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ comments on the fairness between programs. The schools in the top five for their valuation are either in the Big Ten or the SEC, and all are in the billions.
“You talk about equality,” Sanders said during the Big 12 media day. “All you have to do is look at the playoffs and see what those teams spent, and you understand darn near why they’re in the playoffs. It’s kind of hard to compete with somebody who’s giving $25, $30 million to a darn freshman class.”
Although the valuation is on the programs’ overall athletics, Sanders has been outspoken about money when it comes to building the football program. With the Buffaloes facing a mass exodus through the transfer portal, Sanders has highlighted that several players are leaving because of money.
The positive side is that the Buffaloes’ valuation is growing with a 22 percent increase. This shows that the school’s athletics overall are being valued higher, and will help lead to more money poured into the program. With more money, the Buffaloes can put more of an emphasis on NIL as they look to build their roster and compete in the Big 12.
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From a player retention standpoint, the first few weeks of the offseason haven’t been kind to the Colorado Buffaloes.
Several key Buffs have announced their intentions to enter the college football transfer portal when it opens next month, including wide receiver Omarion Miller, safety Tawfiq Byard and freshman defensive end Alexander McPherson. While every situation is unique, one Colorado insider believes money has been a common denominator among players’ reasons for leaving Boulder.
“The super majority of those people, I’m talking 95 percent, are going to be leaving for a bigger bag,” Thee Pregame Show’s Uncle Neely said on his YouTube channel. “This ain’t transferring in 1990. This ain’t transferring in the year 2000. This is 2025. This is business now. This isn’t, ‘Oh, I don’t like the coach. Oh, I don’t want to be treated the way they treat me.’
“This doesn’t mean something is wrong. These are business decisions now. But what we like to do is run with the narrative that woe is me, something must be wrong, something must be going on. How are all these people leaving?”
The NIL (name, image and likeness) era has rocked college football, and the depressing truth is that schools with more money will ultimately land the best players. In the Big 12, no school better exemplifies that trend than new conference champion Texas Tech.
Who’s Leaving Colorado?
As of Sunday, 16 Colorado players will enter the transfer portal next month. That group includes 12 defensive players, six members of the Buffs’ 2025 high school signing class and a few other Buffs who spent only one season in Boulder.
Below is an updated list of Colorado players who plan on entering the transfer portal:
- Safety TJ Branch
- Defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis
- Cornerback Noah King
- Cornerback Teon Parks
- Linebacker Mantrez Walker
- Safety Terrance Love
- Safety Tawfiq Byard
- Wide receiver Omarion Miller
- Defensive tackle Brandon Davis-Swain
- Offensive lineman Carde Smith
- Defensive end Alexander McPherson
- Offensive lineman Tyler Brown
- Defensive tackle Gavriel Lightfoot
- Defensive tackle Christian Hudson
- Defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas
- Wide receiver Dre’lon Miller
Uncle Neely shared his take that Colorado’s losses should be replaceable via the transfer portal.
“Have you ever stopped to say, what am I actually losing by those people leaving?” Uncle Neely said. “Have you ever looked at the numbers production-wise of who has announced that they’re getting up out of here and what you’re actually losing by them leaving?… Is it replaceable via the portal? And in this business in college football, is it replaceable cheaper? I would wager to say the answer is yes in all regards.”
MORE: Colorado Gets Hit With Biggest Transfer Portal Loss Yet
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MORE: Deion Sanders Faces Recruiting Problem After Omarion Miller Transfer News
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The college football transfer portal will open on Jan. 2 and close Jan. 16. Colorado coach Deion Sanders and his staff can begin adding players from the portal at the start of that period.
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