Athletic (premium): Elite 2023 signees talk about what they were offered in NIL

[BrentVU]

In a premium article on The Athletic today, several elite signees (who are playing in the Under Armour All-America game) talk anonymously about what they were offered in NIL money to sign at various schools.

One reports being offered a million dollars on signing day; others report being offered $3 million over four years; others report smaller amounts. Almost all say the NIL money wasn't the most important thing in their decision, that relationships with the coaches and player development were more important.

There is also some discussion about which schools had the best photo shoots, and which had the nicest hotels and food on official visits. Vanderbilt is not mentioned in the article.

The Athletic (premium): Elite ’23 prospects discuss NIL deals, photo shoots, best visits

[BrentVU]

FWIW, Kenric Lanier (who flipped late from Vandy to Minnesota) is one of the athletes playing in the All-American bowl, so I suppose it's possible one of these 15 or so anonymous players quoted in the article is he. No way to know, though.

[DeefromAtlanta]

Interesting comments from the high school players. I'm not sure I believe the maturity and discipline of turning down six and 7-figure sums to play football.

I wonder if they were interviewed as a group. The answers were way too similar. To all those who answered "player development" as their primary emphasis: Is the answer good for one year? Followed by the transfer portal if your development isn't what you deem it to be?

The alleged money sums mentioned were staggering.

[FayetteDore]

And then there's the saga of Florida's $13 MILLION recruitment of Jaden Rashada, which is now in a quagmire. The Athletic's article paints an ugly picture: How the $13 million recruitment of Jaden Rashada for Florida fell apart

The 4-star QB had committed to Miami, then flipped after the Florida collective offered and contracted for a $13 million deal.

According to the article, "One of Taylor's [the reporter's] sources says Rashada won’t be enrolling at Florida. There’s also the potential for litigation, hinging upon whether the November contract is binding. Florida collectives are offering a lesser deal (still above seven figures) — with the caveat that Rashada releases everyone from all previous claims.

Four years ago, this stuff would have been illegal. Today, it's the world VU is competing in and against.

[BrentVU]

You need a subscription to read the article FayetteDore references above. But here's the teaser for it:

What's going on at Florida?

In case you missed it, we’re breaking down one of the wilder stories of the NIL era: The curious case of Jaden Rashada. The four-star quarterback signee is in “purgatory,” G. Allen Taylor writes, as the school works to fix an NIL indiscretion. A quick-ish recap:

June 26, 2022: Rashada commits to Miami.
Nov. 10: Rashada and a Florida donor collective agree on an NIL deal exceeding $13 million, and he flips his commitment to the Gators.
Dec. 7: The collective’s CEO sends a termination letter regarding the contract, Taylor reports. There are conflicting accounts about why the deal crumbled and who pledged to pay what.
Dec. 21: Coach Billy Napier’s national signing day news conference is delayed 67 minutes. Rashada’s name, initially missing from the list of signees, is added at the last minute.
Dec. 29-Jan. 3: Rashada and his family make glowing comments about Napier and indicate the recruit plans to enroll early.
Jan. 10: He doesn’t.
One of Taylor’s sources says Rashada won’t be enrolling at Florida. There’s also the potential for litigation, hinging upon whether the November contract is binding. Florida collectives are offering a lesser deal (still above seven figures) — with the caveat that Rashada releases everyone from all previous claims.

Again: We’re talking seven-plus figures for a four-star recruit. Stay tuned!

[FayetteDore]

Sorry, Brent. I should have added the "Premium" and subscription-required disclaimer. And I started to post that identical timeline but didn't know whether I was allowed to post that much directly from the article. Thanks for doing so because it so clearly lays out the whole sorry mess.

One additional thing from the article: it's possible that the collective didn't have enough money on hand for the $13 million contract, and was possibly expecting it from a major booster.

You know -- the kind of thing that 5 years ago would have been illegal and scandalous.

[BrentVU]

Sorry, Brent. I should have added the "Premium" and subscription-required disclaimer. And I started to post that identical timeline but didn't know whether I was allowed to post that much directly from the article. Thanks for doing so because it so clearly lays out the whole sorry mess.

Looks to me like you're within Don's guidelines. And I am within Don's guidelines because what I posted came from a teaser to the article that was in a promotional email.

What a sorry mess, indeed. It's the wild, wild, west.

[Johnmn555]

The reports about the Rashada situation have said that the top donor to the Gator NIL collective has given $13 million by himself. How obscene and what a warped individual. Think of what good he could have done donating $13 million to charity.

[docdore]

maybe (s)he gave $60mil (or more) to charity also....but maybe not. how can we know?

[Johnmn555]

maybe (s)he gave $60mil (or more) to charity also....but maybe not. how can we know?

Whatever he gave to charity, he could have given $13 million more.

[docdore]

maybe (s)he gave $60mil (or more) to charity also....but maybe not. how can we know?

Whatever he gave to charity, he could have given $13 million more.

fwiw....i don't disagree with your underlying premise.

[OldDude]

The reports about the Rashada situation have said that the top donor to the Gator NIL collective has given $13 million by himself. How obscene and what a warped individual. Think of what good he could have done donating $13 million to charity.

You think St.Judes, Wounded Vets, Shriners, etc. could do good things with that money ?