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With the 2026 NFL Draft concluded, teams are looking forward to rookie minicamp to gauge where their respective draft classes are at, while taking a gander at some invitees to see if they may crack the training camp roster.
But one NFL executive shed some light on how the current landscape of college football has affected the draft considering name, image and likeness (NIL) deals create a key business decision for prospects.
In the world of NIL, college athletes are able to work out brand deals for financial gain while pursuing their dreams of going pro. As a result, some players who may be borderline prospects, or ones who simply wish to raise their draft stock and have more years of college eligibility, are choosing to stay in school while not missing out on a payday the NFL can provide.
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The Las Vegas Raiders’ first overall pick card is displayed during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 23, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Kansas City Chiefs vice president of player personnel Ryne Nutt was asked by a reporter during his availability on Monday following the draft about how it has changed due to NIL at the college level.
“It’s not a bad thing that they’re staying in college, right?” Nutt began his response. “It gives them more time to develop (and) more time to mature. But what we see is maybe they come out of college with more injuries, or just more wear and tear, more load.”
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Nutt understands that these athletes are “making business decisions,” as they try to raise their draft stock.
“Now they do all their homework, and the schools do a really good job of reaching out and giving these kids an idea of where they’re going to go,” he added.
A general view of the draft tent is seen prior to Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 23, 2026. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
But Nutt’s response shows how NFL teams are thinking since it is an obvious view of the situation: players are putting another year of football on their bodies in college rather than the pros. In turn, NFL teams need to factor that into their analysis of prospects throughout all rounds.
“They take all that information into consideration, and off of that, we don’t care what they do,” Nutt said of the prospects. “None of us pressure any of these players to leave or stay, it’s what’s in their best interest and some of those guys, it is in their interest to stay and some of them maybe they should’ve left. But either way, when you’re getting paid that kind of money, I can see where it’s tough for these kids to make those decisions.”
To give some perspective about the type of money prospects would get if they were to be drafted on Day 3, or rounds four through seven, the 101st pick in this year’s draft – Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jermod McCoy – is scheduled to make $5.549 million for his draft slot over four years. That comes out to $1.388 million per year before a potential second contract.
Mansoor Delane of LSU poses for a photo after being selected sixth overall by the Kansas City Chiefs during the first round of the 2026 NFL draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 23, 2026. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
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But, if a player believes they could be a Day 2 pick, let alone a first-round selection, a rookie contract could more than double that $5.549 million mark, which is why it’s a clear business decision for each player.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed, too. The risk of playing football is always there no matter the pro or college level. However, the talent pool has diminished in each draft as potential prospects would rather stay in school and collect money from their NIL deals.
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