Star Miami Recruit’s Reportedly Massive NIL Deal Sparks College Football Debate

Top five-star recruit Jackson Cantwell recently announced his college football commitment to the Miami Hurricanes, and his reported NIL deal is under the spotlight. Cantwell chose the Hurricanes over the Georgia Bulldogs, and one of the reasons was said to be a landmark NIL package for the high school offensive tackle, reportedly upwards of $2 million per year. It led to Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart sharing his recruiting philosophy while licking the wounds of losing out on Cantwell, declaring that he doesn’t want to be in a landscape where a freshman recruit comes on campus making more than a senior. Although Cantwell has stated that the name, image, and likeness deal was not the primary reason for his commitment to Miami football, as reported by the Springfield News-Leader, the value of his deal remains a central topic of debate among college football personnel. Chris Hummer of 247Sports (subscription required) sought the opinions of Power Four personnel and coaching staff on the Hurricane's NIL strateg