Jan 2, 1989; Tempe, AZ, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Irish defensive tackle George Williams (69) pressures West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Major Harris (9) during the 1989 National Championship Fiesta Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium. Notre Dame defeated West Virginia 34-21. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY NETWORK Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

Ranking the Top Five WVU Players Who Would Have Broken the Bank in the NIL Era

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Jun 28, 2025 11:18 AM ET

NIL has changed the game in college athletics in a big way. Not only can athletes earn money from local and national businesses, but they can now be paid directly by the university they attend, thanks to the House Settlement.

This got me thinking. Which former West Virginia legends would have made the most money had NIL been a thing during their playing days?

Before I get into my top five, I want to make it known that I tried to include some defensive players, but there was just no room. Plus, we all know skill players on offense are the ones who typically make the most money.

Honorable mention: RB Avon Cobourne, WR Stedman Bailey, LB Darryl Talley, CB Aaron Beasley.

No. 5: WR Tavon Austin

I know what you're thinking..what?!? Fifth?!? As special as Tavon Austin was, wide receivers just aren't valued as much as quarterbacks, of course. Don't get me wrong, he was widely viewed as one of the most electrifying players in college football during his playing days, but his national audience really exploded after his senior year when the "Only One" highlight video went viral. Tavon would have made a lot of money, but probably not as much as his quarterback.

No. 4: QB Geno Smith

Speaking of the guy who threw it to Tavon, Geno checks in at No. 4. Heck, you could make a case that he should be a spot higher, but I'll explain my reasoning for that here in a second. Geno was one of the most accurate quarterbacks in college football and wasn't afraid to take shots downfield. Other schools would have been doing everything they could to pry him out of Morgantown if the NIL era were during his time. Could you imagine the type of money that would have been thrown at him after the Orange Bowl? Holy smokes.

No. 3: RB Steve Slaton

Slaton is the highest-ranked non-QB on this list. I have him just ahead of Geno because he was, after all, an All-American and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2006. You also have to keep in mind how valuable running the football was in the early 2000s. With the numbers he posted in '06, it would have made it very difficult for WVU to keep others away.

No. 2: QB Pat White

Had Pat White arrived in Morgantown, say, 10 years later, he would have been viewed as a first-round draft pick. When he came out, the NFL hadn't really opened up to the idea of smaller, mobile quarterbacks, and yet he still went in the second round. White was an unstoppable force during his college days and would have had some massive offers after the Sugar Bowl, let alone after the Fiesta Bowl, when schools could have tried to take advantage of Rich Rodriguez leaving for Michigan.

No. 1: QB Major Harris

"The Maj" was truly ahead of his time. He was a unique talent back in the 80s, as dual-threat quarterbacks were more of a rarity. All of the blue bloods would have done everything they could to try to get their hands on the unicorn at the most prized position. This is what puts Major ahead of Pat (on this list) for me. He would have had more value because there was nothing else like him in college football. As far as who the greatest Mountaineer ever is? That's a different debate, and one I'm not taking a side on. Sorry.