Joe Burrow Makes Statement About College Football Recruiting Landscape

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ryan Brooks | Last updated Feb 8, 2025 12:03 PM ET

Once upon a time, Cincinnati Bengals superstar quarterback Joe Burrow was a four-star recruit committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

After not seeing the gridiron for the blue blood program, he made a transfer move to the LSU Tigers -- where he led one of the most dominant squads in college football history to a perfect season and national title victory.

The Bengals franchise quarterback has some experience as a college football recruit dominating at the high school level, though he didn't do so during the NIL era.

Had Burrow been able to profit off of his Name, Image and Likeness while in Baton Rouge, he would have made plenty of coin before ever becoming the No. 1 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.

In his senior season, Burrow threw for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns with six interceptions en route to the 15-0 record.

After seeing everything college football has to offer and being a superstar in the NFL for years, Burrow has a message for current college football recruits as they've got even more to consider and weigh before committing to a program.

“If you’re going to be able to make seven figures in college, you got to go take advantage of that," Burrow said on the Dan Patrick Show. “If you’re in high school and you’re getting offered that, go wherever they are paying you the most.”

College football is a lucrative business. Plenty of money is behind the sport as a billion-dollar industry, and it's time players are compensated for the value they provide.

The former Heisman Trophy winner and national champion is clearly pro-athlete and pro-NIL with the current landscape of the sport.

However, in the short term, Burrow is focused on how the Bengals allocate their money and what the coming season looks like for the Cincinnati side.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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