The inclusion of the NIL money in the college football territory has triggered a massive paradigm shift in the roster and transfer portal and the overall athlete recruitment strategy. How so? Well, students being exposed to money is a good development in terms of instilling early financial literacy among the kids, but when it comes to roster stability, it’s a looming threat. Players opt to better paychecks than a better environment, coaching facilities, and all while choosing between offers on their table. But they also need to pay back to some extent, and that is not just some volatility in their growth, but also some money in the form of a tax. But Georgia started to work against the norm.  Did Carson Bevk miss out on some good financial edge?

Georgia lawmakers introduced legislation to exempt NIL income from state income tax payments and forge a competitive advantage for recruiting. State Senator Brandon Beach introduced Senate Bill 71 along with four co-sponsors, aimed at lifting financial hazards for Georgia Bulldogs and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football. Now, Carson Beck, standing on the other side of the fence, might have regretted the opportunity to save up to some amount from his lofty NIL income.

Revealing the potential advantage for the Miami quarterback, RJ Young said, ”If Carson Beck had who transferred from Georgia to Miami could have saved $200,000 in taxes which is probably what he would have, what he saved by leaving the state of Georgia would that have mattered now he was going to leave but you get the point there right so okay that’s $200,000 that he gets to save but what does that mean for the state?”

Now, another obvious question that pops into mind is, why only $200,000 and not the entire NIL valuation that stands at around 4 million in Beck’s new school? ”Well, there are those that want to try to tax the first $100,000 at a certain percentage of that, say, million half million, whatever that player is going to make because so you can say, “Hey we are taxing something, we’re not taxing the whole thing,” RJ Young answered.

However, despite the NIL exemption miss out, Carson Beck is starting afresh under the center at Miami. Caoch Cristobal has high hopes in his big recruitment flex of 2025, as he sees the reflection of Cam Ward in the Georgia QB. Although the glaring elbow injury and the surgery healing timeline remain a concern, Beck is doing well. ”He’s running really fast. He’s not throwing the ba-l yet, but he’s very close to doing so, so he’s taking part in all that he can do. And he should be throwing soon, maybe in a couple of weeks or so,” the Miami head coach said in a relaxing declaration amidst the Spring practice.

Coming back to the unique NIL rule steered by Georgia, it includes a legendary name of college football, Nick Saban, without whom the idea would not have turned into a reality.

Nick Saban steered the idea of the NIL exemption at Georgia schools 

Kirby Smart’s recent announcement on Georgia’s evolving NIL approach ties directly into what many consider to be Nick Saban’s brainchild—creating a more level playing field for top-tier programs in the NIL era. While Smart has publicly backed Georgia’s new NIL tax exemption bill, insiders believe the initiative wouldn’t have gained traction without Saban’s influence.

Saban, who has long been a vocal critic of the current NIL model, has pushed for more structured regulations to prevent financial incentives from overshadowing player development. His stance has been clear: NIL should reward athletes without compromising the integrity of college football. Although he never pushed for a similar tax exemption in Alabama, his advocacy for fairness in recruiting likely inspired Georgia lawmakers to act, ensuring that their programs could compete with states like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee, which already have NIL-friendly tax policies.

However, regardless of the different opinions, it seems that Saban wants to level the playfield and recruitment status for the Georgia schools in respect of the other states like Texas, Tennessee, and Florida, which all have no in-state tax on NIL. It’s a mystery why he is not pushing for the same at Alabama, but Sabam continues to be a mouthpiece against the NIL culture. “Guys are not going to school where they can create the most value for their future,” Saban says, reflecting on some dark side of the NIL. “Guys are going to school where they can make the most money,” 

However, Saban will meet the Capitol Hill correspondents for the 12th NIL-related Congressional hearing, this time in front of the House Judiciary subcommittee, with a focus on the possibility of an antitrust exemption. Expect some more minute changes, additions, or alterations in the bill.