When college football teams sign up recruits, they not only aim to win the playoffs but also etch their legacy. Bagging the best players is the backbone to making history, and varsities are willing to search the deepest ends of their pockets to make that happen. With NIL valuations skyrocketing ridiculously every year, the varsities are playing in millions, but who among the 134 FBS and 129 FCS teams tops the charts when it comes to spending the most for the talents?

In a recent survey by On3, several Power Four NIL collectives and personal staffers were inquired to shed light on the thriftiest spenders of 2025. Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, Ohio State Buckeyes, Tennessee Volunteers, Auburn Tigers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Oregon Ducks were among the consensus of the NIL collectives, and these staffers aren’t wrong, based on these varsities’ history of spending a “ton of money” on new recruits.

Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns finished second in the SEC championship, but their 22-19 loss to Georgia Bulldogs was attributed to the absence of many key players. The team is now set to spend 22.2 million to fill their void. While their O-line is in good shape, with Arch Manning, having a 6.5 million NIL valuation, in charge, the Longhorns have invested in building up their defense. With safety Jonah Williams, cornerback Kade Phillips, and Justus Terry in the D-Line, the Longhorns are planning to be an impenetrable 5-star wall for their opponents to break.

Texas A&M Aggies are estimated to spend around 17.2 million for revamping their roster. Unlike the Longhorns, the Aggies have focused on their O-line. 5-star wide receiver Jerome Myles and offensive tackle Lamont Rogers signed themselves into the team in December 2024. 4-star cornerbacks Adonyss Currie and Jamal Bear-Goines, along with DL DJ Sanders, signed earlier.

Oregon Ducks burnt 10.6 million to restock a 4-star football arsenal. Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele would star as their QB in 2025, to be covered by interior offensive lineman Ziyare Addison. Safety Trey McNutt and Cornerback Dorian Brew are the top recruits to save any touchdowns.

Ohio State Buckeyes, the king of the 2024 College Football Playoffs, have spent a ballpark of 20 million on their new recruits for the 2025 season. They have diversified their intakes, not focusing on the O-line or D-line in particular, but wishing to see a holistic change for the better. They were quick to sign up QB Travien St. Clair, cornerback Devin Sanchez, and wide receiver Quincy Porter in the first half of 2024. Among their 4-star players, linebacker Riley Pettijohn and offensive tackle Carter Lowe top the list. The team is looking forward to delivering some nail-biting gameplays and making their roster worth the spend.

Tennessee Volunteers have opted for a new way to hike the salaries of their top recruits, and the viewers might not like it. Increased ticket prices by an average of 14.5% for a new “talent fee” to fund players is their new model, and the viewers are expecting a bang for every extra buck they’d now spend on the games. They have attracted Notre Dame‘s IOL Sam Pendleton this year. Offensive tackle David Sanders Jr, DL Isaiah Campbell and, TE DaSaahn Brame, WR Travis Smith have been enrolled.

Nebraska University is estimated to be spending 20.5 million on its athletics. The Huskers are prioritizing their defense this season, with Christian Jones and Pierce Mooberry as linebackers. DL Tyson Terry and safety Caden Vermaas have also been signed to add protection before the opponent’s touchdown. They have attracted ND’s IOL Rocco Spindler, reinforcing their D-line ahead of the 2025 season.

You must be wondering who is the highest-paid player of all the recruits among this list of CFB rising stars. While Arch Manning ranks 1 on the NIL valuation list, insiders think otherwise.

Highest-paid CFB recruit and gridiron positions of 2025

“There’s another top-100 recruit I keep hearing crazy stories about. Five acres of land that’s under development deeded to him if he stays at the school all four years,” an insider expressed wonder and excitement with a tinge of disbelief. Of course, we don’t know the name of the player, but one program dominated the entire transfer process more than others. Michigan Wolverines stunned the college football world when they got Bryce Underwood for a deal north of $10m. 

Regarding the formation of a scoring team as a whole, the NIL collective insiders believe spending money on quarterbacks is “the NFL blueprint.” For a quarterback, “If you want a top-10 guy at the position, a guy who’s potentially an early contributor, if not a Year Two, you’re paying 1.5 to 2 million,” per another insider. Paying big bucks has become a norm now, thanks to the NIL valuations. Linebackers, who were paid $100,000 last year, received $800,000 this year. Cornerbacks, wide receivers, and offensive tackles are some of the prize positions of 2025 as well.