For quite some time, the Colorado Buffaloes dominated On3’s NIL ranking with Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter on top 1 and 3, with NIL valuations of $4.6 and $2.7 million, respectively. But now, there’s a change in the rankings and it’s not in the favor of Colorado. The Buffs’ two-way star takes the backseat with Alabama’s QB Jalen Milroe surpassing his achievements. 

With an exceptional performance last season under Nick Saban, Jalen Milroe, along with Hunter, found a place among the elite college football players who made the cover of the EA Sports College Football 25 video game. And now with Kalen DeBoer replacing Saban as the HC, things are looking bright for the 21-year-old Alabama starter even before the season began. 

As per On3’s latest NIL rankings, Jalen Milroe surpassed Travis Hunter as the third CFB player with the highest NIL earnings at $2.7 million, with an addition of $1 million to his valuation. After the deal with EA Sports in February, he went on to ink a prominent deal with the protein company Six Star Pro Nutrition the following month. This propelled his financial boost, leaving Hunter in the dust. 

Furthermore, Milroe shone like a star last season after spending two seasons as Bryce Young’s backup. He led Alabama to an SEC Championship and a CFP appearance recording 2,834 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The Texas native is set to return this season as the starter for the first time under Kalen DeBoer and he’s already set his priorities straight. 

Jalen Milroe’s goal is to master football 

The recent financial boost isn’t a ground for complacency for Jalen Milroe. In the past season, he was named the sixth-best in the SEC by securing a 65.8% completion rate. But that apparently isn’t enough for the elite star whose goal is to be the master of the game. In his conversation with Adam Breneman, Milroe admitted, “As a quarterback there’s a lot of things you can dive deep into and improve in. But for me, I want to master the game of football. Run game, passing game, pass protection, run schemes. I want to see football in the lens of an offensive coordinator or head coach.”

Milroe also showcased his observation skills as he added, “The teams that are able to be excellent and very efficient and successful are teams with a very good quarterback that can see in the lenses of a caller and a very good defense. I’m observant of that.” Great things often start with such determination and zeal. Milroe’s confidence stems from the leadership of his new HC Kalen DeBoer whom he believes will mold him further as a dual-threat QB.