College stars are staying put — here’s how NIL money is flipping the draft upside down.
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00:00This year's NBA draft saw just 106 players enter, that's the lowest figure since 2015.
00:06Compare that to 2021 when a record 363 players threw their name into the mix.
00:11That year was also just before college athletes could profit from NIL.
00:15And it's not just the NBA, the NFL is also seeing the same trend.
00:19Only 69 underclassmen entered April's NFL draft, that's way down from the 128 we saw in 2021.
00:26So, what's going on?
00:28A big part of it is just money.
00:30With NIL deals offering serious cash in college, a lot of athletes are choosing guaranteed money they can make right now instead of risking their draft stock and future salary.
00:39Take Browns quarterback Shador Sanders.
00:41He was once a projected top 5 NFL pick, but ended up going in the 5th round, losing out on roughly $40 million in potential salary.
00:49His rookie contract? Just over $4.6 million over 4 years.
00:53That's a lot less than the NIL deals he was reportedly signed to at Colorado.
00:58And in basketball, Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, Florida's Alex Condon, and Auburn freshman Tahad Pettiford, all strong NBA prospects, decided to stay in school.
01:08Why? To keep cashing in on NIL and improve their draft chances next year.
01:12According to one NBA exec that talked to front office sports, the real impact is hitting that middle part of the draft, players on the fringe of the first round.
01:20After pick 30, rookies lose the wage scale, and second round picks can sign for any amount.
01:25So those fringe players are opting to stay in college where NIL gives them more guaranteed money.
01:30But is this a permanent shift? Not quite yet.
01:34The House v. NCAA settlement, still awaiting approval, could regulate NIL and introduce revenue sharing, possibly capping deals and changing incentives again.
01:43For now though, it looks like the players are the big winners, either making money in college or boosting their pro potential.
01:49Whether this becomes the new normal or not, one thing is very clear, NIL has completely changed the game.
01:55Thanks for watching, be sure to like the video, comment down below, and subscribe for more sports content.