Oregon Ducks NIL: How Much Does Each College Football Position Earn?

For a program like the Oregon Ducks, what is the going rate to secure a top transfer portal player? What is the cost to keeping a college football player from entering the transfer portal?

Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson works out during practice with the Oregon Ducks Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

Across all college sports, it's no surprise that nearly all of the highest-paid athletes are football players. Only two of the top-10 name, image and likeness earners do not play football: LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne and USC basketball player Bronny James.

What is a surprise though - a breakdown of how much football players earn, based on position. For a program like the Oregon Ducks, what is the going rate to secure a top transfer portal player? What is the cost to keeping a college football player from entering the transfer portal?

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws during warmups ahead of the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

The Oregon Ducks football team has two of the top-10 name, image and likeness earners in all of college football in transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel and wide receiver Evan Stewart. They currently have NIL values of 1.4 million dollars (Gabriel) and 1.3 million (Stewart).

A position-by-position college football NIL breakdown is below: The data was comprised by CBS, who analyzed the market by interviewing NIL agents, collective operators, college coaches, staffers, players and their parents.

QB market range: $500,000 to $800,000

OL market range: $350,000 to $500,000

DL market range: $250,000 to $600,000

RB market range: $200,000 to $300,000

WR market range: $75,000 to $300,000

LB market range: $100,000 to $300,000

DB market range: $120,000 to $225,000

The college NIL valuations mirror the current NFL valuations. Quarterback is highest-paid, while securing offensive line protection (particularly a left tackle) and defensive lineman is utterly important. Elite skill position players earn top dollar, driving up the average, but many make less than six figures.

Colorado Buffalo quarterback Shedeur Sanders is the top-NIL earner, with $4.6 million valuation.

Oregon football coach Dan Lanning praised Gabriel, as the Ducks head into their inaugural season in the Big Ten conference.

“I just think more than anything, the way that he prepares has given Dillon an opportunity to really absorb a lot of this really quick with the walk-throughs that we’ve had,” Lanning said. “I think that’s allowed him to get ahead of the curve before he stepped out here. His experience speaks for itself, his poise and his ability to get guys to come do extra work with him I think is really paying off.”

It's been three years since NIL rules drastically changed and Oregon is one of the best programs in the country at navigating the NIL landscape and maximize earning potentials for its athletes.  

With much thanks to Oregon's NIL collective 'Division Street' - successes in the NIL space at Oregon have not been limited to football. Ducks women's basketball secured transfer Deja Kelly from North Carolina, who is the No. 11 highest-paid among female sports in the country.

"Coming in the fall, we can facilitate deals for student-athletes and our multimedia rights partner can facilitate deals so it’s rapidly changing," Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens told John Canzano. "We’re going to be able to be more involved in a direct connection and facilitation of deals.”

Not only is Division Street helping student-athletes reach their financial goals, but it also helps in positioning them to give back to their community. Gabriel used NIL money to give jerseys to his high school alma mater in Hawaii.   

Another Oregon athlete who is using NIL to give back is Men’s basketball center, N’Faly Dante. Dante is using his earnings to build a house for his mother Assetou Diabate.