Would NIL Deals Have Kept Johnny Manziel At Texas A&M Longer?

Manziel played his freshman and sophomore seasons in College Station before heading to the NFL for a dismal professional career, long before name, image, and likeness deals made its presence in college sports.

Nov 17, 2012; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) breaks a tackle by Sam Houston State Bearkats defensive back Mike Littleton (27) during the first half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-Imagn Images / Thomas Campbell-Imagn Images

With how prominent name, image, and likeness deals have become in college sports now, it's no wonder that so many athletes are looking to extend their collegiate eligibility.

But what if they existed way back when? Like when Johnny Manziel was shocking the college football world during his time at Texas A&M?

Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy recipient in his freshman season, burst onto the scene for Texas A&M, throwing for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns and even took down the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.

That same season, he would also set a Texas A&M record for most total yards of offense in a game, with 576 against Louisiana Tech.

After his sophomore year in 2013, Manziel declared for the NFL Draft, where he was taken by the Cleveland Browns with the 22nd overall pick.

Sadly, his collegiate success did not carry over to the pros, as struggles on the field and controversies off the gridiron led to the Browns releasing Manziel following the 2015 season.

But it seems that there might've been a chance that had NIL deals existed back in the early 2010s, Manziel might've played for a full four years in College Station.

"I could've stayed two more years in college and probably made what I made throughout the four years of an NFL deal for the most part. I think it would have given me the opportunity to still be at a place today and then like that, be able to make money and be able to, you know, still continue to go play the college football life. It's tough for me looking back, having left two years of eligibility on a table," Manziel told Matt Leinart on Throwbacks.

Manziel and Texas A&M came under fire during the 2013 offseason after it was reported that the Tyler native had held an autograph session that January and received monetary payment for it. After acknowledging that he did not receive money for the autographs, the NCAA forced Manziel to sit out the first half of the Aggies' season opener against Rice.

However, this is not the first time that "Johnny Football" has dreamed about his collegiate years and getting paid for it. Manziel told the Glory Daze podcast last month that the monetary pressure from the NFL is what enticed him.

"I think for me, obviously being able to make an amount of money like that, I would've made more money staying in college than I probably would have on a rookie contract in the NFL," Manziel said. "I felt pressure to go to the NFL and try and make a dollar amount that nobody in my family had really. It was a huge financial incentive to do it. If I could've stayed in college and stayed in school and continued to live the life I was living while making money, I think it would've been an absolute game-changer."

Unfortunately, it seems we'll never know what it would've been like, but one can certainly imagine the number of endorsements that the former Heisman winner or even guys like Mike Evans or Ryan Swope would've been swimming in.

Join the Community:

You can follow us for future coverage by subscribing to our newsletter here. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @AllAggiesOnSI & follow us on Twitter at @TAMUAggiesSI

MORE TEXAS A&M AGGIES NEWS:

'It's Another Chance!' Aggies Quarterback Johnny Manziel Previews Texas A&M vs. USC

Former Texas A&M Aggies OL Transfers To Houston, Joins Conner Weigman

Texas A&M Aggies Hosting USC Trojans Transfer WR for Visit - Report

Aggies in the NFL Week 15: Mike Evans' Multi-TD Day, Edgerrin Cooper's 1st Career Pick

Elite Transfer WR Micah Hudson Commits to Texas A&M Aggies