Five-Star Offensive Tackle Lands Massive Six-Figure NIL Deal

One of the best players in the country has landed a huge NIL deal with his commitment to his new school.

Dec 22, 2023; Tampa, FL, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) hugs head coach Brent Key after defeating UCF Knights in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Five-star offensive lineman Josh Petty, a top target of Georgia Tech, committed to the Yellow Jackets over Ohio State, Florida State, Tennessee, and Stanford. While this is huge for that program, it also encompasses how recruiting at the college football level is changing in the NIL era.

According to Pete Nakos of On3, Petty locked in his commitment to Georgia Tech with a three-year "Roster Value" NIL deal worth at least $800,000 annually. This is among the highest-paid deals ever signed by the school.

The talented lineman said he wasn't looking for any school to offer him the most money and wanted the deal to be fair.

"Tech's been very easy," he said when speaking with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Tech's been very cooperative and efficient with working on that. I needed that number to be fair. Tech went beyond and above and really have taken care of me."

Part of a broader trend in college athletics, this deal encapsulates some of the more far-reaching changes within amateur sports. NIL agreements have become a major part of recruitment, particularly for elite prospects such as Petty. The financial package he received is right at market value for elite offensive tackles, a highly valued position by both NIL collectives and college programs.

As NIL deals become one of the most important considerations in recruiting, players in highly coveted positions command large agreements, sometimes which stretches into seven figures.

Along with the money, Petty's father James also mentioned the dual appeal of Georgia Tech regarding the strong education system and financial security of the NIL deal. With this new territory for the family, they turned to Brian Davis, owner of the marketing firm Power Up Sports, to guide them through the intricacies of these newer opportunities.

"We don't know the NIL space. It's changed the landscape. It has changed how people look at it—it's changed the opportunity for young men," his farther told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The commitment decision made by Petty, the No. 35 nationally ranked member of the 2025 class, to go with Georgia Tech is a prime example of how NIL deals have become one of the most critical factors in securing top athletes.

As the NIL era continues to be reinvented, so are these financial packages.

For Petty and many others, the NIL opportunities are about more than the short-term gains they might represent. They have been foundational for future financial stability, which is hard to ignore in today's college sports environment.