Ohio State Star Playmaker Speaks on How NIL Impacted NFL Draft Decision

An Ohio State playmaker recently spoke about how NIL impacted his decision to not declare for the 2024 NFL draft.

Jul 23, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The Ohio State Buckeyes have had a lot of success when it comes to the football program using their NIL collective. One of the players who has benefitted from it the most is wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.

Egbkua burst onto the scene as a sophomore, catching 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns as one of C.J. Stroud’s top targets. Had he been allowed to declare for the NFL draft that year, he could have been a high pick.

Alas, he had to wait at least one more season to turn pro. Unfortunately, he was unable to get close to replicating his production as a junior that he did as a sophomore.

In an injury-plagued campaign, Egbuka caught 41 passes for 515 yards and four touchdowns. Had he declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, evaluators believe he would have been selected somewhere in the first three rounds.

However, there is unfinished business for him and the team. He has lost to Michigan every season at Ohio State and that is something that motivated him to come back to school.

“It just so happened that we all came together and we were all thinking the same thing,” Egbuka said this week at Big Ten media days. “That was really special to be a part of, to know that I wasn’t alone and what I was feeling.”

Another thing that helped with the decision to come back for his senior season is NIL money. Not only does he have one last chance to beat Michigan, but Egbuka is making a nice chunk of change to do so.

The Ohio State star has NIL deals with Amazon Style, EA Sports and Casey’s. Along with The Foundation and The 1870 Society, which are NIL collectives at the school, Egbuka is earning $751,000, which lands in the top 25 of college football.

Earning that kind of money was enough of a reason for him to return to Columbus for a fourth season.

“I came in my freshman year, and it was kind of implemented early on,” he said. “For some of the other guys that came in and they started college right with NIL, it’s just allowed us to make money, which I don’t think is a bad thing. It had some implications as to why some of the guys decided to come back for their senior year because the NFL is always going to be there. That money is always going to be there. We’re able to make a little bit of an earning while we’re here in college, so I think it’s a bonus.”

Earning that kind of money before turning pro certainly makes it an easier decision to return to school. Especially for a player like Egbuka, who has a chance to improve his draft stock considerably during the 2024 season.