JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman might do something this weekend he鈥檚 never done in his storied career: who will take a pay cut by entering the league.
It won鈥檛 be the last time, either.
The minimum salary for an in 2026 is . But with going into effect before the 2025 season 鈥� top programs are now spending up to $20.5 million on student-athletes, with the majority earmarked for the most talented football players 鈥� there are undoubtably players who will be drafted Saturday who topped the million-dollar mark last season and will earn less in the pros.
At least in Year 1.
鈥淪o the character of those players, their passion and love of the game come to the forefront even more,鈥� Roseman said.
Most of the players making more than $1 million in college football are quarterbacks. Indiana鈥檚 and Alabama鈥檚 were first-round draft picks, with Mendoza going No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders and Simpson surprisingly landing with the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13.
Mendoza鈥檚 NFL rookie deal is slotted to top $57 million, including nearly $10.5 million in 2026. Simpson鈥檚 contract will be roughly half that 鈥� $25.4 million total, including $4.6 million in the first year.
LSU’s and are projected to be the next quarterbacks selected, with both potentially coming off the board in the second or third round Friday night 鈥� and both likely earning less as NFL rookies than they made as established college starters.
Same goes for fellow QBs Drew Allar (Penn State), Taylen Green (Arkansas), Cole Payton (North Dakota State), Sawyer Robertson (Baylor), Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Joey Aguilar (Tennessee) and others.
Although revenue share payments are typically undisclosed, name, image and likeness valuations are much more public. Nearly half of the top 50 NIL valuations in 2025 belonged to QBs, according to On3, with two dozen of those over $1.5 million.
鈥淭hey come in almost like pros now,鈥� Raiders general manager John Spytek said. 鈥淚 actually think it鈥檚 made it easier because you know what the guys are going to do when they have money.
鈥淵ou know the ones that love the game and are about the right things, and just because they鈥檝e got more money than we all had when we were in college, they still prepare the right way, they play the right way, they love the game, they鈥檙e there for their teammates. I think it鈥檚 kind of been a little bit illuminating to the character of who they are.鈥�
The financial component has less of an impact on NFL decision-makers as the age issue.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said this is the third consecutive year in which 18% of the team鈥檚 draft board is comprised of players at least 24 years old. That number used to be 4%, he added.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the initial age surge. But soaring NIL payments and rev share could be the deciding force for years to come.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 something that we don鈥檛 really understand fully and what that means,鈥� DeCosta said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 a good thing, certainly. But historically we鈥檝e tried to draft younger players when we can. That鈥檚 been something that we feel strongly (about), but now we鈥檝e got 18% of the draft board that鈥檚 over 24 years old. So that鈥檚 going to change the way that maybe we target players.鈥�
And some of them will be millionaires before they even sign an NFL contract.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 interesting. I don鈥檛 know that it鈥檚 rooted in financial thoughts as much as you talk about age quite a bit and whether or not tread on the tires is something of note,鈥� Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said. 鈥淚 think most of the times the guys have a little bit more financial awareness, and that can be a really helpful tool.
鈥淭he fact that they鈥檙e not just being dumped a good chunk of cash for the first time when they enter the NFL. They now have some version of experience navigating that, and that can be a really helpful piece for sure.鈥�
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