Chiefs exec on how NIL deals are shrinking NFL Draft talent pool, keeping college players in school longer

With nan 2026 NFL Draft concluded, teams are looking guardant to rookie minicamp to gauge wherever their respective draught classes are at, while taking a gander astatine immoderate invitees to spot if they whitethorn ace nan training campy roster.

But 1 NFL executive shed immoderate ray connected really nan existent scenery of college football has affected nan draught considering name, image and likeness (NIL) deals create a cardinal business determination for prospects.

In nan world of NIL, assemblage athletes are capable to activity retired marque deals for financial summation while pursuing their dreams of going pro. As a result, immoderate players who whitethorn beryllium borderline prospects, aliases ones who simply wish to raise their draught banal and person much years of assemblage eligibility, are choosing to enactment successful schoolhouse while not missing retired connected a payday nan NFL tin provide.

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The Las Vegas Raiders' first wide prime paper is displayed during Round One of nan 2026 NFL Draft astatine Acrisure Stadium successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, connected April 23, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Kansas City Chiefs vice president of subordinate unit Ryne Nutt was asked by a newsman during his readiness connected Monday pursuing nan draught astir really it has changed owed to NIL astatine nan assemblage level.

"It's not a bad point that they're staying successful college, right?" Nutt began his response. "It gives them much clip to create (and) much clip to mature. But what we spot is possibly they travel retired of assemblage pinch much injuries, aliases conscionable much deterioration and tear, much load."

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Nutt understands that these athletes are "making business decisions," arsenic they effort to raise their draught stock.

"Now they do each their homework, and nan schools do a really bully occupation of reaching retired and giving these kids an thought of wherever they're going to go," he added.

A wide position of nan draught shelter is seen anterior to Round One of nan 2026 NFL Draft astatine Acrisure Stadium successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, connected April 23, 2026. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

But Nutt’s consequence shows really NFL teams are reasoning since it is an evident position of nan situation: players are putting different twelvemonth of shot connected their bodies successful assemblage alternatively than nan pros. In turn, NFL teams request to facet that into their study of prospects passim each rounds.

"They return each that accusation into consideration, and disconnected of that, we don't attraction what they do," Nutt said of nan prospects. "None of america unit immoderate of these players to time off aliases stay, it's what's successful their champion liking and immoderate of those guys, it is successful their liking to enactment and immoderate of them possibly they should’ve left. But either way, erstwhile you're getting paid that benignant of money, I tin spot wherever it's reliable for these kids to make those decisions."

To springiness immoderate position astir nan type of money prospects would get if they were to beryllium drafted connected Day 3, aliases rounds 4 done seven, nan 101st prime successful this year’s draught – Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jermod McCoy – is scheduled to make $5.549 cardinal for his draught slot complete 4 years. That comes retired to $1.388 cardinal per twelvemonth earlier a imaginable 2nd contract.

Mansoor Delane of LSU poses for a photograph aft being selected sixth wide by nan Kansas City Chiefs during nan first information of nan 2026 NFL draught astatine Acrisure Stadium successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, connected April 23, 2026. (Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)

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But, if a subordinate believes they could beryllium a Day 2 pick, fto unsocial a first-round selection, a rookie statement could much than double that $5.549 cardinal mark, which is why it’s a clear business determination for each player.

Of course, thing is guaranteed, too. The consequence of playing shot is ever location nary matter nan pro aliases assemblage level. However, nan talent excavation has diminished successful each draught arsenic imaginable prospects would alternatively enactment successful schoolhouse and collect money from their NIL deals.

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