The High Price of Talent: Decoding the 2025 Transfer Portal
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As the winter transfer portal window heats up, a stark reality is hitting college football programs like a blindside blitz: talent doesn't come cheap. According to a recent On3 report highlighted in a viral X thread from College Football Alerts, expected NIL costs for portal players are skyrocketing across positions.
Quarterbacks could command anywhere from $750,000 to a whopping $4 million, while running backs range from $350,000 to $1 million. Defensive linemen? $500,000 to $1.5 million. Offensive linemen aren't far behind at $500,000 to $1.2 million, with wide receivers fetching $400,000 to $1 million and defensive backs $300,000 to $850,000.
The portal is EXPENSIVE 💰
— College Football Alerts (@CFBAlerts_) December 27, 2025
Teams could be paying up to $5M just to find a starting QB and RB 🤯
(via On3) pic.twitter.com/SeitCR0YpN
For Oklahoma State, these figures underscore the financial arms race in the Big 12, where boosters and collectives must dig deep to rebuild rosters. Coming off a disappointing 2025 season that saw the Cowboys miss bowl eligibility for the first time in years, new head coach Eric Morris is tasked with a massive overhaul. Sources close to the program indicate Oklahoma State could seek up to 60 new players when the portal officially opens on Jan. 2, a staggering number that speaks to the exodus and the need for a cultural reset.
The departures have been swift and painful. Freshman quarterback Banks Bowen, a promising dual-threat talent, entered the portal on Dec. 22, joining running back Kalib Hicks (128 rushing yards in 2025) and wide receiver prospects who've sought greener pastures. Edge rusher Wendell Gregory who had a stellar freshman season, also bolted, leaving gaps in the defensive front. These losses amplify the urgency: Oklahoma State's Pistol Pete Collective will need to compete with deep-pocketed rivals like Texas and Oklahoma, who are already splashing cash on blue-chip transfers.
Another incredible performance from Drew Mestemaker to win the New Mexico Bowl. He is a special player. pic.twitter.com/GCbp2YsjGa
— College Sports Central (@nclassen_sports) December 28, 2025
Yet, Morris isn't standing pat. The Cowboys have flipped three-star offensive lineman Kole Seaton from Baylor, bolstering the trenches where costs are premium. The Pokes are hoping to land some players in the lower end of those price ranges who can develop under Morris's up-tempo scheme. OSU is prioritizing smart investments in guys who fit the program's grit-and-grind identity rather than chasing the top-dollar options.
This portal cycle could define Morris's tenure. With the Big 12 expanding and NIL budgets straining mid-tier programs, OSU risks falling further behind if they can't match the market. But history shows the Cowboys thrive as underdogs. If Morris lands Drew Mestemaker at a premium price and shores up the lines, 2026 could see a rebound. Fans, buckle up: the portal isn't just a roster tool it's a high-roller's game, and Stillwater's playing for keeps.
Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.