3 Ways NIL Is Shaping Texas A&M Right Now

Like the other elite programs in college football, the Texas A&M Aggies are heavily impacted by NIL money.

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mario Craver and tight end Theo Melin Öhrström celebrate a first down against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Like the rest of the big names in college football, the Texas A&M Aggies have not been shy when it comes to flexing their financial capabilities in the NIL era.

Texas A&M's football program is unsurprisingly a major money-maker for the university, and as a result, the team is heavily impacted by the amount of funds it receives in order to help build a championship-level roster. One way or another, NIL money is undoubtedly impact the Aggies in a significant way.

But in which ways is NIL's impact standing out the most for Texas A&M football? Here are the three most notable ares:

Texas A&M Has Built Star WR Room

Texas A&M wide receiver Isaiah Horton during the spring game. | Ysabella Chapa - Texas A&M Aggies On SI

The Aggies have been able to put together arguably the best wide receiving room in college football headed into next season thanks to NIL.

Along with officially announcing that the re-signing of Mario Craver made him the highest-paid wide receiver in Texas A&M history, the Aggies also went into the portal and landed Alabama transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton, who no doubt earned himself a solid NIL deal from the university as one of the best players available this offseason.

With two alpha-like wide receivers in the offense and some talented depth behind them, there's no doubt that NIL has played a notable impact on Texas A&M's pass-catching unit.

Mario Craver Joining College Football's Biggest Names in NIL

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mario Craver reacts prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

While the money from each respective athletic program typically accounts for most of a college football player's NIL earnings, elite athletes like Craver get to expand their portfolio by using their name and image to land sponsorship deals with major brands and businesses.

Craver, who has an NIL Valuation of $1 million according to On3, recently landed an NIL deal with Panini America, one of the top sports merchandise and trading card companies in the country. Joining him in this partnership was Texas linebacker Rasheem Biles and USC running back Waymond Jordan.

Craver has also previously landed deals with Beats by Dre headphones and C4 Energy, which put him in the mix with some of college football's biggest names like Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood.

Marcel Reed's New NIL Deal Kept Him at Texas A&M

After the end of the 2025 season, many Texas A&M fans wondered what the future looked like for quarterback Marcel Reed.

In the era of the portal, the possibility that Reed could leave College Station to pursue other opportunities was something that couldn't be ruled out, but the Aggies make sure to take care of bussiness. Reports from 247Sports in January announced that Texas A&M and Reed had "agreed to a new deal," which implies that NIL money had an impact in getting him to stay with the Aggies.

Was money the only reason Reed chose to return? Certainly not, but in the age of NIL, it's impossible to ignore that it certainly played a role.

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