5 College Football Players Making More Than LeBron James Through NIL Deals

The four-time NBA champion took the biggest pay cut in league history to chase a fifth ring in Philadelphia, and the college football salary list now looks strange next to his new deal

Future NBA Hall of Famer LeBron James will make $3.88 million next season with the Philadelphia 76ers, and several college football players will earn more through NIL, a sign of how much the sport has changed in recent years. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LeBron James is the only active NBA player worth a billion dollars. His new paycheck does not look like it. James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, the veteran minimum for a player with his experience. He will earn about $3.88 million in 2026-27, down from $52.6 million with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

"I'm not going for money," James wrote on X. "I'm not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind."

The 41-year-old can afford the discount. Still, the number creates a wild comparison. At least eight college football players are projected to earn more than James this season, according to On3's NIL 100 rankings. Here are the five highest paid.

Darian Mensah leads all college football players in NIL money

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah tops the list at $6.5 million, which makes him the highest-paid quarterback in the sport. The San Luis Obispo native is on his third school in three years.

He threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 34 touchdowns at Duke last season and led the Blue Devils to an ACC title before transferring to Coral Gables. His Miami salary alone is worth more than half of what James will make over two full years in Philadelphia.

Dante Moore, Jeremiah Smith, Trinidad Chambliss, Sam Leavitt outpace Bron

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore sits second at $5 million. The Detroit native opted to return to Eugene rather than enter the draft. Moore threw 30 touchdowns against 10 interceptions and led the Ducks to a 13-2 record. He enters the fall as a Heisman Trophy frontrunner.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith matches Moore at $5 million. The junior from Hollywood, Florida is the highest-paid wide receiver in college football history, and he reportedly turned down more than $10 million to stay in Columbus for 2026.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is widely considered the best player in college football. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss also comes in at $5 million. The former Division II star from Ferris State led the Rebels to a 13-1 record and a College Football Playoff semifinal in his first season in Oxford. He agreed to a new deal with Ole Miss in January, then won a court injunction in February that granted him a sixth year of eligibility after the NCAA denied his waiver twice.

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt checks in at $4.5 million. A foot injury cut his 2025 season short at Arizona State, and he transferred to Baton Rouge in January to play for new head coach Lane Kiffin. Leavitt has never taken a snap in the SEC, and he will still out-earn the NBA's all-time leading scorer by roughly $600,000 this season.

Other college football players making more than LeBron James

Three more players sit at $4 million, just above the $3.88 million James will collect this season. Quarterback Josh Hoover transferred from TCU to defending national champion Indiana, where he brings nearly 10,000 career passing yards.

Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. is one of the top returning passers on the West Coast. Offensive tackle Jordan Seaton left Colorado for LSU and could be the first lineman taken in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover (10) is looking to build his own legacy with the Hoosiers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

James has earned more than $581 million in NBA salary across 23 seasons, so nobody needs to worry about his finances.

The college football numbers simply show how fast the NIL market has grown. Five years ago, players could not earn a dollar off their name. Now a quarterback who has never played a down for his new school makes more in one season than LeBron James.