When Staying in College Pays More: Eagles Traverse The Shifting Economics of the NFL Draft

In previous generations of college football, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss would have been eager to “cash in” after a standout season, jockeying with other top quarterback prospects like Garrett Nussmeier, Carson Beck, Drew Allar, and Cade Klubnik for a spot as the QB3 in the 2026 NFL Draft class.

Instead, Chambliss spent his offseason in courtrooms, fighting to preserve a sixth year of eligibility at Ole Miss. Departing for the NFL — even as a projected Day 2 pick — would mean taking a significant pay cut for the college superstar.

In late March, the NCAA’s petition to the Mississippi Supreme Court challenging a state court ruling was denied. While the case isn’t fully resolved, the timing has allowed Chambliss to remain at Ole Miss for one final season under a state court injunction.

Chambliss is expected to earn between $5 million and $6 million in NIL money for the 2026 college season, according to The Athletic. By comparison, under the NFL’s slotted rookie wage scale, only the top 11 picks in the draft are projected to make more that that in their first year. A third-round pick last year earned roughly $1.1 million to $1.2 million in base salary during the first year of a four-year contract.

Reaching The Ceiling

Nick Sirianni meets with reporters before practice on Dec. 11, 2024. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

The impact of NIL on player decisions has not gone unnoticed around the league. When asked how the new landscape has affected draft evaluations, Eagles GM Howie Roseman offered a telling insight:

“I would say the biggest issue is that for the first time in really the history of the National Football League, you are taking players who are taking pay cuts,” Roseman said. “So the character of those players, their passion and love of the game comes to the forefront even more.”

That emphasis on love of the game has long been a scouting priority for the Eagles and aligns with head coach Nick Sirianni’s core philosophy. Sirianni noted that while the evaluation process has adapted to the changing environment — relying on deeper intel from scouts, extended Zoom conversations, and due diligence — the fundamentals remain the same: “A guy that loves football, a guy who is tough, and a guy who has a high football IQ — God willing, he’s going to reach his ceiling.”

In an era where top college players can out-earn most NFL rookies by staying in school, the decision to leave early now requires more than just talent or ambition. It demands genuine passion for the game — the kind that makes a player willing to take a pay cut for the opportunity to compete at the highest level.

In many ways it's antithetical to presume anyone who hasn't made massive money should leave millions on the table while pressing pause on the professional level by 12 months. So blanket assumptions on a player like Chambliss, who returns to make $6M while at the same time getting the opportunity to improve his own draft stock is common sense.

For players who have options, and the teams that might be drafting them, character and love of football have never mattered more. However, finding ways to decipher that mindset have only gotten more complicated.

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