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The Week in SEC NIL
The biggest NIL story this week came out of Washington, not a stadium. On September 28, the U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act (S.4668) by a 77-22 bipartisan vote, according to the Senate Commerce Committee. The bill writes athletes' right to earn from their name, image and likeness into federal law. It also sets national rules for eligibility and transfers, and it would override state laws that conflict with the federal framework. Per the Deseret News, it creates a five-year eligibility window, limits how many times an athlete can transfer and caps Power Four conferences at 20 schools each.
Nothing changes yet. According to the Deseret News, the House is not scheduled to return until after the November midterms, so it's unclear when the bill could become law. For SEC programs that have built NIL operations around 16 different state laws, a single federal rulebook would be the biggest structural change since the House settlement.
The Senate vote comes as SEC leaders are already debating Playoff expansion, NIL and a possible break from the NCAA. A WFMD column published October 2 notes that the Protect College Sports Act amendment would let schools spend about $45 million, roughly double the current figure of about $22 million. The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 revenue-sharing cap at about $21.58 million per school.
The money in the system keeps growing. The College Sports Commission reported in September that its NIL Go clearinghouse has cleared 46,478 deals worth $582.49 million since June 2025. July and August 2026 alone accounted for 12,283 deals worth $227.25 million, the platform's highest two-month total.
Biggest Deals
Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State: the $4 million deal he turned down. The best SEC NIL story this season is about a player who stayed put. Per ESPN and Sports Illustrated, Taylor received $4 million NIL offers through back channels to transfer when the portal opened in January, and he ignored them. "They don't know the type of person I am," Taylor told ESPN. "My mom always told me that once you start something, you have to finish it." Through four games he has thrown for 1,192 yards and 14 touchdowns on 69.2 percent passing and added 185 rushing yards and a score. Mississippi State is 4-0 and ranked No. 16, per SI.
Chris Jones pledge to keep Taylor at Mississippi State. Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle and Mississippi State alum Chris Jones has publicly pledged NIL money to help keep Taylor in Starkville. "With all these NIL teams spending $45-50 million a year, the salary cap doesn't exist in college," Jones said, per Yahoo Sports. The athletic director has said Mississippi State will "be as competitive as we need to be" to keep him beyond 2026.
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss: about $5 million. Chambliss returned to Ole Miss for 2026 on an NIL deal reported at $5 million, with some outlets putting the total package near $6 million. That places him among the top 10 earners in college sports. His brand partners include EA Sports, Onward Reserve and Nike.
Deuce Alexander, WR, Ole Miss. Sports Illustrated reports that Alexander signed a new NIL deal with Ole Miss for 2026 that included wearing the No. 1 jersey. Terms were not disclosed. Through Week 4 he leads the SEC with 429 receiving yards on 27 catches (15.9 yards per catch) with four touchdowns. That includes 159 yards and two scores against Louisville and 134 yards against Florida.
Faizon Brandon, QB, Tennessee: Rhoback. The five-star true freshman signed with activewear brand Rhoback in August, per SI. He also has a multi-year trading card deal with Leaf Trading Cards valued at $1.2 million.
Rising Stock
Taylor's value has climbed fastest. He was reported at about $1.5 million in NIL deals when he had 1,010 total yards through three games, and the $4 million offers he ignored show what the open market thinks he's worth. Alexander is now No. 29 overall and No. 5 among receivers in ESPN's 2027 NFL Draft rankings, so his leverage is growing in Oxford too.
At the top of the market, On3 has Texas quarterback Arch Manning at $5.4 million, the highest valuation in college sports. His portfolio includes Google Gemini, Vuori, Red Bull, Warby Parker and Panini America. LSU's Sam Leavitt ($4.0 million) and South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers ($2.7 million) and Dylan Stewart ($2.5 million) are also in the national top tier, per Sportsnaut.
School Spotlight
Ole Miss has as strong a claim as anyone to winning the NIL game right now. The Rebels kept a $5 million quarterback and secured the SEC's leading receiver. RallyFuel's September SEC NIL Index ranked Ole Miss second (25.9), behind Texas A&M (28.2) and ahead of Vanderbilt (25.7) and Texas (25.4).
Georgia is the retention model. NBC Sports reported that the Bulldogs brought back more starting talent than any other SEC team in 2026, including quarterback Gunner Stockton and running back Nate Frazier. Georgia added just nine transfers.
Mississippi State has turned keeping Taylor into a cause for the whole Bulldogs community, with a former star now pledging money publicly.
Market Trends
Quarterbacks still set the market. Most of the biggest SEC deals belong to quarterbacks, and retention money is starting to matter as much as transfer money.
National brands are going after SEC rosters. RallyFuel reports that Nike has about 58 college football players on NIL deals nationally, and 40 of them play at SEC schools, including 11 at LSU and eight at Alabama. Nike's July class included Chambliss, Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy, Texas' Cam Coleman and Colin Simmons, LSU's Trey'Dez Green and Vanderbilt's Jared Curtis.
Women's basketball is getting bigger deals. Unrivaled's 2026 "Future is Unrivaled" class includes South Carolina's Joyce Edwards, LSU's Jada Williams and Mikaylah Williams, and Texas' Madison Booker. ESPN reports that the Players Era women's showcase, which includes South Carolina and Texas, will offer a seven-figure NIL pool.
In-state talent is leaving. An Associated Press analysis cited by NBC Sports found that 72 percent of top recruits from SEC states stayed in the SEC in 2022, compared with a projected 53 percent for 2027. The Big Ten's share of those recruits has grown from nine to a projected 22.
Looking Ahead
Watch the House calendar. If the Protect College Sports Act gets a vote after the midterms, it could change how collectives and transfers work before the next portal window. Taylor's offseason decision will be the biggest retention test in the SEC. Brandon, Tennessee's five-star freshman, is the next SEC quarterback whose NIL value could jump quickly.
Sources: Senate Commerce Committee, Deseret News, WFMD, NIL Newsstand, Sports Illustrated – Taylor, ESPN – Taylor, Yahoo Sports – Chris Jones, Sports Illustrated – Alexander, Red Cup Rebellion – Chambliss, Sports Illustrated – Brandon, Sportsnaut, On3 – Manning, RallyFuel SEC NIL Index, RallyFuel – Nike, NBC Sports – Georgia, NBC Sports – talent drain, Yahoo Sports – Unrivaled, ESPN – Players Era, College Sports Commission
