One of the top quarterback recruits in the 2025 recruiting cycle had an exceptional outlook on the potential of NIL earnings.
Four-star quarterback Keelon Russell, an smu football commitment, was invited to the On3 Elite Series Showcase this past weekend. Russell is currently ranked as the seventh-overall quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class, and chose SMU over bigger schools due to his outlook on NIL deals and his earning potential. In a short answer to a long question, Russell stated he is ready to prove what he can do on the football field in the future.
Top Quarterback Recruit Keelon Russell Aims to Break NIL Trends By Proving Himself On the Field
During a recent sit-down with college football reporters and journalist alike, four-star SMU football quarterback commitment Keelon Russell spoke about NIL deals for the first time. NIL deals, or Name Image Likeness deals, are sponsorships and payments given to players in exchange for their participation on the team. As some recruits are beginning to find out however, some payments in exchange for a commitment may never actually arrive.
Russell was asked about his views on NIL deals, and whether or not they were a major factor in his recruitment to the SMU Mustangs football program. The quarterback stated that he was not worried about ‘Upfront Money’ heading into college, but is rather focused on what he can make when he reaches campus. Many recruits have hunted for the programs that either offer the most money, or bring the largest earning potential without the player performing overly well.
Russell is one of the first of many recruits who are now betting on themselves to perform on the field in the future. By taking less money initially, Russell hopes to create more deals and earnings for himself by performing exceptionally well on the field.
For Russell, College Football Will Become a Time to Develop, Improve His Abilities
Over the past few seasons between the addition of NIL deals and the more relaxed transfer portal regulations, college football has not felt like a developmental league anymore. However despite this, some recruits much like Russell are planning on proving themselves on the field before jumping at the largest sum of money in front of them.
Russell, an accomplished quarterback recruit who currently ranks seventh-overall at his position, threw for 35 touchdowns and just three interceptions this past season. The quarterback also completed 74% of his passes as he displayed excellent accuracy and a huge arm for his team. When asked about why he would choose to accept less money upfront, Russell stated that “…the thing for me is getting to the next level,” and ultimately the financials of his commitment did not become a major factor.
Can Russell Prove Himself in the SMU Football Program and Build His Earnings?
As great as it is to see someone who still wants to transform themselves into the best player as opposed to getting paid, Russell will need to back-up his talk with his play to excel. Russell also believes that it does not matter where he starts with his NIL deals because he has the potential to raise his value with his play on the field. The quarterback stated “…you’re going to get millions of dollars on the backend.”
Russell is an accomplished, successful quarterback who certainly has the skills to prove himself on the field and ultimately raise his earning value.
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