As we move into October and the college schedule starts to heat up, so too does talk of which underclassmen may opt for the 2026 NFL Draft. Yet as we’ve seen in the past few years, the potential of large NIL deals could sway decisions.
No player exemplifies how NIL, (name, image, likeness) deals can sway the decision of a player more than Cam Ward, the first pick of April’s draft. After the completion of the 2023 season, Ward, then playing for Washington State, initially announced his decision to enter the 2024 NFL Draft and was cast to participate in the Shrine Bowl that January.
