🏅The Top 5 Bang-for-Buck Running Backs in College Football

Hey there,

The Heisman is for losers – here at NIL Wire we care about value. That’s why today, we’re counting down college football’s best running backs in terms of NIL bang-for-buck. By synthesizing their on-field production with their off-field compensation, these players are providing more value-per-dollar to their school than all the other RBs in the nation.

It’s an interesting list, to be sure – a healthy mix of expensive, blockbuster talent and cost-effective running machines. I know y’all will be mad at me for #1, but hey, can’t please everyone, right?

This story is available for All-Access subscribers. Not on the roster yet? Don’t worry – we’ve got plans for every budget. Don’t miss out on stories like this twice a week. Sign up today!

— Cole, Justin and Collin

College football’s all about teambuilding now – where you allocate your NIL money, and how much of it you’re spending. Coaches and GMs are trying to figure out how to construct their rosters with very little precedent. 

In the NFL, we’ve seen one league-wide trend: Teams have stopped paying running backs. The basic idea here is that running backs wear down much faster than other position groups, and thus giving your running back a second contract after their rookie deal often leaves you with a player making more money than their production warrants. The career lifespan of a running back isn’t as long as a QB, wide receiver, or really any other position… and teams are building their teams accordingly.

But is college football we’re talking about, and things are different in college football. Running backs haven’t been relegated to NIL irrelevancy – in fact, they’re getting paid well. These guys are still in the prime of their youth – they’re able to take big hits, carry massive workloads, and still be productive.

But is every productive running back worth the NIL money they’re getting? To answer that question, we decided to look at both production and NIL valuation. Sure, most guys deserve their money, but the players we’re looking at today are playing well above their paygrade. 

These are the best bang-for-buck RBs in college football.

Become a paying subscriber of NIL Wire All-Access to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content.

Already a paying subscriber? Sign In.