Today: NIL recruiting battles, why Signing Day still matters, Vandy's unprecedented flip, and coaching carousel intel.

~7.5 minute read (1,916 words)

If this email was forwarded to you, please subscribe.

NIL

Inside the biggest NIL battles of 2026 recruiting cycle

Felix Ojo, Jackson Cantwell, Tristen Keys

With National Signing Day here and the 2026 recruiting cycle entering its defining stretch, the NIL market has again become a central piece of the story. Power Four general managers told On3 this summer they believed between 50 and 100 recruits in this cycle are receiving upfront payments, with top prospects landing multi-year packages before ever enrolling. From five-star offensive tackles to blue-chip quarterbacks, the biggest battles of the cycle feature significant financial commitments. Below are four of the top NIL storylines, with more available in the full breakdown.

Miami Five-Star Plus+ OT Jackson Cantwell

Freshman salary: $2.5 million

Miami previously had a $2M offer on the table, but sources told On3 the Hurricanes raised the number to roughly $2.5M in Year 1 before Cantwell committed. The deal is multi-year and escalates annually. Cantwell was not swayed by the financials alone. He believes Alex Mirabal is the top offensive line coach in the country, and Miami head coach Mario Cristobal has a proven record of producing first-round talent at the position.

Texas Tech five-star OT Felix Ojo

Freshman salary: ~$775,000

Texas Tech beat out Texas and Ohio State in one of the cycle's biggest surprises. Ojo's agent publicized a fully guaranteed three-year, $5.1M revenue-sharing deal, but sources around Texas Tech pushed back and indicated his agreement averages roughly $775,000 annually. There is a verbal understanding that the contract can be renegotiated if the market shifts back toward an NIL-driven model. Ojo did not list Texas Tech among his finalists, but the Red Raiders stayed involved and leveraged their momentum on and off the field to land him.

Tennessee five-star WR Tristen Keys

Freshman salary: ~$1 million

Keys was committed to LSU for most of his process before flipping to Tennessee in August. Ranked as the No. 2 wide receiver in the cycle, he is expected to make close to $1M as a freshman between his Tennessee compensation and an adidas deal. Michigan landing running back Savion Hiter freed up the resources for the Vols to secure his commitment.

Tennessee five-star QB Faizon Brandon

Freshman salary: Between $1 million and $1.5 million

Brandon committed to Tennessee last August and has remained firmly on board. He picked the Vols over Alabama, LSU, and NC State. Ranked by Rivals as the No. 3 quarterback recruit in the class, he is expected to sign a multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement. One source told On3 his Year 1 compensation is expected to fall between $1M and $1.5M.

Read the full story from Pete Nakos.

RIVALS RECRUITING

National Signing Day is still where national titles are won

Boobie Feaster, Chris Henry, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Jase Matthews

Vanderbilt general manager Barton Simmons is an Ivy League-educated genius who got his start evaluating high school football players in the media before hopping the fence and actually trying to build a team in the SEC. That perspective looks even more fascinating after Vanderbilt just beat Tennessee 45-24 on the road, lifted itself to the first 10-win season in program history, and created a real case for College Football Playoff inclusion. Simmons now sees recruiting rankings very differently than he once did.

"They let us in the playoffs," Simmons told On3 on Monday, "we will win the whole damn thing and our (player) average rankings are dog shit."

National Signing Day arrives with far less fanfare than it once had. The excitement of "Flipsmas" used to rival the coaching carousel, but in the NIL and free-transfer era there is a growing belief that signing day simply does not matter as much if players can leave a year later. The increased parity in the last two seasons supports that idea, but personnel staffers still insist the teams who sign and retain top talent are the ones who win titles. In an informal survey of 10 staffers, seven said you still need to sign top-15 classes to compete for championships. Consistency in acquiring the best players remains the foundation for any contender.

Teams like Vanderbilt have shown they can rise. Simmons and head coach Clark Lea have built a roster that could conceivably win it all if given the chance. Even so, the formula has not changed. Four- and five-star players fuel national title runs. It was true in 2000, and it is true today.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal told On3 that high school recruiting is again becoming as important as ever. Freshmen are more prepared to play, investments in NIL are used to lock in multi-year development windows, and players can "pop" by their sophomore seasons. Cristobal said programs aiming for national titles need to sign at least a top-15 class each year.

The portal is now a supplemental tool for healthy programs. Florida State's overhaul in 2023 showed how quickly rosters can flip, but the teams actually winning national titles are built through elite high school recruiting and retention. Rivals VP of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong said the portal can elevate good teams, especially if they find the right quarterback, but the foundation still comes from high school talent.

The 2026 Rivals recruiting rankings reinforce that reality. USC, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, Miami, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, and Michigan continue to sign large, talent-rich classes. These are the programs that remain in the playoff conversation every November.

Parity has increased, but the threshold to win it all remains unchanged. From 2000 to 2022, only three national champions did not sign at least one top-five class in the four cycles before their titles, and all had transcendent quarterbacks. Even Michigan, viewed as an exception in 2023, routinely signed top-15 classes.

The sport has changed, but the conclusion has not. High school recruiting still matters the most, and signing day still shapes who wins national championships.

Read the full column from Ari Wasserman.

RIVALS RECRUITING

Vanderbilt pulls off the most shocking moment in the 2026 cycle, flips Jared Curtis

Vanderbilt has pulled off the biggest recruiting moment of the 2026 cycle. Nashville Christian Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Jared Curtis, the nation's No. 1 quarterback and a longtime Georgia commit, has officially signed with the Commodores. The 6-foot-3 and a half, 225-pound passer becomes the highest-rated recruit in Vanderbilt history and the centerpiece of Clark Lea's rapidly rising program.

The saga started Tuesday afternoon when Rivals' Steve Wiltfong reported that Curtis had informed Georgia he would flip to Vanderbilt. Curtis pushed back publicly, saying he had not finalized a decision and wanted to speak with both staffs and his family before announcing anything. Later that evening, he issued a statement explaining the process, outlining the challenge of choosing between a Georgia program he loved and the chance to stay home and help build something new.

"At the end of the day this has to be my decision," he wrote. "I wanna be a part of that, to be close to home, to play in front of my family and friends and to be what I love to be, an underdog."

And as of this morning, the decision is now official. Curtis signed with Vanderbilt on National Signing Day, giving Lea and his staff a program-altering quarterback at the height of a historic season. Vanderbilt is 10-2 with a No. 14 College Football Playoff ranking, and Curtis will have the chance to compete for the starting job next fall with Heisman contender Diego Pavia exhausting his eligibility. According to Wiltfong, early playing time, Vanderbilt's trajectory, and a competitive NIL offer all helped the Commodores seal the deal.

The flip vaulted Vanderbilt 15 spots to No. 31 in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings and sent shockwaves across the country. It is one of the most consequential recruiting upsets in years, drawing comparisons to Travis Hunter's move to Jackson State in 2021.

Curtis brings high-end arm talent and elite production. As a junior, he completed more than 70 percent of his passes for 2,830 yards and 40 touchdowns with only three interceptions, while rushing for 18 more. Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power broke down Curtis' skillset in-depth in this breakdown.

For Vanderbilt, the commitment marks another milestone in a season that has already reset expectations. Curtis gives the Commodores a quarterback of the future and a foundation piece as Lea continues building the most promising era in program history.

Read the full report.

🚨Headlines

COACHING CAROUSEL

Carousel intel: Latest from Penn State, LSU, Auburn, and more

Kalani Sitake, Neal Brown, Blake Baker, James Franklin

While it may seem that the coaching carousel is slowing down, upheaval remains underway around the country. Multiple head coaching vacancies still exist, and new hires are in the process of filling out their staffs. In the words of Josh Pate, "Who your head coach hires is far more important than which head coach you hired."

LSU

Lane Kiffin has moved quickly in his first days in Baton Rouge. Term sheets are done for the assistants who traveled with him, and LSU continues working to keep defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who remains a candidate at Tulane. In a notable development, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is returning to Ole Miss for the College Football Playoff. Weis initially flew to LSU with Kiffin, but the Rebels announced Tuesday that he will coach their postseason run. Kiffin believes Weis returning could help Ole Miss earn its highest possible ranking.

Penn State/BYU

AD Pat Kraft and the Nittany Lions are in deep water. The dynamic of the Nittany Lions' search shifted when BYU head coach Kalani Sitake indicated he plans to stay in Provo. With Sitake expected to remain, Penn State's search will continue through National Signing Day, extending the process to 52 days.

BYU is preparing between $10 million and $15 million in NIL commitments, and a new deal worth roughly $9 to $9.5 million annually. Sitake emphasized his focus on the Big 12 Championship, where BYU will play Texas Tech. After Penn State rumors began swirling, Crumbl Cookies CEO Jason McGowan jumped into action.

Auburn

Alex Golesh has his defensive coordinator in place. D.J. Durkin is staying in the role after serving under Hugh Freeze and finishing the year as interim head coach. Golesh called retaining Durkin "an easy call," noting their long relationship and Durkin's strong defensive track record. Durkin said Auburn "is home for us" and praised the roster he inherits. Auburn's defense ranked seventh in the SEC in yards allowed under his watch.

Virginia Tech

James Franklin continues retooling his staff in Blacksburg while flipping former Penn State commits ahead of his first signing day at Virginia Tech. Ty Howle, Penn State's tight ends coach, is a name of note in the Hokies' offensive coordinator search. Additional staff movement is expected after Penn State's bowl game, when several coaches could join Franklin.

Tulane

The Green Wave search remains wide open, with a long list of candidates: Billy Napier, Oregon co-defensive coordinator Chris Hampton, LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker, Miami OC Shannon Dawson, FIU's Willie Simmons and Southern Miss' Charles Huff. Former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is also a name of interest and wants the job.

Get all the intel from Pete Nakos.

TRIVIA

Now here's a guy...

Below, you'll find 3 facts about a random college football player. You'll try to guess who the player is based on the facts. Let's go.

I was a 5-star recruit in the Class of 2004, stayed home to play in the SEC, and scored my first college touchdown on a pass from JaMarcus Russell.
Across four seasons, I caught 160+ passes, earned All-SEC freshman honors, and helped form one of the nation's most dangerous receiver trios alongside Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis.
I helped torch Notre Dame in the 2007 Sugar Bowl with eight catches for 115 yards, finished my LSU career with 2,000+ scrimmage yards, and entered the 2008 NFL Draft compared frequently to Reggie Wayne.

Answer at the bottom.

SHAREWORTHY