Inflation is rising fast, though not at the grocery store. College football quarterbacks are commanding increasingly large deals, and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor appears to be the latest example.
Taylor is reportedly finalizing a $7.5 million agreement to remain in Starkville. Incentives could push the total above $9 million.
It’s hard not to be happy for Taylor and Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have had few bright spots in recent years, and Taylor looks like one of the country’s most promising young passers. His résumé is still relatively short, though.
Mississippi State’s decision makes sense in a transfer market where other programs are constantly looking for quarterbacks. The Bulldogs are keeping a player scouts believe could become a high-level NFL draft pick when he eventually leaves.
Still, the market can get out of hand. The NFL has shown how teams sometimes pay enormous sums for quarterbacks with limited track records, either because they were high draft picks who showed potential or because teams simply need someone to play the position.
College football may be heading in a similar direction. Some would say it’s already there.
Texas Tech, for example, reportedly committed around $5 million to $6 million to Brendan Sorsby after his strong season at Cincinnati. That deal ran into trouble because of circumstances off the field.
Tennessee reportedly gave Nico Iamaleava about $8 million, or roughly $2.4 million per season, after he finished high school. He later transferred west to UCLA. That was back in 2022, when name, image and likeness deals were still relatively new. The numbers have only grown since.
This isn’t meant as a knock on Taylor. When healthy, he appears to be an excellent quarterback. But he has attempted 236 passes in his career and hasn’t yet played a full season.
It makes you wonder what Alabama’s Keelon Russell might command if he keeps playing at his current level. If the Crimson Tide win the SEC, he could have enormous leverage. Mississippi State’s deal may be just another sign of how quickly roster costs are climbing.
A few seasons ago, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said publicly that he needed $20 million from donors to build a championship roster. Today, that figure might not get much of a reaction at many top Power Four programs.
It’s difficult to say where college football goes from here. The sport brings in huge amounts of money, and players have significant leverage. Salary caps and collective bargaining agreements are being discussed, but for now the system remains largely unregulated.
Whether that can continue at this pace is an open question. The money, at least, doesn’t seem likely to slow down soon.
