In recent years, the NCAA’s decision to allow athletes to profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has sparked significant attention. While marquee players like Jayden Daniels and Angel Reese have capitalized on their personal brands, earning lucrative deals, the reality for the majority of college athletes is starkly different. For them, sports remain a vehicle for achieving a college education and opening doors to future opportunities.
Take Jonny Bottorff, for example. The offensive lineman at Northern Arizona University has earned some money through NIL deals but emphasizes that the extra income is far from life-changing. What matters most to Bottorff is his education. After earning his undergraduate degree, he’s now pursuing a master’s—an achievement that resonates more deeply than any sponsorship.
This sentiment is echoed widely. Data from the NCAA underscores this focus on academics: a record 91% of Division I athletes graduated last year, surpassing graduation rates for non-athletes in many cases. The pursuit of a college degree remains the ultimate prize for many, including Indiana basketball player Anthony Leal. Leal, who already holds an undergraduate degree, is staying on to complete his MBA which is a long-held personal goal.
Even the growing prevalence of the transfer portal doesn’t necessarily shift priorities away from academics. For athletes like Ray Harrison and Trinity San Antonio, the decision to transfer was about finding the right fit and ensuring they could continue working toward their degrees, even as transferring often creates complications in credit transfers and degree progression.
For high school athletes like Tavarius Covington, sports are not about NIL deals or stardom—they’re a stepping stone to higher education. Covington dreams of being the first in his family to earn a college degree, setting an example for his younger brother and building a foundation for a brighter future.
While NIL has added a new dimension to college sports, its impact is limited to a small segment of athletes. For the vast majority, their focus remains on what sports can help them achieve off the field. Education remains the core motivator—an opportunity that outlasts the fleeting perks of NIL deals. This underscores the reality that, beyond the headlines, sports continue to serve as a powerful tool for creating lifelong opportunities for student-athletes.
