Longhorns Making Major Investment in 2025 Roster
According to Kirk Bohls of the Houston Chronicle, the University of Texas is expected to spend between $35 million and $40 million on its 2025 football team. This figure includes an anticipated $20.5 million in revenue sharing and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) payments facilitated by the Texas One Fund.
This surge in player compensation is expected to be temporary, as many programs begin shifting from NIL collectives to direct revenue sharing in line with an anticipated antitrust settlement.
Texas has not revealed how many players will earn $1 million or more, but quarterback Arch Manning will be the team’s top earner “by far,” thanks to NIL deals arranged independently of the university.
Manning is set to start for the first time in 2025 and is currently the favorite to be the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, although he could return to Texas for another season.
While $40+ million is a significant sum, it pales in comparison to the NFL’s spending. For context, the league’s first team salary cap in 1994 was $34.6 million. In 2024, it’s $279.2 million—showing that even with new payments, college players still earn far less than their professional counterparts.
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