ESPN surveyed more than a dozen college football general managers and front office staffers this summer with the goal of establishing the going rate for Power Four players in 2026 after the elimination of the spring portal increased pressure on programs to build their rosters during the winter window.
The outlet notes that figures are best viewed as acquisition prices rather than retention prices, because programs often re-sign their own starters at a discount. SEC and Big Ten programs generally have larger spending power than programs in the ACC and Big 12, widening the divide between good and elite rosters.
Quarterbacks range from $1 million to $3 million, with the average Power Four starting QB expected to pull in over $2 million, while running backs range from $300,000 to $800,000. ESPN's Big 12 college football writer Max Olson specifically names Florida's Jadan Baugh, Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy, and Louisville's Isaac Brown as players who helped push the top end of the running back market after declining substantial portal interest and returning to their schools.
For comparison, the wide receiver market sits between $400,000 and $1 million.
"The pay range for running backs is largely tied to offensive philosophy, and there are still lots of teams that would rather move forward with a starting running back making $500,000 and their No. 2 option earning closer to $300,000. GMs and agents agreed the range for this position didn't seem to change much year-over-year as teams focused on building out a group of backs," reports Olson.
"I think $500,000 to $600,000 is the sweet spot for a lot of teams where they can get a really good one and they don't feel like they're overpaying too much," one agent said.
The biggest takeaway from this survey is that roster construction has become closer to NFL salary cap allocation, even though college football does not currently implement a professional-style financial structure.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Gators retaining Jadan Baugh helped drive up running back market
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