Tim Tebow Would Have Made an Unthinkable Amount of Money in College if NIL Was Legal

It's the dawn of a new era in college sports, as players — in states where laws have already been passed — can now make money off their own names.

We were having a discussion in the office on what player throughout the years would have made the most money if this had always been allowed. There are several guys — Johnny Manziel, Reggie Bush, Cam Newton — who certainly would have crossed the million-dollar threshold, but I don't think anybody would have come relatively close to Tim Tebow.

Tebow could probably still win a gubernatorial election in Florida in the next cycle if he decided that's what he wanted to do. And while he was playing at UF, there's no telling how many companies just run by Gators fans in the state would have thrown the bag at him to be a spokesman. Not to even mention whatever other companies nationwide which would have signed the most recognizable collegiate athlete in the country, who also happened to have a squeaky clean image.

And Tebow is the perfect embodiment of why this should have always been the way things worked. Even though he was a first round pick in the NFL Draft, Tebow's years with his highest earning potential were probably in college. Tebow made just shy of $10 million in his three seasons in the NFL. I would be willing to venture he would have made almost that much, if not more, over his four years in Gainesville.

Every Lifeway Christian bookstore in America would have had a Tim Tebow cardboard cutout right inside the front door hawking blue and orange Bibles. The Tebow merch would have flown off the shelves, too. He missed out more than anybody.