It's a new era in College Football.
After years of a hard-fought battle and former athletes calling out the NCAA, players can finally get paid for their image.
And, while not many people are interested in this change in the status quo, it'll have a massive impact on players' commitments and who goes where.
If you don't take our word for it, just ask Travis Hunter, the nation's no. 1 recruit who recently committed to HBCU Jackson State University to play for Deion Sanders.
Georgia Football isn't exempt from the NIL frenzy.
Recently, star wideout George Pickens got a big NIL deal with non-other than NFL legend Tom Brady, per Dawg Nation.
"Pickens is one of four college football players signed by Tom Brady to represent a new apparel brand, per a “Business of College Sports” article published on Thursday. The new clothing line will launch on Jan. 12, 2022. (...) Pickens joins UGA quarterback JT Daniels as one of college football’s front-line models on the apparel circuit," read the report.
Notably, Ole Miss and Clemson coaches Lane Kiffin and Dabo Swinney, don't seem to be fond of these sponsorship deals, claiming that players could be tricked and manipulated:
"It's chaos right now. Tampering galore, adults manipulating young men. Education is like the last thing now," Sweeney said, per The Score.
_"We're in free agency but there are no contracts," _Kiffin told the Clarion Ledger. "I really hope for these kids they're getting all the money they're being promised at these schools when they get there. Because there's a lot of money being promised so I hope for them that they get it."
Whatever is the case, all programs will need to adjust to the new rules and that's it. For Georgia, it won't be that difficult at all.
As a matter of fact, the Bulldogs had the third-best recruiting class in the SEC for the upcoming season, per 247Sports.
Kirby Smart landed multiple five-star recruits like Mykel Williams, Malaki Starks, Jaheim Singletary, and Marvin Jones Jr.
They already have one of the strongest programs in the nation and will only look to build on this year's success.
Even so, getting over Dan Lanning's departure will be tough for the Bulldogs.
Lanning took Oregon's HC job after orchestrating the best, most physical, and most feared defense in the nation this season.
"We are so happy for Dan and his family. He and Sauphia have been an important part of our Bulldog family for the last four years, and we thank them for all they did for Georgia Football and the Athens community," coach Smart told ESPN."Opportunities like this are a testament to a successful program."_
Lanning earned the right to pursue a bigger challenge but his team will definitely miss him during the playoffs.
