Relatively speaking, college running backs don’t earn a lot of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) money.
Top quarterbacks can make $5 million. Elite wide receivers and top defenders clear a few million. Yet running backs, who touch the ball often, are sometimes overlooked.
A few top running backs might surpass $1 million, but many earn only low- to mid-six figures. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love was the top projected NIL earner among backs in 2025 at $1.5 million, but he’s NFL-bound, opening the door for a new group to earn NIL money.
Here’s a look at the expected top running backs in NIL earnings for 2026:
DeSEAN BISHOP, TENNESSEE
After a breakout sophomore season in which he ran for 983 yards and 14 touchdowns, Bishop, a former walk-on, got a significant amount of money to stay at Tennessee in 2026. Playing for a high-profile program, he should have lots of opportunities to bolster his NIL earnings with national and local brands.
CALEB HAWKINS, OKLAHOMA STATE
After running for 1,434 yards and leading the nation with 25 rushing touchdowns last season at North Texas, Brown entered the transfer portal. Predictably, he ended up at Oklahoma State with former North Texas coach Eric Morris. Hawkins reportedly got a deal worth about $730,000 to make the move.
HOLLYWOOD SMOTHERS, TEXAS
Viewed by many as the top running back in this year’s transfer portal, Smothers spent the last two seasons at NC State before originally committing to Alabama. He ultimately flipped to Texas, reportedly getting a deal in the mid-six-figure range. Smothers’ recognizable name and position at a top program should help him pursue NIL deals that could bring his earnings close to the seven-figure mark.
RALEEK BROWN, TEXAS
The Longhorns double-dipped on running backs in the transfer portal, bringing in Brown and Smothers. Brown spent the last two seasons at Arizona State after starting his career at USC. Brown wasn’t much of a factor before last season, when he exploded for 1,141 rushing yards. Brown secured a significant deal with Texas, which he can add to his previous deals with EA Sports and Raising Cane’s.
ISAAC BROWN, LOUISVILLE
Brown entered the transfer portal, and rumblings immediately tied him to programs like Texas and Ole Miss. Big money was offered, but Brown ultimately decided to stay at Louisville for a deal that was similar to what other schools offered. While announcing his decision to stay, Brown used the word “loyalty” multiple times. That will likely score major points in Louisville and make a popular figure even more likely to secure significant NIL deals.
SAVION HITER, MICHIGAN
As one of the top running backs in the 2026 recruiting class, Hiter received a deal worth about $1 million to sign with Michigan. If Hiter becomes the featured running back for the Wolverines, he should have a chance to further increase his earnings with deals from national and local brands.
EZAVIER CROWELL, ALABAMA
The top recruit in the state of Alabama in the Class of 2026 got a significant deal to stay home and play for the Crimson Tide. Already a huge name in Alabama, Crowell should pick up additional NIL earnings from brands around the state.
CAM COOK, WEST VIRGINIA
CCook led the nation in rushing with 1,659 yards last season at Jacksonville State before transferring to West Virginia. He received a significant NIL deal from West Virginia, in addition to a few smaller existing deals. Cook’s NIL valuation for 2026 is estimated at around $620,000.
ABU SAMU, WISCONSIN
Samu received a large NIL deal when he signed with Iowa State out of high school in 2023. After three solid but not spectacular seasons with the Cyclones, Samu entered the transfer portal and pulled a bit of a surprise. Many assumed he would follow former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell to Penn State. But Samu chose a Wisconsin program that is devoting a lot more financial resources to football in 2026 than it had in the past.
JAMES PEOPLES, PENN STATE
After two lackluster seasons at Ohio State, Peoples has transferred to Penn State. In Happy Valley, he’ll get the chance to replace the two-headed backfield of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, who both are headed to the NFL. People will also have the opportunity to pick up NIL deals with values similar to deals Singleton and Allen had last season, when they were among the nation’s top-earning running backs.
MAKHI HUGHES, HOUSTON
After two highly productive seasons at Tulane in 2023 and ’24, Hughes transferred to Oregon last season and got an NIL package worth about $1 million. But he got very little playing time in his first four games with the Ducks and ended up redshirting and entering the transfer portal. In Houston, he’ll get a chance to resurrect his career and his NIL potential.
Learn More About the NIL Landscape
Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.
RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information about athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure behind modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in more depth.
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