A lot was made about how much the Ohio State football team was using in NIL money in 2024. There were estimates that they had spent as much as $20 million in NIL money to construct their roster. Plenty of other fanbases claimed that the Buckeyes were buying a national title.
Ohio State was just following the rules that were allotted to everyone. They were able to successfully spend the right money on the right players. In fact, no one has used NIL money as effectively as the Ohio State Buckeyes did last season. It was a combination of adding recruits, keeping current players, and using the transfer portal.
Adding players like Quinshon Judkins, Caleb Downs, and Will Howard was critical to the Buckeyes winning the national championship. In fact, grabbing those players from the transfer portal and spending NIL money to bring them to Columbus was the right move.
The Ohio State football team has a blueprint for how to use NIL
After seeing how well they were able to use their NIL money last season, they have given themselves a blueprint for what to do in the future. The Buckeyes now know how to properly distribute the money throughout the roster for the best winning combination possible.
Ohio State spent a lot of NIL money to bring back Jeremiah Smith. He's the most important player on the roster moving forward. With not as many players returning this season, the proper distribution of money is even more important moving forward.
Ryan Day has figured out how to use NIL money to the full extent. Ross Bjork has fully endorsed the Buckeyes becoming a leader in the NIL space. They will have no shortage of resources, just as they didn't in 2024. That national championship team will guide them for years to come.