Freshman phenom Bear Bachmeier shatters program records with a $2 million valuation, spearheading a loaded roster as the Cougars chase a Big 12 title and playoff berth.
The 2026 college football season is almost here. For the BYU Cougars, the hype going into what's expected to be one of the best seasons of the modern era is real.
Kalani Sitake's team was voted as the runner-up in the Big 12 preseason media poll behind Texas Tech. If that stays true, we'll be seeing a rematch between the Red Raiders and Cougars in the conference championship game. Before any contests kick off, On3 released the updated NIL valuations for 2026.
One of the names in the top 100 was BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier. The freshman phenom from last year received a $2 million valuation, which is the highest on the team. Cougars running back LJ Martin was behind him with a $1 million tag. Wide receiver Evan Johnson ($650K) and offensive tackle Andrew Gentry ($450K) were also on BYU's list.
Bachmeier was No. 74 overall and second-highest amongst Big 12 QBs behind Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker, who was quoted at $3.5 million. He's also No. 44 amongst all college football players. This is the highest valuation for any BYU player in the NIL era.
Overall, Miami QB Darian Mensah led the nation at $6.5 million. The Hurricanes are no stranger to top NIL earners. Carson Beck was at the top of the list before moving on to the NFL.
"Established in 2021, the On3 NIL Valuation is the first and industry-leading index for tracking annual NIL contract value for college and high school athletes.
"The On3 NIL Valuation was originally built as a proprietary algorithm to establish a baseline market value when there was little public information, structure, or consistency in the NIL marketplace. It gave athletes, families, schools, collectives and brands a clearer view of roster value, athletes and the emerging economics of college sports."
Bachmeier is preparing for the sequel to his true freshman season. The BYU leader is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12. He recently spent time as a camp counselor at the Manning Passing Academy. The experience of being around his peers helped give him a renewed outlook before fall camp.
BYU should be one of the last teams standing in the Big 12 race because of how Bachmeier plays. The Cougars have a difficult schedule, but are prepared to try and slide into their first-ever College Football Playoff. One game to keep an eye on will be Oct. 17 against Notre Dame.
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