In today’s college football landscape, teams have to pay players significant amounts to attract or retain talent. NIL contracts continue to rise in the age of revenue sharing, and with the season set to begin Saturday, there’s a lot of money playing on that field.
Week Zero kicks off with a Big 12 matchup as Kansas State takes on Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland, for the 109th playing of “Farmaggedon.” Here’s a look at the highest-paid player in the game.
Iowa State vs. Kansas State: Top-Earning Player and NIL Details
Iowa State and Kansas State both boast talented rosters. With stars across the field, both Big 12 programs have used their NIL money to acquire some of the best players in the country.
However, Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson is the highest-paid player in this matchup. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, the Wildcats are paying Johnson over $2 million in 2025.
While $2 million may seem like a massive sum for one player, Johnson is one of the best quarterbacks in the conference and played a key role in the Wildcats’ successful 2024 season, when they went 9-4.
Johnson was a four-star recruit in the 2023 class. 247Sports ranked him as the No. 9 quarterback in the cycle and the No. 85 overall player in the country. Although he didn’t start full-time in 2023, he burst onto the scene in 2024.
In his sophomore season, Johnson threw for 2,712 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while adding 605 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Scramble. Score. Celebrate accordingly.
Avery Johnson finds Will Swanson for the first @KStateFB touchdown of the day 🔥#Big12FB | 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/gU8kVL7JcA
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 7, 2024
He’s a versatile playmaker at quarterback, and with quarterback-needy teams in the transfer portal every year, it makes sense that the Wildcats were willing to pay top dollar to keep their star.
While Johnson is the highest-paid player in this matchup, he isn’t the only one set to earn over $1 million in 2025. On3 reports that Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht made $1.3 million in 2024Â and is expected to earn a similar amount this season.
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Like Johnson, Becht is one of the top quarterbacks in the country and has been key to Iowa State’s success. In 2024, he led the Cyclones to an 11-3 record. He threw for 3,505 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while adding 318 yards and eight scores on the ground.
With the money Johnson and Becht are expected to earn in 2025, it’s clear that in today’s college football, the quarterback position is highly valued, and teams are willing to pay what’s necessary to secure one of the best signal-callers in the country.
Iowa State and Kansas State kick off the 2025 college football season on Saturday, August 23, at 12:00 p.m. ET in Dublin, Ireland, with coverage on ESPN.
