On a recent episode of the “Up and Adams Show” with Kay Adams, Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson offered a candid perspective on the changing landscape of college football.
The rookie head coach likened the current era of player movement and NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) deals to NFL free agency.
“It’s just crazy now,” Jackson said, reflecting on his new role as a college coach. “These kids come in and they’re asking for… you know, ‘Coach, I want this amount of money and I’m going to the highest bid.’ And I’m like, man, if I can remember going back, if I would have went into Nick Saban or Pete Carroll’s office back then and be like, ‘I want this, I want that,’ they would have looked at me like, ‘Man, you better get out of here.’”
Jackson, who played 15 seasons in the NFL and was regarded as one of the league’s most dangerous deep threats, noted that the current college football environment feels fundamentally different than when he was a player.
“Honestly, I look at this era now—it’s like a free agency. It’s almost like an NFL system. It’s like a farm system to the NFL,” he explained.
He highlighted the disparity in resources between schools, pointing out how some programs can offer millions in NIL deals, while others—especially HBCUs like Delaware State—struggle to compete.
“Some schools are able to pay these guys millions of dollars and then some schools, you know, like us, we don’t really have the resources… We’re a Division I school, you know what I’m saying? So I think they’re going to have to figure this out because right now there’s no cap on it.”
Despite the challenges, Jackson remains optimistic about his ability to attract talent, leveraging his name and NFL connections.
“I may not be able to offer a million dollars, but my name may be able to make up the rest of that money,” he said, emphasizing the unique value he brings as a coach with direct ties to the next level.
Jackson’s comments underscore the seismic shifts taking place in college football. The sport continues to grapple with the implications of NIL and the transfer portal—changes that, in his view, have made the college game resemble the NFL more than ever before.
