Where Alabama + Auburn rank among most expensive NIL rosters in SEC

College football is in a new era as funding rosters is becoming more and more expensive for the top programs around the country.

According to a recent report from The Athletic, schools in the power four conferences (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC) have spent between $8-50 million on their rosters alone for the 2026 season.

And to no surprise, 11 of the top 20 spenders are from the SEC, including Alabama and Auburn.

So how do our in-state programs compare to others in the conference and across the country? Keep reading to find out.

College football’s most expensive rosters in 2026

The Athletic’s report is not about exact numbers as many universities like to keep their total expenses under wraps. But the New York Times affiliate did some digging, describing their report like this:

“We worked to get as many independent, trustworthy estimates as possible from people inside and outside a program: those who broker the deals, direct the teams from the sidelines on Saturdays and watch the games from luxury boxes. We contacted at least one employee from each school to give them an opportunity to offer information about their roster budgets.”

The Athletic

According to the report, Alabama ranks ninth in the country for most expensive roster with approximately $38-42 million spent on players in 2026.

Meanwhile, Auburn comes in at 16th with an estimated $31-35 million roster.

Here’s how those numbers stack up against other SEC programs:

1. Texas ($45-55 million)
2. LSU ($47-50 million)
3. Texas A&M ($45-50 million)
4. Ole Miss ($39-45 million)
5. Tennessee ($41-43 million)
6. Alabama ($38-42 million)
7. Florida ($31-41 million)
8. South Carolina ($32-35 million)
9. Auburn ($31-35 million)
10. Georgia ($31-34 million)
11. Oklahoma ($28-34 million)
12. Missouri ($27-30 million)
13. Mississippi State ($25-30 million)
14. Vanderbilt ($25-28 million)
15. Kentucky ($23-26 million)
16. Arkansas ($22-25 million)

While the SEC dominates much of the list, two Big Ten Schools are at the top with Ohio State ($49-54 million) and Oregon ($48-54 million).

“If it feels like Alabama ($38-42 million) and Georgia ($31-34 million) aren’t quite as loaded as they were pre-NIL, these numbers offer a hint as to why. Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer, and particularly Georgia’s Kirby Smart, don’t seem to be swimming in the same pool as other perceived national championship contenders.”

The Athletic

You can see the full list on The Athletic.

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What players have the highest NIL valuations?

Prior to the 2026 season, On3 did a report on NIL (Name, Image + Likeness) valuations for the top players across the country. These numbers combined with The Athletic’s report can give you a better idea of what percentage of the budget goes to the top players.

Miami quarterback Darien Mensah is valued at $6.5 million, a number reported when the Hurricanes went quarterback shopping in the transfer portal during the offseason.

And that’s the theme for the top players in On3’s rankings as quarterbacks are often the highest paid, including by Alabama and Auburn.

Auburn’s new quarterback Byrum Brown has a valuation of $3 million which ranked tied for 10th in the entire country. Keelon Russell at Alabama came in at 24th on the list, valued at $2 million.

Alabama’s Ryan Coleman-Williams is the fourth highest ranked receiver with a valuation of $1.8 million.

Other players from our in-state programs include:

• Alabama Edge Yhonzae Pierre ($1M)
• Auburn LB Xavier Atkins ($1M)
• Auburn Edge Dashawn Womack ($1M)
• Alabama DB Zabien Brown ($800K)
• Alabama LB Xavier Griffin ($750K)
• Alabama DB Bray Hubbard ($700K)
• Auburn RB Jeremiah Cobb ($650K)
• Alabama RB EJ Crowell ($600K)