Brands Are Betting On Rookies Before They’ve Proven Anything. Titans Receiver Carnell Tate Explains Why That Works Both Ways

Plenty of this year's NFL rookies reported to training camp with endorsement dollars already in the bank. In fact, many of the top prospects in the 2026 draft had already made millions through NIL deals before they ever signed a pro contract. It's crazy to think that in this day and age, for some of them, going pro meant actually taking a pay cut. A few quarterbacks projected to go in the second or third round were expected to earn less as NFL rookies than they made as college starters, and the minimum salary for a 2026 draft pick was…