Oregon State RB Damien Martinez Turned Down $400,000 From the Beavers and Entered the Transfer Portal

In the latest NIL development, we now have concrete reports of players' earnings accompanying the announcement that they're entering the transfer portal. This is the first time I've seen something like this, but I can't imagine it will be very uncommon soon.

There are several players throughout the country whose NIL deals with collectives have been whispered about or are virtually common knowledge one way or another, but this is the first time I've ever seen a real reporter include a number attached to a player like this. I'd love to know how this number got leaked and which side leaked it. I would think it was Damien Martinez and his agent who wanted this out there to set the market for him in the portal, but it's also possible it could have come from Oregon State so the school could show it tried to keep him and is still making good offers to players.

It's still a little crazy to me that just a few years ago, players would get suspended for making $1,000 under the table to sign some autographs and now we have reports like this when they basically enter collegiate free agency. But I'd anticipate reports like this being the norm in a few years when Power Five football breaks away from the NCAA and becomes whatever the next iteration of it is going to be.

This obviously sucks for Oregon State, though. This was a good football team last year that would be a very trendy College Football Playoff pick in 2024 if conference realignment didn't kill the program. Instead, the Beavers lost their star quarterback, outstanding running back and head coach. Tough business.