How much does Carter Smith make in NIL?

What is Carter Smith's NIL value?

As of August 2026, Carter Smith's estimated NIL value falls between $6K and $9K. Carter Smith is a linebacker for the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Big Ten. Carter's figure is a modeled estimate based on audience, on-field role, market and sport.

NIL at Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois supports NIL across football and men's basketball, with donor activity coordinated through the Icon Collective. Football's stock rose sharply after a ten-win 2024 season, which improved the program's recruiting position and its NIL fundraising case, while basketball has consistently used the transfer portal and international recruiting to build rosters. Chicago's corporate market sits within reach but is shared with professional teams and Northwestern. As a Big Ten member, Illinois takes in one of the largest media-revenue payouts in college sports, which funds direct payments to athletes under the House settlement cap, about $20.5 million in the first year and increasing annually. Individual valuations for Illini players are rarely reported, so most published figures are estimates.

How NIL value is calculated

An NIL value is an estimate of what an athlete could earn from name, image and likeness over 12 months, not a salary or a confirmed deal. We weigh audience (social reach and engagement), performance and role, school and market, and the sport and position. No exact NIL figure is publicly disclosed for Carter, so the value shown here is a modeled estimate. See how NIL valuations work.

Carter NIL FAQ