BREAKING: Five-Star Quarterback Shakes College Football Landscape—Rejects $7.5M NIL Offer, Decommits from East Carolina, Flips to Texas Over Notre Dame, Georgia
In a stunning twist that has sent shockwaves throughout the college football world, five-star quarterback phenom Jaxon Ford has decommitted from East Carolina University, rejected a $7.5 million NIL offer, and committed to the Texas Longhorns, stunning traditional powerhouses Notre Dame and Georgia in the process.
This unprecedented decision marks one of the most chaotic recruiting flips in recent memory. Ford, a 6’4” gunslinger from Mater Dei High School in California, had been committed to ECU for nearly six months—a move many viewed as a Cinderella story, with a small-market program landing a generational talent. But just days after reportedly turning down one of the richest NIL deals ever offered to a high school prospect, Ford announced his commitment to the University of Texas.
Sources close to Ford’s camp say the decision wasn’t about the money—it was about legacy. “Jaxon wants to compete at the highest level, win national championships, and be developed for the NFL,” one insider revealed. “Texas offered the best combination of culture, coaching, and opportunity.”
The $7.5 million NIL deal, rumored to be offered by a collective tied to a top SEC school, could have made Ford one of the highest-paid players in college football history before taking a snap. Instead, he chose a more traditional path—aligning with Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian, who has quietly assembled a juggernaut in Austin.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from rival fanbases, while Texas fans are already celebrating Ford as the future face of their program. Notre Dame and Georgia, both believed to be in the final running, were blindsided.
As the NIL era continues to reshape the recruiting landscape, Ford’s decision could set a new precedent—where culture, development, and winning still outweigh even the most jaw-dropping financial offers.
