"NIL money that's like short-term money" - 5-star safety K.J. Bolden gets honest on why he chose Georgia over FSU and NIL money

Five-star safety K.J. Bolden had been committed to Florida State since August. However, on National Signing Day (Wednesday), Boden flipped his commitment from the Seminoles to Georgia. This is seen as a win for the Bulldogs who recently lost the top quarterback prospect Dylan Raiola to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

According to a tweet from Brandon Zimmerman, an editor for both ESPN and the SEC Network, Bolden has revealed the reason why he chose to play for Georgia over Florida State.

“NIL money that’s like short-term money. You are only getting that money right now for the moment. The big money is the NFL money.”

Bolden and the NIL

Even since the NCAA removed restrictions on players using their N.I.L (Name, Image, and Likeness), college athletes have been allowed to make money via product endorsements. This has allowed some players to make a substantial amount of money while still in college.

But, as Bolden says, this money is short-term and will only be earned during his college football career, which will be a maximum of 4 years. Bolden is thinking about his future beyond his college days, where if he lives up to his potential and is drafted into the NFL, the amount of money that can be made rapidly increases.

This may have influenced his decision to de-commit from Florida State and to commit to the Georgia Bulldogs.

Bolden will make “less money” while with the Bulldogs. If he stayed with the Seminoles, the five-star recruit would be one of the top players on the team, making him a well-known player who will be used in endorsements. While this could still happen with the Bulldogs, Bolden will be surrounded by many top-ranked prospects, who may also be involved in deals.

This doesn't seem to bother Bolden, who would rather focus on his development as a player rather than make money at this point in his career. This is another reason why he committed to Georgia.

Georgia is better for Bolden in the long term

Without a doubt, playing in a high-caliber college program is one of the best ways to set a player up for the NFL. In relation to conferences, the SEC has many of these programs, including Georgia.

The Bulldogs have produced numerous NFL talents in the last few years. Players like offensive tackle Andrew Thomas and running backs D'Andre Swift and James Cook, who are now performing well in the NFL, started under head coach Kirby Smart in Georgia.

In addition to this, Bolden will now be playing in the SEC, the conference that dominates the college football scene. Their influence on the College Football environment is widely believed to have been the reason why the Seminoles was denied a spot in the College Football Playoffs, even after an unbeaten season.

But even with Florida State reportedly considering a potential conference move, the Seminoles would still be seen as a second choice for players who want to make it in the NFL. The first choice for many of these players would be a program that is facing the toughest opposition in the country each week. That is in the SEC, and this is what Bolden has chosen.