Josh Conerly Jr., who started 41 games for Oregon, wasn’t just ‘another’ OL for the team. Earning All-American honors last year, Conerly played 965 snaps and allowed just one sack throughout the Big 10 winning season of Oregon. But after Conerly was drafted as the 29th overall pick in the third round, that same quality wasn’t easy to replace. But Dan Lanning already had a plan in place for bringing future NFL prodigy Isaiah World from Nevada. While that move has already happened, and World is ready to go against Montana State on August 30. There was still a time when World’s enrollment seemed a far-fetched idea after a $2 million offer.

Ever since the floodgates of the NIL market opened in 2021, paired with the transfer portal, the demands and the valuation of the recruits have been ever-increasing. Just this year, more than 1,400 players took the help of the transfer portal to seek their destination, with most of them negotiating deals through their agents. And these NIL dynamics almost resulted in Oregon losing Isaiah World.

“Nobody was more coveted than Nevada transfer Isaiah World, a projected first-round pick in ESPN’s early mock drafts for 2026. Sources told ESPN that World turned down a more than $2 million offer to sign with Oregon. Tackles with that kind of early-round potential rarely hit the open market, and it’s worth noting the highest bid might not always win out for pro prospects who are determined to maximize their potential and play for a title contender,” reported ESPN.

Despite World landing in Eugene finally, according to ESPN, the NIL valuations of players like QBs have soared to $2 million. Moreover, “the great ones,” according to an anonymous SEC GM, cost upwards of $3 million. For instance, Nico Iamaleava was on an $8 million contract with Tennessee before he transferred, and Carson Beck earned a $4 million deal for just one year of football at Miami. But don’t think that just the QBs are in high demand.

For a top-quality wide receiver, teams would have to spend around $700,000, going up to $1 million. While players like tight ends and running backs cost as much as $700,000. But for offensive tackles, the NIL market is a different story. Offensive tackles typically command up to $1 million in NIL money, and if someone is as good as Isaiah World, teams sure would be willing to pay $2 million. But it’s not that Oregon is lagging in the NIL world.

Isaiah World outlines the reason behind joining the Oregon Ducks

Oregon has always been the powerhouse in the NIL world, having the backing of billionaire Phil Knight, Nike founder. Not just that, Oregon’s Division Street collective has always been at the forefront of NIL talks. For context, it was with the help of the collective that Oregon landed Dillon Gabriel on a $1,7 million NIL deal and Evan Stewart, who also had a $1,7 million reported deal. But for World, the glitter of the NIL world went dim, and Oregon emerged as a platform propelling him to the NFL world.

“The track record here has been unbelievable. Coach Lanning had a good program, a good system for me. I felt like this was just the right place for me to grow. It’s on the West Coast, I’m from San Diego. It wasn’t too far from home. I felt like this was the right place for me,” said World after joining Dan Lanning’s camp. Of course, Oregon has everything to do with just that for Isaiah World.

Just last year, eight players from Oregon’s 2023 season roster were drafted in the 2024 NFL draft, which also included Bo Nix and Jackson Powers-Johnson. This year, in the 2025 NFL draft, under the leadership of Dan Lanning, Oregon broke its program record and had 10 players drafted in the NFL draft. The names included Derrick Harmon, Josh Conerly Jr., and Dillon Gabriel. All in all, it seems like Eugene is a perfect place for World to make good use of his talent.