Jun 20, 2026
For many high school students, spending a few hundred dollars on a beautiful dress or a fancy tuxedo for prom is perfectly reasonable. After all, it’s a big night, and going out with a bang can leave graduates with memories that can last a lifetime.
But these young men are not your typical high school graduates.
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For Xavier Payne, Dakorien Moore, Marcus Jennings and Mark Bowman, prom night wasn’t just a chance to connect with friends and celebrate the end of their high school careers. It was also a chance to spend some of the money they earned as highly-touted university football recruits.
With six-figure Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation packages deposited into their accounts, these athletes had a bit more money to spend on their proms than the typical high school graduate. And boy, did they spend!
‘I’m going to do it big’
Payne, an offensive lineman who’s committed to the University of Colorado, returned to Jones High in Florida for his prom, and he did so in style.
Arriving in a $180,000 Mercedes, Payne stepped out wearing a $2,500 custom suit, a $40,000 vintage Cartier watch and a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes that cost $1,100. While he may not own all of these items, Payne estimates he spent around $10,000 on his big night.
“I just decided, I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it right and I’m going to do it big,” Payne told the Wall Street Journal.
Moore, a five-star wide receiver who’s committed to the University of Oregon, went even bigger, spending upwards of $80,000 on his prom. His spending included an event planner ($12,000), Louis Vuitton shoes ($2,000), a catered lunch for 100 friends and family, and a chauffeured ride to prom in a Bentley.
“It was just our night for that one night,” Moore told the WSJ. “We definitely took advantage of that.” Moneywise reached out to Moore for comment but didn’t hear back in time for publication.
Jennings, a linebacker who’s committed to the University of Pittsburgh, spent roughly $30,000 on his prom and the bulk of that cost was sitting on his wrist. Sporting a vintage Royal Oak Audemars Piguet watch, which costs $25,000, Jennings completed his prom fit with a $770 custom suit and $900 Prada shoes.
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And then there’s Bowman, a freshman tight end for the University of Southern California. Bowman arrived at his prom in a 2017 Lamborghini Huracán, stepping out in Gucci loafers that cost $1,000.
The Lamborghini was loaned to him by a family friend, while the Gucci loafers were a graduation gift from his mother. Bowman, who is careful with his spending, got a suit from LA’s fashion district for just $100.
“With football turning into more of a business, it’s nice for him to go back to a high school event and just get to dance and have a great time with his friends,” Bowman’s mother, Heather, told the WSJ.
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What is Name, Image and Likeness?
NCAA college athletes weren’t always allowed to earn money for their athletic prowess. That changed in 2021, when the NCAA initiated a rule that allows college athletes to financially benefit from their name, image and likeness, or NIL.
“It [NIL] refers to a person’s legal right to control how their image is used, including commercially,” Sara Coello reported for ESPN.
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“In college, student-athletes have long been prohibited from making deals to profit from their fame, so they forfeited their NIL rights by signing on with college sports teams. A combination of NCAA rule changes and state laws restored NIL rights to college athletes, and they’ve been making sponsorship deals ever since.”
According to Ameri Law, University of Texas Quarterback Arch Manning was the highest paid NIL athlete in 2025-26 with an estimated valuation of $6.8 million. Rounding out the top five were Carson Beck (QB, Miami — $4.3 million), Jeremiah Smith (WR, Ohio State — $4.3 million), AJ Dybantsa (basketball forward, BYU — $4.1 million) and Garrett Nussmeier (QB, LSU — $3.7 million).
These days, you’d be hard pressed to find a college athlete that doesn’t support the NIL program, but some collegiate coaches weren’t exactly on board when the program began. Former Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy once shared his concerns with FOX Sports.
“Players that are coming out of high school [are] getting way too much money before they ever make a play,” said Gundy, according to SportsEpreneur.
Another concern is the fact that players can switch schools in search of greater NIL compensation, a process known as entering the “transfer portal.” This potentially gives certain schools an advantage over others, as the big universities often have more well-funded boosters than the smaller schools.
Until the NCAA steps in to make changes to the program, young freshmen like Payne, Moore, Jennings and Bowman will continue to earn sizable paychecks without competing in a single college football game. And how they choose to spend their money is entirely up to them.
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Chase is an Associate Editor for Wise Publishing. He formerly worked at Yahoo Canada as an editor on both the News and Sports teams.
