Report: Savion Hiter making more money than OSU’s Bo Jackson, other RBs in 2026
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Michigan true freshman running back Savion Hiter is just beginning to find his footing in Michigan’s run game through three weeks of the 2026 season. But his reported NIL deal suggests the program believes his best days are very much ahead of him.
According to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos on Wednesday morning, Hiter is making $800,000 this season, per his sources. That number places him among the highest-paid running backs in all of college football, even ahead of several established stars at his position.
To put that number in context, Ohio State sophomore Bo Jackson — who had a breakout true freshman season in 2025 and inked a new contract with the Buckeyes this offseason — is making between $700,000-$800,000, per Nakos’ story. Hiter, a true freshman who has 24 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns in three games this year, is making more than or equal to one of the best established young running backs in the country.
Hiter is also making more than Georgia’s Nate Frazier ($775,000), who nearly rushed for 1,000 yards last season and is viewed as one of the top running backs in the SEC. Hiter is also making more than Duke’s Nate Sheppard ($600,000-$750,000), who currently leads the nation with 528 rushing yards and is in the Heisman Trophy conversation. Additionally, Hiter is making more than Texas Tech’s Cameron Dickey ($600,000), who is coming off a successful 1,124-yard season. These figures are all according to Nakos’ reporting.
The only running backs making more than Hiter, per Nakos, are Ole Miss’s Kewan Lacy ($2 million), Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy ($1 million), Florida’s Jadan Baugh ($1 million), Texas’ Hollywood Smothers ($1 million), Texas’ Raleek Brown ($1 million) and Louisville’s Isaac Brown ($1 million). All those guys are upperclassmen with proven college production.
The $800,000 price tag reflects the recruiting pedigree Hiter brought to Ann Arbor rather than what he has produced on the field so far. As a five-star recruit and one of the most highly regarded overall prospects in his class, Michigan made a significant financial commitment to land his commitment; the program is clearly betting that the production will eventually match the investment.
Through three weeks, the run game — Hiter included — has struggled to get going in offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s scheme. The offensive line has not consistently created running lanes, and the overall rush attack ranks 91st nationally heading into this weekend’s game vs Iowa. Hiter has shown flashes — including some encouraging moments against UTEP last week, especially in the second half — but has not yet delivered the production that justifies a Top 10 running back contract in all of college football. Of course, we all expect that to come in time as the season unfolds.
That said, he is a freshman, and context matters. Some of the most highly paid running backs on Nakos’ list — players like Lacy and Baugh — needed time to develop before breaking out. If Michigan’s offensive line improves and Beck finds ways to get Hiter into space consistently, the investment could look very reasonable in hindsight.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos