Five-Star QB Shocks College Football World by Turning Down $6.7 Million, Decommits from Colorado, and Flips Commitment to Arizona State Over Notre Dame and Florida State
In one of the most stunning recruiting twists of the modern NIL era, five-star quarterback phenom Jayden Ricks has flipped his commitment from Coach Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes to the resurgent Arizona State Sun Devils, sending shockwaves through college football. Even more jaw-dropping: Ricks reportedly turned down a $6.7 million NIL package from multiple collectives—rumored to be orchestrated by both Notre Dame and Florida State—in favor of a comparatively modest deal and the opportunity to build his own legacy in Tempe.
Ricks, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound signal-caller out of Duncanville High School in Texas, has long been hailed as the next face of college football. With a cannon arm, elite mobility, and a 4.0 GPA, he was the top quarterback in the 2025 class. His recruitment had been a media spectacle. He committed to Colorado last summer in a high-profile ceremony broadcast on ESPN, citing Deion Sanders’ charisma and vision as a driving factor. But after a recent unofficial visit to Arizona State, everything changed.
“This was never about the money,” Ricks said during a surprise press conference held at his high school. “I want to build something. At ASU, I’m not just another five-star. I’m the cornerstone of a new dynasty.”
Sources close to the recruitment say Ricks was swayed by Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham’s authentic pitch: become the face of a rebuild, start as a freshman, and work in an offensive system custom-built for his talents. Dillingham’s relentless pursuit, coupled with ASU’s creative vision for Ricks’ personal brand, outweighed the lure of the $6.7 million NIL package reportedly on the table from rival programs.
“This kid turned down money most adults wouldn’t even blink at,” one anonymous recruiter said. “He’s wired different. This wasn’t a flip—it was a mission statement.”
Notre Dame and Florida State, both believed to be frontrunners as recently as last week, are reeling from the news. One Florida State insider said the Seminoles thought Ricks was “99% locked” just 72 hours before his decision. Meanwhile, Colorado’s Deion Sanders, who had banked heavily on Ricks as a centerpiece for his 2025 recruiting class, offered a brief but telling reaction on social media: “Trust God. Respect decisions.”
Ricks’ decision has already transformed ASU’s recruiting class, vaulting the Sun Devils into the top 10 nationally for the first time since 2002. The buzz in Tempe is electric. Students lined up outside the football complex wearing “QB1: Ricks Era” shirts within hours of the announcement.
With early enrollment confirmed for January, Ricks will join the Sun Devils for spring ball, where he’s expected to compete for the starting job immediately. If he delivers on his promise, Jayden Ricks may go down not just as a generational quarterback, but as the young man who turned down millions to ignite a desert revolution.
