Kirk Herbstreit, like most in the college athletics world, is still working his head around the new era of NIL laws and players making money.

While some coaches have called it a “free for all” and likened it to free agency, Herbstreit actually has a way for players to potentially make even more money.

The popular ESPN analyst appeared on the “Pat McAfee Show” this week and said he thinks players will eventually get a slice of the lucrative TV deals conferences are signing (via On3 Sports):

“I think all of us have reached a point where we agree that players obviously should be freed up to do whatever they can with NIL,” explained Herbstreit. “I think that there’s another step to this. With the TV networks — I never really said this publicly — but with the TV networks giving a lot of money to college athletics, I think it’s inevitable that eventually the players are going to have it, whether it’s a union or somebody’s going to represent them, and they’re going to say hey, why not allow us to have a share of the television money?

“Everybody’s talking about the players are entitled and that kind of thing to be able to have NIL. That, at this point, is a given. I’m thinking more about, if you’re really looking at the players and saying hey, what’s in it for them — if I were a player, wouldn’t you be talking about that next step. So, I think it’s inevitable, the path that we’re heading down.”

Herbstreit could be right about players earning more money through the TV deals. It’ll be interesting to see how those contracts are worded when negotiations take place.