Technically it has to be pay for play. The NCAA is naive if they think that it could be anything else. The NIL collective is an arms length transaction not a total hands off transaction. Otherwise how would the collective know which players the program and coaching staff are interesting in having play at SU? There has to be some communications, but the negotiating and deals are done through the collective. But for ex in Jesse's case a conversation had to be had asking is he worth xxx$$$? The collective can't know those things without some communications with the program. For all schools. So you can dress it any way you want, but you are paying a player for their image while they are an athlete at your school, and not because they are a student at your school, even if they are on the honor roll every semester. They pay. They play.