Which former college football stars could have banked on the NCAA's new NIL rules?
just in share facebook twitter reddit link  Thursday marked a new day in collegiate athletics. The NCAA approved a new interim policy that went into effect on July 1, allowing athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness (NIL). While plenty of current student-athletes got in on the act right away, swaths of former NCAA stars were left to wonder what could have been. The college football ranks have seen some huge names throughout the years, and none of those players were able to legally (in the eyes of the NCAA) cash in on their NIL. Social media threw out some instantly recognizable names. Below are some of the stars that were bandied about, along with highlights and accolades from their respective collegiate careers. Tim Tebow  Played: Quarterback for Florida Gators from 2006 to 2009  Quick history: Under Urban Meyer, Tebow and the Gators dominated the college football landscape in the mid-to-late aughts. In his four seasons in Gainesville, Tebow completed 67.1% of his passes for a whopping 9,286 yards and 88 touchdowns. He also rushed for 2,947 yards and 57 touchdowns in his 55 games played for the Gators. He lost just seven games in his collegiate career, too. After one of those losses, in 2008 to Ole Miss, Tebow delivered his iconic "I Promise" speech. He kept that promise, leading the Gators to a BCS National Championship victory that season, the second of his career. Along the way, he also picked up a Heisman Trophy in 2007 and collected more records than a music shop. He parlayed that success into being selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Reggie Bush  Played: Running back for USC Trojans from 2003 to 2005  Quick history: Bush was a human highlight reel for the Trojans and a jack of all trades for head coach Pete Carroll. Bush could carry, catch, and return both punts and kicks. He amassed 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns rushing, 1,301 yards and 13 TDs receiving and 2,081 yards and four TDs on returns. As a result of his electric play, Bush was featured on the cover of EA Sports' NCAA Football 2007, which was released in 2006, a year after he left USC to join the NFL as the second overall pick. During his time at USC, Bush and the Trojans won the 2004 BCS National Championship and were named champions by the Associated Press in 2003 and 2004. He also won the Heisman Trophy in 2005, but both the BCS title and his Heisman were vacated as a result of the NCAA determining he had violated NCAA policies. Bush has attempted to appeal that decision numerous times and released a statement Thursday on his latest attempt to have his records and Heisman reinstated. Johnny Manziel  Played: Quarterback for Texas A&M Aggies from 2012 to 2013  Quick history: Few players have burst on the college football scene quite like Manziel did with the Aggies. As a freshman, Manziel completed 68.0% of his passes for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns. And as a true dual-threat, he racked up 1,410 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground. His signature game that season came against No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where the Aggies won 29-24. Manziel would go on to win the Heisman his freshman year, becoming the first freshman to do so. Known as "Johnny Football," Manziel actually registered the moniker as a trademark in 2013. Unfortunately, his NFL career didn't quite pan out, but there's no denying the attention he demanded in his two years at Texas A&M. Bo Jackson  Played: Running back, baseball, track and field for Auburn Tigers from 1982 to 1986  Quick history: Rightfully so, Jackson is hailed as one of the greatest pure athletes of all time. He did darn near everything during his time at Auburn, excelling on the gridiron, diamond and the track. He ran for more than 4,300 yards and scored 43 rushing touchdowns in four seasons, and hit .338 with 28 home runs in 90 games at Auburn. Oh, and he ran a 10.44 in the 100 meters at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds. Among all of that, he won the Heisman with the Tigers and was named the Player of the Year by "Sporting News" in 1985. To illustrate his earning potential, check out his "Bo Knows" advertisements as a pro. They were (and are) iconic campaigns. And though this note wouldn't apply to his ability to earn at the collegiate level, he's the only pro athlete to be named an All-Star in both the NFL and MLB. For more up-to-date news on all things College Football, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app! Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more.