Please just figure out a way to pay kids for 3-5 year contracts. The portal, way more than NIL, is sucking all the joy out of this sport, but I can acknowledge that my interests as a fan only coincidentally and partially align with those of the players trading their services and health for my entertainment.
As a competitive measure, that’s not a bad solution, but the issue always boils down to what does college football demand from a player in return for their scholarship, etc. It’s effectively a job, and if the amateurism horse hasn’t bolted, then the door is hanging on by like one rusty bolt, so the NCAA can’t (and really… shouldn’t) try to reel it back in towards the old days.
I think there are smart enough people involved that you can save the non-revenue sports that the schools would like to save, and most full-ride athletes will have a market value that’s very well served by living expenses and a tuition waiver. Just rip off the bandaid with football and basketball.