In Today’s college football world, NIL money is opening new doors for athletes to invest in. Behren Morton, the starting QB for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, made headlines after using his earnings to buy a plot of land. He recently opened up about it in an interview.
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Most parents nowadays would tell all of these college athletes making millions through NIL to spend their money wisely. Many tend to spend their money on depreciating assets, like a new car or a new phone. But not Morton.
The Texas Tech QB is going a different route. He bought land in West Texas that has everything from ducks to deer. For him, it’s a safe spot he likes to escape to every now and then.
“It’s in Cross Plains, it’s a small little town, kind of by my parents. 150 acres. We got everything you want. Ducks, deer, varmints, everything. It’s a lot of fun. It’s kind of my safe spot,” Morton shared via FOX College Football on Twitter.
In July of 2022, Morton signed with the Matador Club. They’re a collective NIL group for Texas Tech that pays 100 players $25k annually. According to On3, he’s currently valued at around $1.7 million, making him one of the highest-paid QBs in college football.
Texas Tech QB Behren Morton bought land in West Texas with his NIL money
More from the hometown kid as @MattLeinartQB‘s Power Player of the week. pic.twitter.com/5lkzl4koMY
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 18, 2025
Morton has plans for the plot, too. He said he wants to turn it into a ranch and call it “White Cross Ranch.” It’s named after his favorite play in the Texas Tech air raid playbook. And maybe one day, the QB could even start to generate a profit from the investment.
For now, though, Morton doesn’t have any extravagant plans for the space. He bought it simply because it looked like somewhere he’d enjoy spending his free time. In the near future, when the Red Raiders go on bye, he said he plans to bring his offensive linemen out to the ranch and show them around. He definitely sounds like the type who enjoys hunting and spending time outdoors.
All in all, it’s pretty neat that Morton decided to buy a plot of land with his NIL money. He has the chance to live a prosperous life with the asset, even if football doesn’t work out. That’s called putting your money to good use and being responsible.
