7X National champ Nick Saban & Cavinder Twins among special invitees for NIL roundtable by US Senator Ted Cruz

The former Alabama head coach, Nick Saban, and the Cavinder Twins will attend US Senator Ted Cruz's college sports roundtable on Capitol Hill next week.

According to On3, Cruz's office announced their plans to host a NIL roundtable in Washington, D.C. The objective of the roundtable will be focused on:

“The urgent need for Congress to find consensus and pass bipartisan legislation to codify name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for student-athletes.”

The full list of guests includes US Senator Jerry Moran, Nick Saban, NIL stars Hanna Cavinder and Haley Cavinder, Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne, Collective Association president Russell White, NIL attorney Darren Heitner and ACC commissioner Jim Philips.

Cruz distributed a discussion draft in July to ensure that student-athletes are not employed. The draft also includes a state law preemption provision, which would prevent states from implementing legislation governing compensation, athlete eligibility, job status, or NIL.

Will Nick Saban speak out about his NIL views?

The seven-time national championship-winning coach retired in January and sent the world of college football into shock. Recently, Nick Saban shared how NIL has changed the mentality of college athletes.

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80% of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?" Saban said.

The coach clarified that Alabama's football program prioritized creating opportunities in the NFL and developing skills to obtain academic success. He also mentioned that student-athletes nowadays only play for NIL deals.

"I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years," Saban added.

His statement elicited mixed reactions from fans. While some supported and understood Saban's statements, others thought that he was entirely against NIL deals.

Nick Saban will now have the chance to convey his thoughts in front of other senators. Are you interested in knowing the outcome of the meeting? If yes, then let us know your thoughts!