If you're reporting on the public actions of athletes, their actual game performances, do you believe NIL comes into play? If someone pins an article entitled, "Our Picks for The Pick", an article about the most prolific INT throwers in college, does that cross a line? What if the aubrun QB was deemed the winner, and they added in a zinger regarding his Milo's endorsement, like, "how'd he like that cup of tea" or "he should endorse huckleberry turnovers".
I'd say no.