The question was about defensive line recruiting, but Brian Kelly turned it into something of a mission statement regarding NIL.

LSU entered the spring transfer portal window looking to shore up its interior defensive line after losing Maason Smith, Jordan Jefferson and Mekhi Wingo to the NFL draft. The Tigers have pursued a number of high-profile defensive linemen in the transfer portal, but thus far have been unable to land one.

Kelly was asked about the topic during an interview Tuesday with reporter Jacques Doucet of Baton Rouge TV station WAFB. He was quite blunt in his assessment, indicating LSU had been outbid for defensive linemen in the transfer portal.

“We were in the market in recruiting in the transfer portal, looking for defensive linemen,” Kelly said. “It hasn’t fared very well, quite frankly. Because we’re selling something a little differently and that is — we want to recruit, we want to engage, build relationships, develop, retain, and have success.

“We’re not in the market of buying players. And unfortunately, right now, that’s what some guys are looking for. They want to be bought.”

In the past, LSU and programs like them have been able to sell an NFL future to top-level recruits. Just last month, the Tigers had quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas selected in the first round of the NFL draft.

That’s apparently no longer good enough in the NIL area, however. Rather than receive NIL opportunities such as endorsement deals and autograph signings once they’re already on campus, recruits now want cash up front.

And that’s a turnoff for Kelly. It’s a sentiment expressed by many coaches in recent months, most notably recently retired Nick Saban of Alabama.

“Look, I understand that NIL is part of this, and we have an incredible collective,” Kelly said. “We have very, very generous opportunities around the Baton Rouge area for NIL opportunities. They are here. But we’re not gonna go out and buy players. That’s not what this is about.

“We will develop you and get you ready for the next step. As we did with Jayden Daniels as we did with Malik Nabers, as we did with Brian Thomas. We developed three defensive linemen that all got drafted this year and we’ll do that again.

“But if you’re just looking to get paid, you’re looking in the wrong place. If you like all the things we do here in developing our players, bringing you into a championship program, playing in front of the best fanbase in America, playing for championships, and having an opportunity for NIL — you should be a Tiger. If you just want to get paid, this is not the place for you.”

Kelly is 20-7 in two seasons at LSU, including an SEC West championship in 2022. The Tigers open the 2024 season Sept. 1 vs. USC in Las Vegas.

You can watch the full interview with Brian Kelly below: