General managers in college football have become commonplace with the rise of NIL, the transfer portal and roster building. Though largely avoiding the portal, the Clemson Tigers have one such GM: Jordan Sorrells.
Sorrells is in his second year as Clemson‘s general manager, and his 11th year overall with the football program.
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Clemson athletics describes Sorrell’s responsibilities:
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“Sorrells’ list of duties includes management of the prospect evaluation process, organizing prospect visits, prospect communications, coaches recruiting travel logistics and planning and executing recruiting events…
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“Throughout his time with the Tigers, Sorrells has helped guide Clemson’s roster-building, recruiting and retention efforts.”
On Thursday, USA TODAY Sports released its 2025 college football general manager and front office salary database. Here’s a breakdown of how much Sorrells earns as Clemson’s general manager, where he ranks among peers, and more.
How much money does Clemson football general manager Jordan Sorrells earn?
Clemson football general manager Jordan Sorrells ranks 19th among Power Four general managers in total pay at $390,000. His salary ranks 19th out of the 49 schools USA TODAY Sports’ database provided salary information on. Sorrells’ salary is one spot behind Georgia Tech’s J.J. Cosh ($410,000) and one spot ahead of NC State’s Andy Vaughn ($375,000).
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The Clemson general manager has a maximum bonus of $210,000. That number is actually one of the highest among his peers and ranks fifth overall in college football. California’s Ron Rivera, the former head coach of the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders, has the highest max bonus at $800,000.
North Carolina Tar Heels general manager Michael Lombardi ranks second behind Rivera in max bonuses, giving the ACC three coaches in the top five in that category. Ohio State Buckeyes GM Mark Pantoni (No. 3) and Kansas’ Rob Ianello (No. 4) are ahead of Sorrells.
The highest paid general managers in college football for 2025
Dec 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels general manager Michael Lombardi during the Bill Belichick hiring announcement at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
These are the 10 highest-paid college football general managers in 2025 based on total pay from USA TODAY Sports.
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1. Michael Lombardi, North Carolina: $1,510,000
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T-2. Mark Pantoni, Ohio State: $900,000
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T-2. Marshall Malchow, Oregon: $900,000
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4. Courtney Morgan, Alabama: $825,000
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5. Austin Thomas, LSU: $800,000
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6. Pat Stewart, Nebraska: $800,000
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7. Ron Rivera, California: $800,000
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8. Jim Nagy, Oklahoma: $750,000
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9. Vince Marrow, Louisville: $714,000
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10. Brandon Harris, Texas: $600,000
ACC football: highest paid general managers, front office salaries
Sep 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the ACC logo on an end zone pylon during the game between the SMU Mustangs and the Baylor Bears at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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1. Michael Lombardi, North Carolina: $1,510,000
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2. Ron Rivera, California: $800,000
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3. Vince Marrow, Louisville: $714,000
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4. Tyler Jones, Virginia: $480,000
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5. J.J. Cosh, Georgia Tech: $410,000
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6. Jordan Sorrells, Clemson: $390,000
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7. Andy Vaughn, NC State: $375,000
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8. Darrick Yray, Florida State: $300,000
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9. Michael Hazel, Virginia Tech: $200,000
Salaries not including in USA TODAY Sports’ database: Miami, Duke, Wake Forest, Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford.
What is Clemson football general manager Jordan Sorrells’ buyout?
Buyouts are always a big thing in college football, and that extends into the relatively new wave of general managers at the collegiate level. Clemson’s Jordan Sorrells has a school buyout of $455,000 as of Dec. 1, 2025, which places him just outside the top 10 at No. 11 among college football GMs.
Here are the 10 college football general managers with the biggest buyouts in 2025, per USA TODAY Sports’ database. Not surprisingly, UNC’s Michael Lombardi tops this list, as well.
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1. Michael Lombardi, North Carolina: $3,187,500
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T-2. Mark Pantoni, Ohio State: $2,050,000
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T-2. Vince Marrow, Louisville: $2,050,000
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4. Pat Stewart, Nebraska: $1,883,333
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5. Courtney Morgan, Alabama: $1,289,063
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6. James Blanchard, Texas Tech: $787,500
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7. Austin Thomas, LSU: $765,000
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8. Brandon Harris, Texas: $750,000
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9. Andy Vaughn, NC State: $468,750
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10. Sean Magee, Michigan: $460,000
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson football GM Jordan Sorrells, his total pay and salary ranking
