Should college athletes be paid?

I agree with you.  The reason I am saying they should get paid by the NCAA is that right now they can not make any money from brand deals and sponsorships.  I do not see a reason why athletes should not get sponsored.

College athletes shouldn't be paid by the school, however the NCAA shouldn't stop them from getting sponsorships or brand deals

This is something that a lot of people I have talked to have wanted.  The whole reason that the games were stopped was that there was a lawsuit filed by a former college athlete because they did not get paid for their appearance in the game.

https://www.businessinsider.com/electronic-arts-ea-college-sports-ncaa-football-basketball-2019-10

College students shouldn't be paid if they already have a scholarship. If they are paying for their school, then they should get paid because they are getting the school fame and popularity. 

The NCAA does not allow athletes to make money off their names.  This could be an alternative to colleges paying them.  It does not make sense if college athletes put in the same amount of work as professional athletes and they do not get any benefits.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2724894-ucf-kicker-donald-de-la-haye-ruled-ineligible-by-ncaa-over-youtube-channel

Some say that most college athletics programs do not have the funds for these kinds of expenses, and  the NCAA reports that just 24 Football Bowl Subdivision schools were profitable in 2014.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/opinion/pay-college-athletes.html

A handful of programs would pay top dollar for a select few athletes, while other schools would get caught up in a bidding war they couldn’t afford.

While not all student-athletes are on scholarship, many are. This is especially true for those who are playing for athletic programs that are competing for national championships. In addition to free tuition and room and board, these college athletes also often receive stipends to help towards books and other basic needs. This money does not have to be paid back. Most other students are not receiving these benefits. Student-athletes already have it easier, financially, than most of the students at their school.

https://smartasset.com/retirement/should-student-athletes-be-paid

At the end of the day college athletes are students first. 

Athletes are also going into different leagues like the G league because they get paid.

Athletes are going overseas because they get paid.

If college athletes were paid, it would be better for the athletes and the public and for education.