How much were top high school football recruits in the 1980s getting paid under the table?

Not $100k. Maybe a new car to the most elite RB or QB at a friend of the program's dealership.

100K in 1980?

I'll take "man who doesn't understand money for $500, Alex"

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I'm thinking a 5 star QB would get $100,000 easy.

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your assumption is to high per chatgpt ...

.... If you mean elite high-school football prospects being paid or given inducements to choose a college, the best contemporary evidence suggests the going rate in the mid-1980s was roughly $10,000–$20,000 for a top recruit, although the numbers varied enormously by player and school. A contemporary Los Angeles Times report explicitly cited recruiters and coaches estimating $10,000–$20,000 for a top-quality high-school recruit, while the NCAA's former executive director said even $20,000 might be an underestimate. ?

But there were some much bigger outliers:

David Stanley ? SMU: Stanley said SMU assistant coach P.J. "Bootsie" Larsen offered him $25,000 just to sign, followed by $750 per month while he played there. The allegations were reported in 1986; Larsen and SMU officials denied them at the time.
Eric Dickerson: In 1987, Dickerson said that while he was one of the nation's most heavily recruited high-school backs, a school had sent someone to his house with a briefcase containing $50,000. He said he rejected the offer and didn't identify the school.
SMU generally: NCAA findings documented cash inducements to recruits' families, including $5,000 to one prospect's family and promises of $300 monthly during his college career; other recruits' families received amounts up to $2,000.
Texas A&M: A former player told investigators/reporters he received $20,000 from an A&M booster after signing in 1982.

There's an important distinction, though: the famous $10K–$20K figure was an estimate of the recruiting market, not a universal price tag. Some prospects got relatively small amounts—hundreds of dollars, cars, trips, meals, or help with family expenses—while the very biggest stars could apparently command $25K–$50K+ in extraordinary cases.

And once a player actually enrolled, the money could become a monthly stipend rather than a one-time recruiting payment. At SMU, for example, the NCAA found 13 football players received a combined $47,000 during 1985–86, with individual payments ranging from $50 to $725 per month.

So, in today's terms: the 1980s "price" for a truly blue-chip football recruit appears to have been low five figures, with $20K–$25K being a credible upper-end figure and $50K an extraordinary reported offer.

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How much were top high school football recruits in the 1980s getting paid under the table?

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'Bout tree-fiddy...

I can tell you a story I know -

Two lsu football players in the 80s needed money to buy presents for their girlfriends for Christmas.

They came and mowed a lawn - one did it the first day. One mowed the whole yard again on the second day. It was December - grass ain’t growing quick but it still took time and effort for them to do the job.

This was all legal as they actually did the work. By the following year the ncaa has changed some rules and they weren’t able to do it like that anymore.

ETA - no sure what they were paid but I’m guessing it was on the higher end of the rates at the time.

Bubby Brister got $40,000 to go to Tulane and the coach decided to play his son instead.

About 15 or so years ago, I flew some Virginia Beach guys down for games, and then handed them five dead presidents for spending money, Not a lot, but plenty

Shaq said he had hardly any money when he went to LSU

I remember one evening walking with Greg “Cookie Man” Cook as he went to turnoff lights in one of the classroom halls. This was back in ‘79.
Believe he got $100/week to do that 10 minute chore a few times a week.
I remember asking him if I could get one of these jobs and he sort of chuckled and said, I don’t think golfers get these jobs.