I would not mind the athletes getting paid. Many questions then arise:
Do the athletes get a standard amount, no matter their talent level, or do they negotiate for compensation? If so, can they hire professional negotiators since the schools will certainly have professionals? Are the students bound to a school, or can they offer their services to the highest bidder when their contract expires? It gets complex, which is great training for the real world, but will require even more rules than exist now. And there will be winners and losers, so don’t expect less controversy.