Scholarship offers are "actual contracts" as well. A college athlete must also do what's best for them, just as you say an NFL athlete must do. There is little to no difference between these scenarios. If you doubt this, watch what happens over the next few years. This will be full blown free agency.
The NCAA can no longer put restrictions on kids like they did in decades past. This is their best effort to maintain college football and basketball without having to pay these kids. The big lie of, "Oh you're getting a $200K college education for free" is dying on the vine.
Think of it like this: A kid on academic scholarship can make money tutoring other kids. A kid on a music scholarship can teach music lessons for money on the side and can put out their own music for sale. But a kid on an athletic scholarship has been prevented from "benefiting from their own likeness" (meaning they cannot sell autographs, get paid for appearances, etc.) and cannot financially benefit from their talent in any way. (can't teach football lessons to middle school kids, etc.)