Cooper Flagg vs. Shedeur Sanders NIL deals: Exploring top athletes' sponsorships amid Duke star's reported $28 million earnings

Cooper Flagg and Shedeur Sanders are two prominent young athletes who have achieved significant success and recognition in their respective sports. Shedeur, the son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, was a fifth-round pick in April, while Flagg is projected to be the No. 1 selection in this year's NBA draft.

Although they have both left their college careers behind, their earnings have undergone a paradigm shift with the advent of NIL endorsement deals. Here's a comparative analysis of Flagg and Sanders' NIL deals, highlighting their notable sponsorships.

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Cooper Flagg vs. Shedeur Sanders NIL deals and collaborations

Based on the NIL valuations on their On3 profiles, Shedeur Sanders is estimated to make more money than Cooper Flagg from endorsements and deals.

Sanders, a quarterback of the Cleveland Browns, has a NIL valuation of $6.5 million. Meanwhile, Flagg, who finished his freshman season at Duke averaging 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds, has a $4.8 million NIL valuation.

On Friday, sports journalist Howard Bryant revealed that Flagg's NIL earnings with the Blue Devils were in the neighborhood of $28 million.

"He had a 13 million deal with New Balance and then $15 million with Fanatics," Bryant said to CBS Sports' Bob Costas.

The number showed Flagg making five times more money than his estimated NIL valuation. However, it's unlikely that he received the amount in a lump sum payment. Flagg's deals with New Balance and Fanatics are multi-year partnerships that guarantee him that amount throughout the contract.

Flagg also has other major NIL deals with the likes of Gatorade and Cort Furniture.

As for Sanders, he had NIL deals with over a dozen brand partners. These include Nike, 5430 Alliance, Google, Beats by Dre, Mercedes-Benz, Urban Outfitters and Oikos, among others. His rookie NFL contract with the Browns is worth $4.6 million — less than what he made in college through NIL deals.

Cooper Flagg projected to earn $62 million from initial NBA contract

Cooper Flagg's rookie NBA contract is estimated to be worth more than what he earned from his NIL deals, unlike Shedeur Sanders. The quarterback was the No. 144 pick, while Flagg is a consensus top selection.

According to Sportrac's NBA rookie scale, the No. 1 pick is projected to earn more than $62 million from a four-year contract. Flagg is expected to land with the Dallas Mavericks.