College athletes were able to capitalize on their name, image and likeness (NIL) after the NCAA approved the bill in 2021. Since then, many student-athletes have signed lucrative deals with big brands such as Nike, StockX, Crocs, New Balance and Nautica.
Let's take a look at five popular college athletes who have the highest NIL valuations in 2024.
5 college athletes with the highest NIL valuation in 2024
#1 Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders is one of the sons of Pro Football Hall of Fame star Deion Sanders. He is the starting quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes and is predicted to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Shedeur was the first college football player to sign an NIL deal with Nike and now has a valuation of $5.1 million, as per On3 Sports.
Apart from collaborating with Nike, he has also worked with Gatorade, Beats by Dre, Google, Urban Outfitters, Under Armour, Mercedes-Benz, Actively Black and Brady Brands. The Tyler, Texas, native has 2.6 million followers across his various social media profiles.
#2 Olivia Dunne
Olivia — or "Livvy" — Dunne, is a star gymnast of the LSU Tigers and rose to prominence on social media after uploading videos on TikTok. The Westwood, New Jersey, native is the most followed NCAA athlete on social media, with over 13.6 million followers across all of her social media accounts.
Dunne has an NIL valuation of $4 million, per On3 Sports, making her the second-highest college athlete earner and the first among women athletes. Her collaborations include deals with Passes, Nautica, Proplan, Omaha Productions, Leaf Trading Cards, Motorola, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, ESPN, Body Armor, Forever 21 and American Eagle Outfitters.
#3 Travis Hunter
Travis Hunter is the two-way star of the Colorado Buffaloes and a teammate and close friend of Shedeur Sanders. Hunter is predicted to be a top pick in the 2025 NFL draft; however, it is not known which position he will end up playing in the league. The former five-star recruit has cemented himself as one of the most impressive and talented football players in college football this season.
With an NIL valuation of $3.1 million, as per On3 Sports, he is the third college athlete on the list. He has signed deals with United Airlines, Celsius, Rock 'Em Socks, EA Sports, American Eagle Outfitters, 7-Eleven, KastKing, NXTRND and Actively Black.
#4 Arch Manning
Arch Manning is the nephew of iconic NFL brothers Peyton and Eli Manning. He is the backup quarterback for Quinn Ewers at the Steve Sarkisian-led Texas Longhorns. Although there were many rumors about him transferring from Texas, they did not come true. Fans were able to see a trailer of his football abilities when Ewers was taken out of the Week 3 game.
With an NIL valuation of $3.1 million, as per On3 Sports, he's the fourth college athlete on the list. He has signed NIL deals with EA Sports and Panini America — a multiyear partnership.
#5 Quinn Ewers
A former five-star recruit from Southlake Carroll, Ewers is the fifth college athlete who has the highest NIL valuation. Though he was expected to declare for the 2024 NFL draft, he came back to the Longhorns squad as the starting QB. Ewers is a top Heisman candidate with an NIL valuation of $2.2 million, as per On3 Sports.
Ewers has signed NIL deals with New Era, Athletic Brewing Company, Dr. Pepper, Hulu, Nicholas Air, EA Sports, Texas One Fund, 7-Eleven and HEYDUDE Shoes.
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