Travis Hunter returned to the football field in style on Thursday night, receiving seven passes for more than 100 yards and three touchdowns and playing more than 40 snaps on defense to help the University of Colorado win its home opener against North Dakota State.
Throughout his collegiate career, Hunter has translated his on-field success into lucrative deals with brands like Celsius, EA Sports, and American Eagle Outfitters — and his strong performance in week one suggests there’s more to come.
Name, image, and likeness deals — or NIL deals for short — have become a billion-dollar industry since their introduction to amateur sports in 2021, allowing student-athletes the opportunity to make significant amounts of money regardless of whether they have the option to turn pro.
Plus, in May, as part of a major antitrust settlement, the NCAA and its five power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) agreed that schools can directly pay their athletes for the first time in college athletics history.
Spencer Wadsworth, the senior vice president of global soccer at talent management firm Wasserman, told Business Insider that NIL has helped take the pressure off some athletes to go pro prematurely.
“There are different pressures that each person goes through, and I think knowing that you can still earn some living — technically get paid for your sport — and continue your studies is extremely positive because everyone does have their own journey,” he said.
Wadsworth added that NIL can teach athletes good habits when it comes to managing their money by giving them more support, rather than leaving them on their own as professionals.
And the amounts aren’t insignificant: Even at the college level, some athletes are valued at millions of dollars.
Media and technology company On3 uses an algorithm to track and update players’ NIL Valuations weekly.
NIL Valuations are calculated based on an athlete’s performance, influence, exposure, and deal data, which are used to create a Roster Value and an NIL Value.
According to On3, most athletes’ total NIL Valuations are based on their Roster Value, which is defined as “a calculation of an athlete’s respective value to their team,” similar to the salary professional athletes receive from their organizations.
Meanwhile, their NIL Value is related to how an athlete’s performance, influence, and exposure lead to additional advertising and sponsorships.
Their Roster Value plus their NIL Value creates their total NIL Valuation.
While these student-athletes have built names for themselves through their talents, skills, and social media savvy, some top NIL earners might have had some extra help attracting deals thanks to their legacy-bearing last names.
With valuations starting at $1.3 million, here’s a look at the top 10 student-athletes profiting the most from NIL. These figures were accurate as of August 30, 2024.
