On Monday, Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley signed a contract that will pay him $2.627 million to play football for a full season. Also on Monday, USC quarterback Caleb Williams did a deal that has pushed his NIL valuation to nearly that amount.
According to Pete Nakos of On3.com, via Sports Business Journal, Williams has signed an endorsement deal with Neutrogena.
His NIL valuation reportedly has increased to $2.6 million, second highest in college football. He also has deals with Athletic Brewing Company, Fanatics, AT&T, Beats by Dre, and AC+ION Water.
Williams will most likely enter the NFL draft in 2024. Then again, given the money he’s making in college, maybe he won’t -- especially if he’s in line to be picked by an NFL team for which he’d rather not play.
That dynamic is coming, folks. Whether it’s guys staying in school to avoid playing for a bad team or guys sitting out and spending their NFL bankroll in lieu of signing with undesirable teams that picked them, the fact that college players are getting paid will give the richest of them unprecedented leverage, along with the ability to push back against a draft process that typically gives them no power at all.
