Alabama's Jaylen Mbakwe inks NIL deal with Collegiate Legends, debuts custom action figure
With his first regular season in the books, Alabama cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe secured a unique NIL deal. He is debuting a custom action figure through a partnership with Collegiate Legends.
Mbakwe is one of the faces of Collegiate Legends’ Signature Series, which debuted earlier this week. Each action figure features an autograph, and prices start at $100.
Mbakwe is the second Alabama player to ink an NIL deal with Collegiate Legends. Malachi Moore was the first in August and his action figure launched in November. But Mbakwe will help lead the Signature Series as part of his deal, and the company has plans to expand its list of partnerships to 10 schools next season.
“The action figure is a BIG DEAL!” Mbakwe said in a statement to On3. “Man, it’s something I dreamed of since a little kid and now being one is actually crazy.”
As part of the launch, Mbakwe made a trip to Clay Elementary School in his hometown of Clay, Alabama. He brought a bag full of the action figures for each student, which is part of his plan to give back through the partnership.
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“The smiles and the way the kids’ faces light up made me even happier,” Mbakwe said. “It’s a blessing to be in a position to be able to give back.”
Mbakwe is coming off a solid freshman season at Alabama, where he was a key contributor on defense. In 12 appearances during the regular season, he totaled 15 tackles – including a tackle for loss – and an interception while recording two passes defended.
Jaylen Mbakwe arrived in Tuscaloosa as a Five Star Plus+ recruit, meaning he was one of the only players ranked by all four major recruiting media companies as a five star. The Pinson (Ala.) Clay-Chalkville product was the No. 16 overall player and No. 2-ranked cornerback from the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.