Four-star TE recruit Brock Harris announces first NIL deal with Defense Drinks

Brock Harris of Saint George (Utah) Pine View is one of the nation’s most coveted recruits in the Class of 2026.

The four-star recruit ranks as the No. 26 overall prospect and the top tight-end recruit in the country, according to the On3 Industry Raking. And Harris’ offer list is just as impressive as his overall ranking as top programs like Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, BYU, Utah, Georgia and others are in hot pursuit.

And because Harris lives in Utah – where high school student-athletes can participate in name, image and likeness activities without jeopardizing eligibility – he’s able to capitalize on the recruiting attention through NIL deals.

Harris announced his first NIL deal with Defense Drinks on Tuesday. It was a deal facilitated by NIL Sports Inc., which represents Harris in NIL partnerships.

Interestingly, Harris posted on September about trying to find a way to try the collagen pre-workout supplement. Fast forward less than a month later and he’s got an agreement with the company.

“If you’re anything like me after practices, workouts and especially games I get very tired, very sore and my energy levels get really low,” Harris said in the post announcing the NIL deal. “For the past three weeks or so, I’ve been using Defense on the daily, and the difference is super crazy.

“I’m feeling really good thanks to this stuff. It takes great. And the really cool thing about it is the science behind the whole thing.”

My first NIL Deal! I love this stuff. @DefenseDrinks is so good! Go to their website and pick yourself up some. It’s on sale right now. Use my code at checkout and get an additional 10% off. You won’t regret it. pic.twitter.com/ul0HdscI88

— Brock Harris (@BrockHarris2026) October 10, 2023

Brock Harris has big NIL potential

The partnership with Defense Drinks is Brock Harris’ first NIL deal, but it likely won’t be his last.

Even though he still only has a handful of social media followers, his status as the nation’s No. 1 overall tight-end recruit and list of top programs pursuing him gives him ample opportunity to build an audience in the coming months.

As a 2026 recruit, he’s got several years ahead of him in the high school ranks. Plus, now that he’s shown interest in working with brands, he should see an uptick of opportunities down the road.

The Utah High School Activities Association approved new rules in January 2022 that allow high school student-athletes to participate in NIL activities without losing eligibility. One of the caveats is that Harris and other Utah high schoolers are prohibited from wearing school uniforms in NIL activities.

Last week the Georgia High School Association became the 34th athletic association to allow student-athletes to participate in NIL activities without forfeiting playing high school sports.

The exact number of high school associations that allow NIL is somewhat murky because of limitations with some activities and pending state legislation. However, the Florida High School Athletic Association also recently announced it’s drafting a new NIL policy for review.

Harris has an On3 NIL Valuation of $69,000. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

Harris busy taking unofficial visits

Brock Harris has been on the road a lot during this college football season.

This past weekend he was in College Station for an unofficial visit to watch the Aggies face Alabama. He’s also checked out BYU a couple of times and was also at a Utah game. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, BYU has a 19.5% chance of landing his commitment. The Cougars are followed closely by Oklahoma at 17.1%.