Beats by Dre signs 11 college football players in second 'Beats Elite' NIL campaign

Beats by Dre is returning to college football this fall.

The audio software company formally launched its second “Beats Elite” campaign, signing NIL deals with 11 college football players. The athletes will be featured across various marketing campaigns and wear custom Beats products.

Beats has reached across the landscape again, signing a handful of top college football stars:

• Carson Beck – Georgia, QB
• Johntay Cook II – Texas, WR
• Jaxson Dart – Ole Miss, QB
• Caleb Downs – Ohio State, S
• Dillon Gabriel – Oregon, QB
• Nico Iamaleava – Tennessee, QB
• Will Johnson – Michigan, DB
• Jalen Milroe – Alabama, QB
• Shedeur Sanders – Colorado, QB
• Malaki Starks – Georgia, DB
• DJ Uiagalelei – Florida State, QB

As part of the second edition of “Beats Elite,” the brand teamed with Learfield to secure intellectual property rights so athletes’ universities can be featured on headphones and speaker designs with logos and mascots.

In recent days, Milroe and Uiagalelei gifted their entire teams Beats by Dre headphones before the start of the season.

“We’re excited to bring back another Beats Elite class with this impressive group of athletes,” Beats CMO Chris Thorne told On3 in a statement. “College football has a special energy around it, and we look forward to being part of these young stars’ journeys this season.”

The 11 athletes have a combined 4.2 million social media followers, something brands prioritize in major marketing campaigns. Each athlete has since posted about the deal with their school on social media platforms.

Since the inception of NIL in 2021, Beats has emerged as a heavy spender in college sports. The brand has previously partnered with Bijan Robinson and Bronny James. Beats also mounted a college basketball campaign, signing Drew Timme along with North Carolina’s Deja Kelly, Stanford’s Haley Jones and Kansas’ Gradey Dick.

Beats signs star-studded list

The audio brand went all-in on its second edition of “Beats Elite,” making sure to sign some of the top NIL stars in college football.

Sanders finished his first season at Colorado with throwing for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also threw just three interceptions despite being sacked 52 times in 2023. His On3 NIL Valuation of $4.7 million is the top-ranked valuation in college football. It’s also No. 1 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.

A Heisman Trophy candidate entering the 2024 season, Dart has thrown for 7,691 yards with 52 touchdowns and just 21 interceptions. With a 17−10 overall record in two seasons at Ole Miss, he’s poised for the most anticipated season in Oxford in recent memory. With more than 143,000 social media followers, the quarterback holds an On3 NIL Valuation of $1.6 million which is No. 11 in the On3 NIL 100.

Milroe finished 2023 with 2,718 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also racked up 468 yards on the ground and led the team in rushing touchdowns with 12. Milroe has built an impressive NIL portfolio, touting deals with Rhoback, the NIL collective Yea Alabama and Hey Dude. His On3 NIL Valuation sits at $1.7 million.

Beck finished last season throwing for 3,738 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. The Bulldogs finished 12-1 in 2023, their lone loss coming to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. He recently inked a season-long partnership with Airstar Charter. The senior’s $1.4 million On3 NIL Valuation ranks in the top 10 of college football.

Iamaleava is entering his sophomore season and his first as Tennessee’s starting quarterback. He finished his freshman season with 314 passing yards and two touchdowns, starting the Volunteers bowl game. He also rushed for three scores in the game. Iamaleava has a $1.2 million On3 NIL Valuation.

A SEC Freshman of the Year and second-team All-American as a true freshman, Downs closed out his true freshman season with 107 total tackles, which ranked fourth in the SEC. He also tallied 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Now at Ohio State, he touts a $817,000 On3 NIL Valuation.