Cheez-It signs Iowa, Tennessee players to 'cheeziest' NIL deals ahead of Citrus Bowl

Cheez-It returned to the NIL space with a statement.

The go-to cheese cracker snack signed four athletes to NIL deals ahead of the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl between Iowa and Tennessee on New Year’s Day. 

Tennessee receiver Ramel Keyton and running back Dylan Sampson and Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins and cornerback Sebastian Castro signed deals with the brand.

As part of the agreement, each athlete gets to participate in the Cheez-It Flexin’ Section, a first-of-its-kind barbershop and spa-inspired experience on the field at Camping World Stadium. The barbershop is staffed by all-star athlete barber Kenny Duncan, who has worked with Michael B. Jordan, the Philadelphia 76ers and more.

Along with the NIL deals, the Cheez-It Flexin’ Section services give fans a whole new way to show off their love of Cheez-It with looks to rock their go-to game day snack from head to toe, literally. 

According to Cheez-It, the absurdly cheezy destination, dedicated to creating the cheeziest superfan makeovers, will dish out one-of-a-kind Cheez-It-ified treatments including orange hair dye jobs, mani/cheddiz (get it?), cheez-scented massages and the chance to soak up all the action from the literal hottest seats in the house – the Cheez-It on-field hot tub.

“After last year’s excitement around our ‘Feelin’ the Cheeziest’ Hotel Rooms, we knew we had to take the fan and player experience to the next level,” Cara Tragselier, senior brand director for Cheez-It said in a news release. 

“Cheez-Itis all about elevating game day excitement and celebrating the absurdly obsessed fans of all things football, from the game to the food. We cannot wait to unveil the Cheez-It Flexin’ Section to give fans the most epic game viewing experience and all the tools to show their pride for their favorite team and their favorite snack.”

What else is involved in Cheez-It NIL deal?

Along with the barbershop experience, Keyton, Sampson, Higgins and Castro will also have exclusive access to the players-only Cheez-It Flexin’ Section, where they get an unlimited supply of Cheez-It snacks.

Fans looking to experience the Cheez-It Flexin’ Section will have to prove that they’re “Feelin’ the Cheeziest” by heading to the free pregame FanFest just outside Camping World Stadium and getting one of the complimentary Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Cutz, courtesy of onsite stylists and barbers dishing up fresh trims and other cheezy services.

Fans who get the most absurd look on the menu at FanFest have a chance to gain access to the on-field V.I.Cheez seats in the Cheez-It Flexin’ Section, where even more cheezy, exclusive to the on-field services and prime game views await them.

Cheez-It was started in 1921 by the Green & Green Company and is now manufactured by Kellogg. The snacks have grown in pop culture, too, with its TV ads. Cheez-It signed as the title sponsor for the former Camping World Bowl in 2020.

Sebastian Castro has impressive On3 NIL Valuation

While he doesn’t have a massive social media presence, Sebastian Castro is one of the top defenders in the country, which boosts his On3 NIL Valuation.

Castro, who earned third-team All-America honors from the Associated Press and All-Big Ten honors, has an On3 NIL Valuation of $414,000. That ranks No. 151 in college football.

Higgins is another standout for the Hawkeyes on defense. He was a first-team All-American, per FWAA, Phil Steele and Sports Illustrated. Higgins On3 NIL Valuation is $167,000. That number climbed 15% over the past 10 weeks.

Additionally, Keyton has a knack for making big catches in his career for the Volunteers and the NIL deal is a perfect way to cap off his fifth year for UT. His On3 NIL Valuation is $148,000. Sampson, a sophomore who had eight regular-season touchdowns in 2023, has an On3 NIL Valuation of $68,000.

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.

About On3 NIL Valuation, Brand Value, Roster Value

While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career.