Jaheim Bell drops Florida State merchandise following transfer commitment

Jaheim Bell announced his transfer to Florida State on Monday afternoon.

Within an hour, the former South Carolina tight end had posted new merchandise on Twitter. If Bell’s move Monday shows anything, it’s the impact has made in a NIL-fueled college football landscape.

Included in the new apparel from Bell is multiple Florida State shirts, along with a set of sweatshirts featuring Seminoles logos and his No. 6. On one hoodie, it has the tight end’s “Standin’ on business” motto. Prices vary from $30 to $50.

While Bell does currently have a contract with South Carolina’s Garnet Trust through the year, Bell wanted a larger role in the offense following his breakout 2021 season. He went through three coordinators in three years with the Gamecocks, too.

A 6-foot-3, 232-pound junior, he made five starts for South Carolina a year ago with 30 receptions for 497 yards and five touchdowns. But this season did not come together how Bell planned. The tight end finished with just 231 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 12 games.

Bell’s move only adds to the Florida State passing game. With quarterback Jordan Travis set to return, there’s little doubt the transfer will make an immediate impact with two years of eligibility remaining. The Seminoles are also losing Camren McDonald to graduation. He finished with 312 receiving yards this past season, ranking fourth on the team in receiving yards.

Jaheim Bell’s rising NIL potential

Transferring to Florida State also provides a new, fresh start with untapped opportunities. Bell was included in the SAXX Underwear deal as one of the campaign’s lead brand ambassadors, which helped raise awareness and funds for testicular cancer.

The Battles End, a Florida State-focused NIL collective, formally launched last week. Since then, it has announced more than a dozen signings, including Travis. The main focus of the organization is on roster retention. And it has grabbed the attention of players in the portal.

“I’m not going to tell you that I’m John Ruiz and I have unlimited money,” The Battles End president Ingram Smith previously told On3. “But I will tell you that we can be as competitive as we want to be in this space.”

The new Florida State tight end currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $77,000. With more than 42,000 social media followers, his evaluation ranks in the top 600 of the college football NIL rankings.

The On3 NIL Valuation is a proprietary algorithm that calculates an athlete’s projected annual value in the NIL landscape. It factors in an athlete’s performance, influence and exposure.

The On3 NIL Valuation accounts for an athlete’s roster value and brand value. Roster value is the value an athlete has by being a member of his or her team at his or her school, which factors into the role of NIL collectives. Brand value factors in an athlete’s personal brand and the value it could bring to regional and national brands outside of the scope of NIL collectives.