Top five On3 NIL Valuations in Michigan, Penn State showdown

The entire leadup to the top-10 Michigan at Penn State matchup has been focused off the field.

Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. ET on Fox. But the attention Saturday morning will be on Jim Harbaugh and his temporary restraining order filed against the Big Ten in Washtenaw County. The league handed a three-game suspension to Harbaugh on Friday afternoon.

Michigan quickly moved to file the TRO, which would allow Harbaugh to coach Saturday in Happy Valley. Despite courts being closed on Friday for Veteran’s Day, a judge is expected to make a decision this morning.

There’s plenty of talent on the field, though. J.J. McCarthy can prove he’s ready to join the Heisman race, while the Nittany Lions can play the upset role.

On3 is breaking down the top-five On3 NIL Valuations ahead of Saturday’s Michigan-Penn State matchup:

1. J.J. McCarthy — $1.4 million

School: Michigan
Position: Quarterback
Followers: 292K

Michigan offensive lineman Karsen Barnhart shared this season that J.J. McCarthy has donated NIL money to his linemen in the past. 

“It shows the character that he has, and how much love and trust that he has in the offensive linemen,” Barnhart said. 

Over the last year and change, the quarterback secured an agreement with Dunkin’ at select metro Detroit locations, with his own item going up on menus. He’s worked closely with Valiant Management, securing opportunities with Eberg Capital, The M Den and Randy Wise Automotive Team. He’s worked with Bose and Alo Yoga. McCarthy’s a member of the inaugural “Beats Elite” class, too.

The Michigan quarterback possibly signed his most notable NIL deal yet earlier this week, signing on as an ambassador with Tom Brady’s BRADY Brand. The former Michigan quarterback rolled out a collection tapping into his Ann Arbor roots, featuring McCarthy and other Wolverine athletes.

McCarthy has his own foundation, called J.J. For the Kids, which aims to, “make a difference in the lives of kids in my communities, in the Chicagoland area and in Ann Arbor.” All donations are directed back towards the fund. 

The Michigan quarterback has thrown for 2,134 yards with 18 touchdowns and three interceptions this season. His name has been tossed around in the Heisman conversation, too. A win on Saturday when Michigan visits Penn State would only help.

2. Drew Allar — $1 million

School: Penn State
Position: Quarterback
Followers: 108K

Drew Allar, the No. 3 quarterback in the 2022 cycle, left Ohio for Penn State as a recruit. He spent last season learning behind Sean Clifford, impressing in. He was the clearcut starting quarterback in training camp this summer, though. Now in Year 2 working with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich‘s offense, he’s shown NFL draft prospect potential on some passes. Allar has a 62.8% completion percentage, passing for 1,895 yards, 20 touchdowns and just one interception. The 10th-ranked Nittany Lions struggled to establish a passing attack last month at Ohio State. Penn State can flip that script against Michigan on Saturday.

As the Penn State starting quarterback, Drew Allar has become a popular target for brands looking to spend dollars in NIL. The 6-foot-5, 243-pounder agreed to terms on a deal with Inch & Co. last December, receiving the keys to a Tesla. He also partnered with Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and the brand’s Mission Tiger program to present a $30,000 donation to Pennsylvania middle schools in July. Allar gifted his entire offensive line headphones in August through a deal with Bose. In the last couple of months, he’s promoted Hulu on his Instagram and signed with Urban Outfitters and Kiwiclo.

3. Blake Corum — $848,000

School: Michigan
Position: Running Back
Followers: 190K

When Blake Corum made the decision to return to Michigan, he cited unfinished business he wanted to attend to. The running back injured his left knee in November against Illinois. Removed from the Ohio State game after two plays, he didn’t want to exit his career without helping the Wolverines one last time in the Big House and College Football Playoff. 

Now he’s in the final three-game stretch of his regular season, ready to lead the Wolverines to a Big Ten title game. Corum probably wouldn’t have come for another year unless NIL existed, which has swayed multiple possible draft prospects in the last couple years.

Corum has emerged as one of the Big Ten’s NIL success stories. He has inked deals with Outback Steakhouse, The 33rd Team and Subway in the last two years. The former four-star recruit has worked multiple camps. The biggest success has come through flipping houses, a business venture he recently said he is hoping to turn into “an empire.” The Athletic reported earlier this year Corum could make over $1 million during his final year in Ann Arbor of NIL.

Records surfaced earlier this week of an LLC in Wyoming listing both Corum and former Michigan staff member Connor Stalions. Corum said he was unaware of the LLC until only before practice Tuesday; he contacted his attorney to intervene.

In recent weeks, he’s added NIL agreements with Wolverine Boots and 7-Eleven. Through the partnership with 7-Eleven, he is teaming up with luxury designer The Shoe Surgeon to create his own individual pair of custom cleats that fans can win through weekly auctions. Proceeds from each sale of custom cleats will go to Beaumont Children’s. His cleats will be released Nov. 24.

The Michigan tailback has rushed for 649 yards on 126 carries this season, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. With remaining games on the schedule against Penn State and Ohio State, he’ll have a chance to play on the national stage.

4. Olu Fashanu — $789,000

School: Penn State
Position: Offensive Tackle
Followers: 9.8K

Already named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week once this year and tabbed on multiple Midseason All-American teams, it’s safe to say Olu Fashanu has lived up to the first-round NFL draft talk. The 6-foot-6, 317-pound offensive tackle has graded out as a top-30 tackle in the nation through 11 weeks, according to Pro Football Focus. Fashanu and his former Gonzaga College High School football teammate Caleb Williams could both be top-five NFL draft picks this spring. He’ll have another tough matchup when Penn State faces Michigan’s top-ranked defense.

While dominating the left side of the offensive line this season, he’s helped Allar comfortably grow into his role as Penn State’s starting quarterback. Fashanu allowed no sacks on 299 true pass-blocking snaps in 2022, with a pressure percentage of just 3.0% in 2022. This year he’s touting a 77.9% pass grade from PFF. Fashanu has worked extensively with the Penn State-driven NIL collective Happy Valley United. He also landed a Tesla last year from Inch & Co.

5. Mike Sainristil — $612,000

School: Michigan
Position: Cornerback
Followers: 74K

Mike Sainristil entered Michigan as a wide receiver, but he flipped to cornerback before the 2022 season. He’s thrived since making the switch, finishing with 58 total tackles with eight passes defended and an interception. The former three-star recruit is even more comfortable this year, tallying 21 total tackles and three interceptions for two touchdowns. He took an interception 72 yards to the house against Michigan State.

“His leadership, I mean it’s constant,” Harbaugh recently said of his cornerback. “He just affects everybody that he comes in contact with in a positive way. I’m sure you see the see same thing that we do. Loved by the players, loved by the coaches, and it’s great to see. He’s already a Michigan legend, right? To see him continuing to add to that is just a beautiful thing. A wonderful, wonderful thing.”

About the On3 NIL Valuation

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.

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.