Multiple Florida athletes sign with NIL division of Distinction Agency

Mordecai McDaniel, a safety at Florida, and Nya Reed, a Gators’ gymnast, have both signed with the Distinction Agency’s NIL division.

Based in Miami, Distinction Agency is a marketing agency. They primarily represent athletes, sports properties and general talent. Their NIL division is relatively new, focusing on assisting college athletes to navigate new NIL rules and regulations. Athletes like Reed and McDaniel. Distinction Agency was founded in 2018. Since then, they have established themselves as a fast-growing sports agency, working out deals with multiple Fortune 500 companies.

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to work with Nya and Mordecai,” said Distinction Agency CEO Alex Onaindia in a press release. “Our agency has been selectively signing NCAA athletes to ensure we are working with the right student athletes who demonstrate excellence in their sports, the classroom and their local community. Nya and Mordecai are fantastic additions to Distinction and we are eager to get to work.”

Nya Reed is a star gymnast for the Gators. Among her many honors, she’s a six-time All-American. Reed is a great all-around gymnast, though she excels at the floor routine that she has scored multiple 10.0s in.

McDaniel is a former four-star recruit in the Class of 2020. As a sophomore, he played in all 13 Florida games and is expected to take on a bigger role in 2022. His On3 NIL Valuation is $32,000.

Florida and NIL

The Florida Gators have been an aggressive program in their approach to NIL. That includes their NIL collective, Gator Guard, which is one of the best-known collectives in the country. It’s nonprofit and aims to raise $20 million annually.

Head coach Billy Napier has spoken in the past about the importance of NIL to the program and how it can quickly turn a program around. He’s well aware of its impact on the game today. That’s why he knows where to be aggressive with NIL and where to be cautious.

Furthermore, McDaniel and Reed are just the latest in the long line of Florida athletes being aggressive in NIL. By signing with a new agency, they should have more opportunities for NIL deals going forward.