NIL Deals of the Week: Caleb Williams signs with AT&T, General Booty launches Crimson Cream

The importance of NIL collectives striking deals with players took center stage this week.

At Ohio State, The Foundation placed importance on signing a batch of early enrollees. Arizona‘s Friends of Wilbur and Wilma signed 16 athletes, providing them with a new laptop and compensation. And at Tennessee, the importance of roster retention was shown with multiple signings of current athletes.

Every collective and school operates differently. The main goal remains to not lose talent.

As a reminder, feel free to submit info on your NIL deal to On3. You can send an email to [email protected] or reach out via DM or comment on Twitter to @On3NIL or @deals_nil. Direct messages are open, too, on the @On3NIL Instagram account.

Here are the deals of the week.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams signs with AT&T

Caleb Williams delivered USC its first Heisman Trophy winner since Reggie Bush in 2005 this season. But unlike the legendary Trojans running back, Williams is able to capitalize on the win in the NIL space.

And even though he was not preparing for the College Football Playoff finals earlier this week, he was able to strike a partnership for the event. He spent part of his weekend at College Football Playoff fan central as part of a partnership with AT&T. Set up at the brand’s “Fan Bowl,” Williams signed autographs and took pictures with fans.

And he appeared at AT&T’s 5G Radio Show at the Allstate Championship Tailgate at SoFi Stadium on Monday. The nationwide telecommunications company has ramped up its NIL activity recently, signing Florida A&M athletes to agreements for a commercial.

Since making the move to the West Coast last February, he has pieced together one of the strongest NIL resumes of any player in the country. He’s added notable brands, such as Athletic Brewing Company, Fanatics, Beats by Dre and AC+ION Water.

He finished his sophomore season ranked No. 1 in the country with 42 passing touchdowns and just five interceptions. The quarterback threw for 4,537 yards while rushing for another 10 touchdowns.

The USC quarterback currently holds a $3.2 million On3 NIL Valuation. Since winning the Heisman in December, his valuation has continued to grow. Over the last 10 weeks, his valuation has increased by $1.1 million.

Oklahoma’s General Booty launches The General’s Crimson Cream

When Oklahoma quarterback General Booty announced his initial signing with NIL collective Crimson and Cream in October, some fans were not certain what he was announcing.

Had he inked an agreement with a collective, or was he joining forces to sell a product?

“I joined Crimson and Cream and when I went public with it on my social media, I guess people had some other ideas and thought that was a product,” Booty said in a phone interview with On3’s Andy Wittry. “So we had some people reach out asking for it.”

Through his partnership, Booty has launched The General’s Crimson Cream, which features a blood orange margarita scent. It retails for $39.99. Booty will contribute a portion of the proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project.

It’s a rare activation in the space as it involves an original, non-apparel product while still using the athlete’s NIL rights.

Dieunerst Collin inks partnership with Popeyes

Dieuenerst Collin was nine years old when he became a meme.

Suspiciously holding a Popeyes cup, a cameraman took a video of his look. But earlier this week, Collin, was able to turn a profit off his image all these years later. A redshirt freshman center at Lake Erie College in Ohio, he used his Instagram account to tag Popeyes to strike a NIL deal.

The post went viral, gaining the fast food restaurant’s attention.

“Let’s get this bread(ing),” Popeyes tweeted on Tuesday night.

Despite playing at a Division II school, Collin is able to agree to terms on a name, image and likeness partnership just like any other college athlete.

The terms of the deal have yet to be announced. But Collin has now been able to parlay years-old Internet fame into a licensing deal with a fast food chain.

The Foundation signs 5 Ohio State early enrollees

The message could not have been more clear: Come to Ohio State, NIL opportunities will follow.

The Foundation, one of three endorsed Ohio State-focused NIL collectives, held a signing event at co-founder Brian Schottenstein‘s house earlier this week. The organization welcomed five of Ohio State’s 11 midyear enrollees to the collective.

With a photoshoot set up on Schottenstein’s indoor basketball court, Carnell Tate, Jermaine Mathews, Jelani Thurman, Noah Rogers and Malik Hartford each signed their contracts.

Staying competitive in today’s college football landscape requires a high-functioning NIL collective. The organizations can’t control athletes’ relationships with a coaching staff or their NFL development. But they can make the difference in an athlete’s decision to leave for the Transfer Portal or not.

Roster retention has become a driving theme at Power 5 collectives, trying to hold off Transfer Portal suitors. Making sure freshmen know they will have NIL opportunities immediately is also a necessity, though.

Holding a gathering specifically for early enrollees – on just the second day of classes – sends a clear message to the freshmen class and prospective student-athletes.

“It’s very important to make sure the freshmen are successful not only on the field but off the field,” Schottenstein said. “When you work with The Foundation, our word is good. You’re going to get exactly what we speak about once you’re a student-athlete here at Ohio State.

“I can’t really speak to the other schools [NIL activity]. I only hear stories about the ‘Wild, Wild West.’”

Honorable Mention

•  Oregon State standout running back Damien Martinez has become an ambassador for OBS Lifestyle Brand, a deal facilitated by Dam Nation Collective.
• Division III basketball player Connor “Big Cozy” Williams of St. John Fisher University signed with Leaf Trading Cards.
• Florida State freshman and five-star receiver Hykeem Williams has signed with the Battles End collective.
• The Volunteer Club, run by Spyre Sports Group, ramped up its NIL activity this week, signing six defensive linemen: Omari Thomas, EDGE Elijah Herring, EDGE Bryson Eason, EDGE Roman Harrison, EDGE James Pearce and EDGE Joshua Josephs.
• Friends of Wilbur & Wilma, the preferred Arizona-focused collective, has signed a handful of football players including quarterback Brayden Dorman.
• Wake Forest baseball commit Alex Junghans of Nashville Lipscomb Academy agreed to a deal with Old Hickory Bats – his hometown bat company.
• Georgia safety Malaki Starks signed with Everett Sports Marketing for NIL representation.
• Class of 2025 guard Bela Cucuta has agreed to a deal with I Believe Skills Academy. The deal is believed to be one of the first for a high school athlete in Connecticut.
• The 1890 Initiative, a Nebraska Cornhusker-focused collective launched three months ago, announced Thursday it signed Lexi Rodriguez and Lindsay Krause, two of the top returning NU volleyball players.