Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin signs NIL deal with Panini America

Julian Sayin is joining an elite company of Panini America athletes.

The Ohio State quarterback has inked an exclusive, multi-year NIL partnership with the trading card company. Through the agreement, Sayin will be included in autographed trading cards and marketing. His first trading card will be featured in Panini’s upcoming collegiate products.

The No. 2 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class committed to Alabama and went through practices with the Crimson Tide during the lead-up to the Rose Bowl. But following Nick Saban’s retirement, Sayin opted to enter the transfer portal and evaluate his options. He’s now in Columbus with the Buckeyes, working with former Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.

The Carlsbad, California, native is repped by Excel Sports. Panini marks his first public NIL deal.

“We are excited to announce our partnership with Julian – he is a special player and we look forward to
following his collegiate career and beyond,” Panini senior vice president of marketing Jason Howarth said in a statement. “We are excited to share his Panini products, especially with Buckeyes fans.”

He’s the latest athlete to join a growing list of Panini athletes, which includes Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola and Texas quarterback Arch Manning. The trading card company also has deals with Quinn Ewers and 2024 Five-Star Plus+ shooting guard Tre Johnson. Throughout this past season the brand signed deals with USC receiver Zachariah Branch, Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze and Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton.

As a senior at Carlsbad this past fall, Sayin threw for 2,347 yards, 24 touchdowns and just one interception on 158 of 212, finishing with a 74.5% completion percentage. He also rushed for 186 yards and four more scores while leading Carlsbad to its fifth straight Avocado League title.

“You always dream of getting your first trading card, I’m excited and proud to be partnering with Panini
for my exclusive autograph trading cards,” Sayin said.

Julian Sayin has major NIL potential

 At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Sayin has impressed with his quick motion and release which pairs with a strong deep ball. He’s also shown the ability to navigate the pocket and throw on the run. He was named the On3 MVP at the Elite 11 Finals and OT7 Finals this past summer.

Landing at Ohio State only helps the quarterback’s marketing value as he’s poised to attract national brand deals. He currently has roughly 49,000 social media followers and an On3 NIL Valuation of $765,000. The valuation is No. 51 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.

“Julian is an outstanding player,” Saban said last month. “The ball comes out of his hand really nice. He’s accurate, he’s smart. He’s had a great high school career, and he’s been one of the best players, most productive players in the country on a very consistent basis. We like him a lot. 

The On3 NIL Valuation is calculated by combining roster value and personal NIL. 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. NIL in an athlete’s name, image and likeness and the value it could bring to regional and national brands outside of the scope of NIL collectives.