Top five On3 NIL Valuations in Oregon State, Washington matchup
ESPN’s College GameDay is at James Madison on Saturday morning, highlighting the Dukes’ quest for bowl eligibility. But on the West Coast, Oregon State–Washington is filled with storylines and arguably the game of the day.
For starters, the Pac-12 has been in an ongoing court battle this week. With the league losing all but two members — Oregon State and Washington State — the two remaining schools have been in court fighting for control of over the governance of the Pac-12 board. This is a high-stakes lawsuit that will determine the future of a 108-year-old Conference of Champions and control of millions in current and future league assets.
But on the football field, there are storylines aplenty. The Pac-12 hasn’t earned a College Football Playoff berth since the 2016 season. Washington (10-0) and Oregon (9-1) are squarely in the hunt. Saturday could have serious ramifications for playoff hopes. The Beavers could crash the party.
On3 is breaking down the top-five On3 NIL Valuations ahead of Saturday’s Washington-Oregon State matchup:
1. Michael Penix Jr. – $1.2 million
School: Washington
Position: Quarterback
Followers: 62,000
Michael Penix has been near-perfect this year. The Washington quarterback is in the middle of the Heisman Trophy conversation, currently holding +375 odds to win the award according to Bet MGM. A strong decision maker on the field, he made the move to Seattle after finding some success at Indiana, going 12-5 as a starter and was a two-year captain. It’s paid dividends on the field. The sixth-year senior has thrown for 3,533 yards and 28 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Leading the nation’s top-ranked passing attack, the Huskies are still positioned for a shot at the College Football Playoff.
Making the decision to return for a final season was easier thanks to NIL. Repped by CAA and Reggie Johnson, he has found plenty of opportunities. Penix re-signed with the retail clothing brand Simply Seattle. He was also one of 15 college football players selected in the inaugural “Beats Elite” class. He will be featured across various marketing campaigns and wear custom Beats products. He’s inked agreements with Panini America and adidas this season, too.
The quarterback previously signed a long-term agreement with the Washington-focused NIL collective Montlake Futures, too.
2. DJ Uiagalelei – $902,000
School: Oregon State
Position: Quarterback
Followers: 195,000
DJ Uiagalelei had to make a tough decision this offseason. The former Clemson quarterback entered the portal after two years as the starter. Uiagalelei burst onto the scene as a freshman backup for Trevor Lawrence, but things never clicked again during the rest of his time with the Tigers.
Oregon State provided a new start for the former five-star recruit. Getting back on the West Coast with a restart is what Uiagalelei needed. He’s thrown for over 2,200 yards with 20 touchdowns and four picks. He’s rushed for another six touchdowns, too. The 10th-ranked team in the country has the chance to bring some chaos to the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Saturday night.
Uiagalelei has also been one of the biggest winners of the NIL Era. Since his time at Clemson, he’s worked with brands like Beats by Dre, Bojangles, Candy Digital, Leaf Trading Cards and Dr Pepper. He recently participated in a campaign for the U.S. Marines. The quarterback is repped by Vayner Sports.
3. Rome Odunze – $644,000
School: Washington
Position: Wide Receiver
Followers: 12,900
Rome Odunze has emerged as Michael Penix’s top target again this season after leading the Pac-12 in receiving yards with 1,145 last year. The AP Preseason All-American selection has lived up to the hype with 59 receptions for 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns. The 1,100 yards ranked third in the nation.
Odunze has built a notable NIL brand, too. He inked an exclusive NIL deal with Panini America in September. Under the agreement, he’ll appear in Panini’s college and NFL products this fall, as well as select Panini marketing activations. The receiver also signed with adidas next to Penix, becoming the first two college football players to sign with the sportswear giant.
The quarterback-wide receiver duo has been electric this season. Odunze recorded three catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns a week ago. He was targeted 11 times.
4. Roger Rosengarten – $593,000
School: Washington
Position: Offensive Tackle
Followers: 4,600
A former four-star recruit, Roger Rosengarten has emerged as a leader of Washington’s offensive line over the last two years. He earned Freshman All-American honors in 2022, starting 13 games at right tackle. The fourth-year player was a preseason All-Pac-12 pick entering this year.
According to Pro Football Focus, the 6-foot-6, 300-pound lineman has a top-30 pass block grade this season. A year ago, Washington only allowed five sacks of Penix. So far this season, the Huskies’ quarterback has been sacked seven times. Rosengarten has been a major piece of protecting Penix.
The offensive tackle’s On3 NIL Valuation has grown $366,000 in the last 10 weeks. He’s signed a long-term partnership with Montlake Futures, too.
5. Damien Martinez – $460,000
School: Oregon State
Position: Running Back
Followers: 4,300
After a historic freshman season at Oregon State, there was some concern Damien Martinez would enter the transfer portal. But insiders believe part of why he stuck around in Corvallis was because of the way the Dam Nation Collective stepped up with its push for player retention.
Martinez – the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year – initially signed a NIL partnership with the collective on Dec. 15. The deal is another sign of what type of NIL opportunities can be created at Oregon State.
Martinez is a former On3 Consensus three-star recruit out of Lewisville (Texas) High School. Martinez rushed for 982 yards and seven scores in the 2022 season. But he came on late in the year with six 100-plus yard games over the Beavers’ final seven. He’s continued to be a threat this season, crossing the 1,000-yard mark on 155 carries. Martinez has seven rushing touchdowns, too.
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.