Shedeur Sanders partners with Smoothie King to release 'The Shedeur'
Shedeur Sanders continues to eclipse NIL norms.
The Colorado quarterback has become one of the most sought-after influencers in college sports. The youngest son of Deion Sanders touts more than 2.4 million social media followers. He’s built out an entire apparel brand, too, named SS2LEGENDARY.
Shedeur Sanders has now added an endorsement deal with Smoothie King. Announced on his Instagram on Tuesday afternoon, the partnership includes the launch of the quarterback’s own drink. The Dallas-based smoothie franchise has more than 1,300 stores across the nation.
In the video, the quarterback details what goes in “The Shedeur” smoothie: an Angel Food smoothie while adding blueberries and multivitamins.
“I’ve been drinking Smoothie King forever,” the Colorado quarterback says in the video. “When the deal was presented, I was like, ‘We have to do the deal, no matter what.'”
Working closely with SMAC Entertainment and Constance Schwartz-Morini, Sanders has built an extensive NIL portfolio. He has a long-term relationship with Gatorade. Earlier this month, he debuted a pair of custom color-changing cleats as part of the sports drink’s announcement of its new flavor, Blackberry Raspberry. Sanders wore the cleats during pregame warmups.
He also launched his own barbecue sauce last year and was tabbed as the BRADY brand’s long-term ambassador. He’s also been one of the only athletes to promote the Mercedes Benz company.
The quarterback impressed in the first month of the season, leading Colorado to a 3-0 start and a top-25 ranking. Things have gotten bumpier since Pac-12 played, as the Buffs now sit at 4-7 and 1-7 in league play. They won’t reach a bowl in Deion Sanders’ first year at Colorado.
Colorado closes out the season on Saturday at Utah. Shedeur Sanders’ status is unknown for the season finale. He left last Friday night’s loss to Washington State with numbness in his hand. He currently ranks No. 10 in the nation with 3,230 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Yet he’s been sacked 52 times.
“Shedeur is not feeling well right now,” Deion Sanders said on Tuesday. “We are praying that he gets healthy and he’s able to play because he is who he is, and when he’s on the field, we have a tremendous chance to win.”
Major On3 NIL Valuation
Combining the on-field success with his last name and major social media following, it’s easy to see why brands would want to work with him.
Shedeur Sanders’ On3 NIL Valuation has jumped $408,000 in the last 10 weeks. His valuation now sits at $4.5 million, which ranks No. 1 in college football. It’s also No. 2 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. Sanders only trails Bronny James and his $5.9 million 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
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.