Top 10 college football On3 NIL Valuations after Week 3

Week 4 of the college football season is one of the most stacked slate of games we’ve seen in recent memory. Seven games will feature ranked matchups, the most in a single weekend since there were six on Nov. 11, 2017.

Typically, rivalry weekends in November have the most notable College Football Playoff and conference title implications. But this weekend, plenty will be up for grabs with Ohio State visiting Notre Dame and Colorado traveling to Oregon, among others.

The NIL stars will be out, too. Ahead of this weekend’s packed schedule, On3 is breaking down the top 10 On3 NIL Valuations in college football.

Let’s get into it.

1. Shedeur Sanders – Colorado

On3 NIL Valuation: $5.1 million
Social media followers: 1.8 million
Position: Quarterback

Entering Week 3, Shedeur Sanders impressed with his arm strength and accuracy. In Week 3, the quarterback showed why he is a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender. With 2:06 remaining in the fourth quarter and needing eight points to tie, the youngest son of Deion Sanders led the Buffaloes on a 98-yard drive. Picking apart the Colorado State defense, he connected with Jimmy Horn for a 45-yard touchdown pass to draw the Buffs within two points with 36 seconds remaining. Colorado converted the two-point conversion and escaped with a double-overtime win.

Sanders is one of college football’s most marketable names right now. Combining the on-field with his last name and major social media following, it’s easy to see why brands would want to work with him. His On3 NIL Valuation has jumped $3.7 million in the last 10 weeks. The quarterback has been pushing out new merchandise through his SS2Legendary line, too. Sanders will get his first taste of the Pac-12 this week, traveling to No. 10 Oregon.

Working closely with SMAC Entertainment and Constance Schwartz-Morini, he’s previously signed with Gatorade, launched his own barbecue sauce, been tabbed as the BRADY brand’s long-term ambassador and promoted Mercedes Benz. 

2. Arch Manning – Texas

On3 NIL Valuation: $2.9 million
Social media followers: 274K
Position: Quarterback

A former Five-Star Plus+ recruit, Arch Manning has arrived on the college football scene. The grandson of Archie, son of Cooper, and nephew of Peyton and Eli has the second-ranked On3 NIL Valuation in college football. While the 6-foot-4, 215-pound freshman has yet to play in a game this season at Texas, he has started to monetize his NIL.

He entered a multi-year, exclusive agreement with Panini America. And he auctioned off his first NIL trading card last month for $102,500. It’s the highest-selling card in Panini’s website history, knocking off a one-of-one Luka Doncic national treasure card that sold for $100,000. All proceeds from the sale are going to a Central Texas nonprofit with the help of St. David’s HealthCare and St. David’s Foundation. Seven new cards have been released with Panini America, too. Funny enough, the record price paid for a Peyton Manning card is $71,988.88

With nearly 275,000 social media followers, the NIL opportunities are limitless for Arch Manning. Working with his uncles should not be ruled out either. The freshman has yet to play in a game yet; the Longhorns travel to Baylor this weekend.

3. Caleb Williams – USC

On3 NIL Valuation: $2.6 million
Social media followers: 319K
Position: Quarterback

While much of the attention this season has been on Colorado and Shedeur Sanders, Caleb Williams picked up right where he left off a year ago. The reigning Heisman winner has thrown for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns through three games. He’s yet to be intercepted and has a 78.6% completion percentage. USC travels to Arizona State for a Pac-12 After Dark game this weekend, before turning around and visiting Colorado. The Sept. 30 matchup in Boulder could be the most viewed game of the year in college football.

Past the stat line, Williams is still one of the most accomplished athletes in the NIL space, too. The third-year quarterback has inked NIL agreements with Athletic Brewing Company, Fanatics, Netrogena, AT&T, Beats by Dre, PlayStation and AC+ION Water.

He’s also signed for a season-long NIL campaign with United Airlines, promoting the addition of 127 new, nonstop flights for college football season. The quarterback is the face of Dr Pepper’s Fansville, too. Williams is a fashion symbol, too. He wore a Gucci suit to the Heisman ceremony and was in the Hugo Boss show during his spring break in March.

4. Travis Hunter – Colorado

On3 NIL Valuation: $2.2 million
Social media followers: 1.8 million
Position: Wide Receiver/Cornerback

Travis Hunter tried to play through injury Saturday night, but the two-way Colorado star exited at halftime and headed for a local hospital. He’s expected to miss the next three to four weeks due to a laceration of his liver. The Buffs will be without the playmaker for significant matchups against Oregon and USC.

There’s no questioning the impact Hunter had when on the field. A wide receiver and cornerback, he was constantly making plays against TCU in Week 1. He finished with 11 catches for 119 yards, which doesn’t include the two first-half deep ball misses that only would’ve sent those numbers climbing. He picked off TCU quarterback Chandler Morris from inside the Colorado 5 on third down, disrupting what would have been a go-ahead touchdown. In Week 2 with Nebraska in Boulder, the two-way star had three catches for 72 yards while making four total tackles.

The No. 2 prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, Hunter re-signed his endorsement contract with Celsius Energy Drink last week. He has multi-year agreements with the Michael Strahan Brand, Actively Black and SoHoodie. He’s tapped into his fishing hobby through NIL in deals with WaterLand Co., KastKing and Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, too. His YouTube page has nearly 230,000 subscribers.

5. Evan Stewart – Texas A&M

On3 NIL Valuation: $1.6 million
Social media followers: 2.4 million
Position: Wide Receiver

Texas A&M receiver Evan Stewart was a Five-Star Plus+ recruit in the 2022 recruiting cycle. He was a key piece of the Aggies’ No. 1 ranked class, and he backed that up with a strong freshman season where he racked up 53 catches for 649 yards and two touchdowns. That success, combined with the brand of Texas A&M football and Stewart’s massive social media following, helped him build one of the best NIL brands in college football. He’s used that brand to ink several national deals, including with the luxury fashion brand Coach. If has more success, as expected, in 2023 then the sky’s the limit for Stewart and his reach of more than 2.1 million followers on TikTok.

Through two games this season, he has 19 catches for 257 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He’s averaging 13.5 yards per reception. Stewart sat out Saturday’s win over Louisiana-Monroe, but Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said he was “fine.” The Aggies host Auburn on Saturday to open SEC play.

6. Drake Maye – North Carolina

On3 NIL Valuation: $1.5 million
Social media followers: 75K
Position: Quarterback

The college football world expected Drake Maye to be a top contender for the Heisman this year. It’s why he’s already emerged as such a highly-touted 2024 NFL draft prospect. But sitting at 3-0 in the middle of September was not on many fans’ bingo cards. The 17th-ranked Tar Heels are perfect as they prep for their ACC opener against Pitt.

Maye has tossed four touchdowns and four interceptions this year while throwing for 891 yards and touting an 83.8 QBR. He has ramped up his NIL activity in the last few months, holding a youth camp in Chapel Hill and partnering with the North Carolina-driven NIL collective Heels4Life. Maye also signed with the Baltimore-based Jimmy’s Famous Seafood and Jimmy’s Famous Meals. In exchange for promoting the brand, he will receive weekly meals from Jimmy’s Famous Meals through December 2023. The quarterback wrapped up his rookie campaign throwing for 4,321 yards with 38 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.

7. Marvin Harrison Jr. – Ohio State

On3 NIL Valuation: $1.4 million
Social media followers: 470K
Position: Wide Receiver

If there was any doubt about Marvin Harrison Jr.‘s production after just pulling in two receptions in Week 1, he’s shut down any questions. In the last two weeks, the receiver scored three touchdowns and had 12 catches for 286 yards. He’s still very much on track to become the first Ohio State wide receiver to win the Biletnikoff Award since 1995. Another eye-catching performance Saturday night in South Bend will only help.

The son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison has publicly announced eight endorsement contracts with brands and collectives since March, while also launching a memorabilia collection. Picked as the Big Ten Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, the former four-star recruit has already been tossed around as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. His top NIL deals as of recent include a partnership with Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet of Columbus, joining the Zoa Energy Drink marketing campaign, a one-off agreement with Dr Teal’s and being featured on a bag of Grippo’s Chips.

8. Bo Nix – Oregon

On3 NIL Valuation: $1.3 million
Social media followers: 197K
Position: Quarterback

The Bo Nix Heisman campaign has stretched to all corners of college football. Before the Oregon quarterback even played a snap this season, billboards were put up in New York City and Dallas. A full-page ad in the New York Times and on every edition of “College GameDay” this year, multiple “Bo-Dacious” signs have appeared. Now fans can purchase their own “Bo-Dacious” T-shirts, released by Ducks of a Feather, the apparel line of the Oregon-driven NIL collective Division Street. All merchandise is created by Nike, with profits going back to Oregon athletes.

Through three games this season, Nix has delivered on the preseason Heisman hype. The former Auburn transfer has a 77.6% completion percentage, throwing for 893 yards and eight touchdowns. The latest  Heisman odds from FanDuel gave him a +2200 shot to win the trophy.

9. Michael Penix Jr. – Washington

On3 NIL Valuation: $1.3 million
Social media followers: 43K
Position: Quarterback

Through three weeks, it’s hard to not call Michael Penix a Heisman favorite. The Washington quarterback has already eclipsed the 1,300-yard mark. With wide receivers who can stretch the field vertically, he’s thrown 12 touchdowns and has a 94.2 QBR. The Huskies have cruised to wins over Boise State, Tulsa and Michigan State, too.

The 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year finished eighth in Heisman voting last season. Repped by CAA and Reggie Johnson, he has found plenty of NIL activities. Penix recently 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. Penix signed an exclusive, multi-year NIL deal with Panini America this month, too.

10. Sam Hartman – Notre Dame

On3 NIL Valuation: $1.2 million
Social media followers: 135K
Position: Quarterback

Notre Dame struggled at the quarterback position last year, opting to jump in the portal this offseason and pick up Sam Hartman. Arguably the top quarterback available, the former three-star recruit is now in a premier program.

After a five-year run at Wake Forest, Hartman transferred as opposed to entering the NFL draft. The move paid off. Through three games this year, the quarterback has tossed 13 touchdown passes and thrown for 1,061. He’s yet to be intercepted and looks like one of the best passers in college football.

From an NIL perspective, he’s found plenty of success. Repped by Vayner Sports, he’s been an active name in NIL with endorsement deals with Bojangles, Candy Digital, Dove, Mizzen+Main and Wahl Grooming. He recently signed on with Beats by Dre and Under Armour, too. Hartman has built a major social media brand, too, with roughly 135,000 followers.

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.