Top 10 On3 NIL Valuations entering 2024 college football season
Roughly 80% of all NIL dollars spent on college football come from donor-driven NIL collectives.
After a summer of upheaval, this college football season could be the last where schools don’t directly pay athletes. If approved, the House v. NCAA settlement would allow institutions to share $20-22 million annually in revenue with athletes. The landscape-shifting settlement would be installed ahead of the 2025-26 season, altering the college sports model.
As schools prepare for the next era, college football has undergone massive changes. The 12-team College Football Playoff begins this season. Conference realignment has reshuffled the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC.
Despite all the changes, college football is back. Before Week 1 officially kicks off Thursday, we’re diving into the top 10 On3 NIL Valuations in college football:
1. Shedeur Sanders – Colorado
On3 NIL Valuation: $4.7 million
Social media followers: 2.5 million
Position: Quarterback
Already showing up in NFL mock drafts as a top-five pick, Shedeur Sanders is back at Colorado for his final season. He’s become the first college football player to sign an apparel and footwear deal with Nike, following in the footsteps of his father, Deion Sanders, who has signature Nike sneakers. Shedeur Sanders finished his first season at Colorado with throwing for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also threw just three interceptions despite being sacked 52 times in 2023. With strong arm strength and accuracy, he completed 69.3% of his throws last season.
One of the NIL stars of college football, he touts over 2.5 million social media followers. Sanders has been cashing in on NIL since 2021. Working closely with SMAC Entertainment and Constance Schwartz-Morini, he’s signed with Gatorade and Beats by Dre, launched a barbecue sauce, been tabbed as the BRADY brand’s long-term ambassador and promoted Mercedes Benz.
2. Arch Manning – Texas
On3 NIL Valuation: $3.1 million
Social media followers: 309K
Position: Quarterback
The grandson of Archie, son of Cooper, and nephew of Peyton and Eli continues to stay out of the spotlight. But Arch Manning has started to tap into his NIL value over the last year. He auctioned off his first NIL trading card last year for $102,500. It’s the highest-selling card in Panini America’s website history, knocking off a one-of-one Luka Doncic national treasure card that sold for $100,000. All proceeds from the sale went to Central Texas.
After holding out, he announced in July he would be in EA Sports College Football 25, announcing it in a video with his uncle, Eli. EA Sports paid the quarterback between $50-60K to promote the video game, a source told On3. He will be Quinn Ewers‘ backup this season as a sophomore.
3. Travis Hunter – Colorado
On3 NIL Valuation: $2.7 million
Social media followers: 2.3 million
Position: Wide Receiver/Cornerback
Travis Hunter finished the 2023 season playing 1,032 total snaps, finishing with 57 catches for 721 yards and five touchdowns. On the defensive of the ball, he tallied 30 total tackles with three interceptions. He’s viewed as one of the top players in college football, also showing up in early NFL mock drafts as a first-round pick.
Hunter holds long-term contracts with the Michael Strahan Brand, Actively Black and NXTRND. He’s tapped into his fishing hobby through NIL, inking deals with WaterLand Co., KastKing and Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits. More recently, the two-way star has entered partnerships with Celsius, Rock ‘Em Socks and EA Sports College Football 25.
4. Jalen Milroe – Alabamna
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.7 million
Social media followers: 223K
Position: Quarterback
Jalen Milroe finished the 2023 season with 2,834 passing yards, throwing 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions while posting a 65.8% completion percentage. He was also a threat on the ground, rushing for 531 yards and another 12 scores. With Nick Saban’s departure, he will now be at the helm of the Alabama offense at the beginning of the Kalen DeBoer era.
“To be real, quite honest with you, the guys that we need here are here,” he told On3 this summer. “If you didn’t have the same mindset, didn’t have the same mission, you didn’t need to be here. The guys that are here, everybody’s hungry.”
Milroe has starred in NIL campaigns with Beats by Dre and Celsius this month.
5. Quinn Ewers – Texas
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.7 million
Social media followers: 265K
Position: Quarterback
Arguably one of the most marketable college football players in the country, Quinn Ewers has had a busy summer. Repped by Sportstars and Rubicon, he was on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25. Through his agreement with the Longhorn-driven NIL collective the Texas One Fund, he signed an endorsement deal with Nicholas Air in April. More recently, he’s starring in Dr Pepper’s Fansville and has signed a season-long deal with Rhoback valued between $100,000 and $150,000.
Quinn Ewers threw for 3,479 yards with 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions last season while leading the Longhorns to a College Football Playoff berth. Now Ewers is tasked with leading the Longhorns into their first season in the SEC. He has some new options in the passing game this season, with the portal additions of Silas Bolden, Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond.
6. Carson Beck – Georgia
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.4 million
Social media followers: 118K
Position: Quarterback
Repped by ESM, Carson Beck recently inked a season-long partnership with Airstar Charter. Full terms of the deal were not disclosed, however, Beck shot the commercial in exchange for hours on Airstar’s fleet of private jets. On top of his private jet deal, he’s signed partnerships with Beats by Dre and Powerade for the season.
Beck finished last season throwing for 3,738 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. The Bulldogs finished 12-1 in 2023, their lone loss coming to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Georgia enters the season ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll.
7. Evan Stewart – Oregon
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.3 million
Social media followers: 2.4 million
Position: Wide Receiver
Evan Stewart was the top available wide receiver in this year’s college football transfer portal. The Texas A&M transfer and former Five-Star Plus+ recruit had interest from USC, Oregon, Florida State and LSU. But he ultimately decided on the Ducks after a visit, giving him a chance to play in the same offense with quarterback Dillon Gabriel and a shot to make the College Football Playoff.
The 6-foot, 175-pound receiver has posted 91 career receptions for 1,163 yards and six touchdowns in two seasons. Stewart has NIL deals with Coach and NOCCO USA, a popular European drink that was developed in Sweden. Repped by WME, he signed with the football equipment brand NXTRND in May.
8. Jaxson Dart – Ole Miss
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.3 million
Social media followers: 143K
Position: Quarterback
A Heisman Trophy candidate entering the 2024 season, Jaxson Dart has thrown for 7,691 career yards with 52 touchdowns and just 21 interceptions. With a 17−10 overall record in two seasons at Ole Miss, he’s poised for the most anticipated season in Oxford in recent memory.
Along with deals with Ole Miss’ The Grove Collective and EA Sports, he was the first college athlete to sign with a private jet company, Nicholas Air, in February. Most recently Dart starred in a back-to-school campaign for Dick’s Sporting Goods.
9. Dillon Gabriel – Oregon
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.2 million
Social media followers: 160K
Position: Quarterback
Dillon Gabriel generated national headlines earlier this summer with his “I’M INSPIRED” event where he presented his former Mililani High School football program with new uniforms and other gifts through partnerships with Nike, Guardian Caps, Raising Cane’s, Riddell, EvoShield and HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union.
During the team’s offseason retreat, he also partnered with The GLD Shop to present his Oregon teammates with custom-made jewelry from the brand. Legend Agency’s Steven Smith reps the former UCF and Oklahoma quarterback. Gabriel has also recently signed up with Beats by Dre and Celsius. He enters the season as a preseason All-Big Ten pick and a Heisman Trophy candidate. He ranks fourth in NCAA history in career total touchdowns (152), seventh in total yards (15,925) and eighth in passing yards (14,865).
10. Nico Iamaleava – Tennessee
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.2 million
Social media followers: 345K
Position: Quarterback
Nico Iamaleava enters Year One as the full-time starter at Tennessee. The former No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class according to On3 made national news not only for his pledge but also because of his NIL opportunities. As The Athletic has since reported, Iamaleava reportedly signed a deal with Spyre Sports Group in which he could make $8 million over three years.
Now he’s in Knoxville and ready to start the season. He was officially named Tennessee’s starter earlier this week. As a true freshman, he appeared in four regular-season games where he completed 16 of his 26 pass attempts for 163 yards and a touchdown, including a start in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.