Top five On3 NIL Valuations in Tennessee vs. LSU matchup

Saturday could mark the start of two different paths for Tennessee and LSU.

A win over the Tigers in Death Valley would send Tennessee to 6-0 on the season and undefeated for next week’s showdown with Alabama. Odds are, Hendon Hooker‘s name would only be mentioned more in the Heisman conversation.

Or LSU could pull off the upset. In Year 1 under Brian Kelly, LSU is ranked No. 25 entering Saturday’s game. A win could set the tone for what the remainder of the season would look like.

SEC play has arrived. And Saturday’s stage and stakes don’t get much higher. On3 is breaking down the top-five On3 NIL Valuations ahead of the game.

1. Kayshon Boutte

On3 NIL Valuation: $966,000
Position: Wide Receiver
Per Post Value: $1,200
On3 Impact 300 ranking: No. 328

LSU’s top wide receiver has gotten off to a slow start to the season. He’s yet to pull in his first touchdown catch, and he’s only tallied 11 receptions for 97 yards. The former five-star recruit Kayshon Boutte has the opportunity to change that narrative in a top-25 matchup in Death Valley with Tennessee. Boutte has been selected as an offensive game captain for Saturday’s matchup. And there’s no questioning the skill he has — went off for an SEC-record 308 yards against Ole Miss in the final game of the 2020 season. He’s fully capable of being the face of this LSU offense. Now it’s time to remind the SEC why he is the league’s top receiver.

2. Hendon Hooker

On3 NIL Valuation: $805,000
Position: Quarterback
Per Post Value: $1,200
On3 Impact 300 ranking: No. 38

Hendon Hooker has yet another major spotlight on him Saturday, this time with the opportunity to improve to 4-0 and setup Tennessee with an undefeated record for next week’s matchup with Alabama. It also serves a different purposes. In 15 starts for Tennessee in the past two seasons, Hooker has 45 total touchdowns with only two interceptions, including 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions in four games this season. He is in the Heisman conversation. And a signature win at LSU could validate his name being brought up. There’s also the NIL factor. Being a serious contender for college football’s top award will only see his marketability and notoriety rise.

3. BJ Ojulari

On3 NIL Valuation: $716,000
Position: EDGE
Per Post Value: $544
On3 Impact 300 ranking: No. 22

BJ Ojulari has emerged as one of the SEC’s top pass rushers. With a 6-foot-3, 250-pound frame, he finished last year with six sacks, ready to breakout this season. In just three games he has three sacks and a forced fumble. LSU will need the defensive end to have a big game on Saturday, specifically when it comes to forcing pressure on Hendon Hooker. Sacks will not dictate the outcome of the game, but making sure the Tennessee quarterback doesn’t have time in the pocket is a must. Ojulari was part of the Raising Canes deal, when LSU players visited the restaurant in Baton Rouge and worked the registers. His $716,000 On3 NIL Valuation ranks No. 47 in the NIL 100 and No. 27 in college football.

4. Jayden Daniels

On3 NIL Valuation: $392,000
Position: Quarterback
Per Post Value: $1,000
On3 Impact 300 ranking: No. 256

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for LSU. In Year 1 of the Brian Kelly era, not too much was expected to be accomplished. But the Bayou Bengals find themselves sitting at No. 25 in the latest polls with a 4-1 record. And now they’ve been handed the perfect opportunity to play the upset role on Saturday. A strong day from Jayden Daniels will only help those chances. The Arizona State implant has yet to throw an interception through five games. And he’s using his legs to do what he does best — escape pressure. The quarterback has 321 rushing yards on 61 carries and another three touchdowns. The Tennessee offense is explosive; it is averaging 48.5 points per game. Daniels and LSU will have to be able to put points on the board at the same clip.

5. Cedric Tillman

On3 NIL Valuation: $374,000
Position: Wide Receiver
Per Post Value: $456
On3 Impact 300 ranking: No. 76

Cedric Tillman is a game-time decision for Saturday’s trip to LSU. The Tennessee wide receiver injured his ankle against Akron and was ruled out against Florida. The Tennessee star has had extra time to focus on recovery thanks to last week’s bye. Heupel informed the media Thursday that, “Cedric is able to move around.” The decision comes down to Tennessee’s medical staff; nothing has been announced. Tillman has emerged as one of college football’s top receivers this season. He’s found NIL success, too, signing with the Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company as its “Cookie Monster.”

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
+ Exposure

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 calculates the optimized NIL opportunity for athletes relative to the overall NIL market and projects out to as long as 12 months into the future.