Top North Carolina public high school On3 NIL Valuations

NIL is coming to all high school athletes in North Carolina. A Wake County Superior Court judge ruled earlier this month that public school athletes in the state can profit from NIL. The preliminary injunction allowing all athletes to earn NIL dollars was officially signed on Monday.

The move comes after private school athletes in North Carolina have been permitted to engage in NIL activities since July. The top North Carolina prospect in the 2025 class, David Sanders Jr., attends Providence Day School, a private school. He previously signed NIL representation with WME. 

The injunction stems from the lawsuit the mother of Class of 2026 Tennessee five-star quarterback commit Faizon Brandon brought against the North Carolina Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction. 

On3 is breaking down North Carolina public high school athletes’ top On3 NIL Valuations:

Tennessee QB commit Faizon Brandon – $567,000

The class of 2026 Tennessee five-star quarterback commit is why North Carolina athletes can now earn NIL dollars and remain eligible. Brandon is the top-ranked quarterback in the nation and has wasted no time signing his first endorsement deal. He announced a partnership with 7UP on Monday night. According to the lawsuit filed by his mother, on April 30, the quarterback was presented with the “life-changing” deal that would have paid him and his family “a substantial sum of money.” He can now take advantage of those opportunities.

The Grimsley quarterback holds an On3 NIL Valuation of $567,000 and touts more than 20,000 social media followers.

North Carolina QB commit Bryce Baker – $407,000

One of the nation’s most accurate passers, North Carolina commit Bryce Baker is the No. 10 quarterback prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. Through Oct. 11, the top-125 recruit is 101 of 130, throwing for 1,602 yards with 18 touchdowns and an interception. The four-star recruit participated in the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles last summer and earned No. 8 overall honors from On3 for the event.

The East Forsyth quarterback has been locked in with the Tar Heels since June. The 6-foot-2.5, 200-pound quarterback has a $407,000 On3 NIL Valuation.

Four-star offensive tackle Ekene Ogboko – $344,000

The On3 Industry’s No. 4 2026 offensive tackle and top-25 recruit, Ekene Ogboko has yet to make a college decision but his recruitment is ramping up. Ogboko has made trips to South Carolina, NC State and Clemson this fall. The 6-foot-6, 286-pound offensive tackle holds over 30 scholarship offers. His older brother, Nnamdi Ogboko, is in his freshman season at Georgia. The South Garner offensive tackle has an On3 NIL Valuation of $344,000.

Five-star tight end Kendre Harrison – $200,000

Reidsville tight end Kendre Harrison is the nation’s No. 1 tight end in the 2026 class and ninth-ranked recruit. The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder is coming off a visit to Oregon for the Ohio State game. Harrison is also considering Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Penn State and Tennessee. He is most familiar with Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels like him in football and basketball. He was there last week. Tennessee will host him this weekend for the Alabama game, and Harrison is close with 2026 quarterback commit Faizon Brandon. Harrison has a $200,000 On3 NIL Valuation.

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.

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.

“Despite what some fans and media believe, there is not an unlimited amount of money being deployed to manage rosters,” said Shannon Terry, the founder and CEO of On3. “Any model – whether it’s today’s broken NCAA ‘student-athlete’ construct or media rights sharing through employment, which is almost a certainty in the near future – demands efficiency based on the athlete and school knowing the athlete’s respective market value.”