Top On3 NIL Valuations in Nebraska-Colorado showdown

For years, the Colorado–Nebraska game played a role in determining who won the Big 8 and eventually the Big 12 Conference. But both programs are in different leagues now and have strayed from their traditional winning ways. That’s why Deion Sanders and Matt Rhule were brought in this offseason to transform the Buffs and Huskers into winners again.

After a Week 1 victory over TCU, it appears Coach Prime has the Buffaloes on track quicker than many people anticipated. On the other hand, the Huskers lost in come-from-behind fashion to Minnesota, falling 13-10 to the Golden Gophers.

While Coach Prime and Rhule had different Week 1 outcomes, both know NIL will play a major part in their reclamation projects in Boulder and Lincoln. Both have talked openly about how NIL deals and opportunities help with player recruitment, transfer portal success and roster retention.

With that in mind, we’re diving into some of the top On3 NIL Valuations of the Colorado-Nebraska rivalry game:

Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders

On3 NIL Valuation: $3.8 million
Social media followers: 1.5 million
On3 NIL 100 ranking: No. 2

After starring at Jackson State the last two seasons, the biggest question was how would Shedeur Sanders handle the jump to the Power Five. Deion Sanders’ son delivered, finishing 38 of 47 for 510 yards and four touchdowns against TCU. The on-field performance resulted in major NIL returns. Sanders saw his On3 NIL Valuation jump $2.5 million this week to $3.5 million overall. It is now the highest-ranked valuation in college football, edging out Texas quarterback Arch Manning at $2.9 million. The quarterback has more than 1.5 million followers on social media.

Sanders has been cashing in on NIL since 2021. In the last year alone, he’s signed with Gatorade, launched his own barbecue sauce, been tabbed as the BRADY brand’s long-term ambassador and promoted Mercedes Benz. Most recently, he was named to the “Beats Elite” class along with 14 other college football players. The athletes will be featured across various marketing campaigns and wear custom Beats products.

Colorado ATH Travis Hunter

On3 NIL Valuation: $1.8 million
Social media followers: 1.5 million
On3 NIL 100 ranking: No. 6

College football has not seen a two-way player like Travis Hunter in recent memory. A wide receiver and cornerback, Hunter was constantly making plays against the Horned Frogs. 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. His social media accounts took off with his breakout game, adding more than 75,000 followers this weekend. He now has 1.5 million followers and a $1.8 million On3 NIL Valuation, which is a $362,000 increase from last week. The valuation is No. 4 in college football.

The No. 2 prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, Hunter signed endorsement contracts with Celsius Energy Drink, 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. He also has a YouTube page with more than 170,000 subscribers.

Colorado DB Shilo Sanders

On3 NIL Valuation: $546,000
Social media followers: 847,000
On3 NIL 100 ranking: No. 81

While his brother grabbed a lot of national headlines, Shilo Sanders – Coach Prime’s elder son – also had a big game in his Colorado debut. Sanders, a graduate transfer from Jackson State, logged 10 tackles, nine of which were solo, to tie with linebacker Marvin Ham for the team and game high. Sanders, who was named an Under Armour All-American in high school, transferred to Jackson State to play for his dad prior to the 2021 season. At JSU, he tallied 59 tackles, 12 pass deflections, five INTs, and two forced fumbles in 20 games (15 starts). He, too, has been attractive with brands to partner with. He’s signed NIL deals with Oikos, Actively Black and others. He also has an impressive social media presence of more than 847,000 followers.

Colorado DB Cormani McClain

On3 NIL Valuation: $432,000
Social media followers: 108,000
On3 College Football NIL Rank: No. 99

Cormani McClain, the No. 1 cornerback in the 2023 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, missed the season opener against TCU. Despite his highly touted status as a recruit, he was listed with the third string on Colorado’s Week 1 depth chart. Yet, Sanders says he expects McClain to play a role this season – maybe as soon as this week against the Huskers. “Cormani has to be ready,” Sanders said. “He has to get ready to play.” Even though he’s yet to see the field in Boulder, his status as a highly coveted recruit helped him build massive social media accounts of more than 108,000 followers. That, combined with the emerging CU brand, makes him a valuable commodity in the NIL space and why he has such a solid On3 NIL Valuation.

Nebraska WR Malachi Coleman

On3 NIL Valuation: $158,000
Social media followers: 29,000

Malachi Coleman arrived in Lincoln as the home-state star that was the gem of Rhule’s first recruiting class. Coming out of Lincoln East High, he ranked as the No. 60 overall player and 10^th-best receiver recruit, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Coleman played against the Gophers but did not log any official statistics – something the Huskers are hoping to change moving forward.

With his hometown star status, Coleman has an impressive On3 NIL Valuation of $158,000 and 29,000 followers. Plus, Coleman became the first high school athlete in Nebraska to strike an NIL deal. Money raised from his deal with Muchachos, a Mexican BBQ fusion restaurant in Lincoln, was donated to the foster care system.

Nebraska QB Jeff Sims

On3 NIL Valuation: $103,000
Social media followers: 39,000

Jeff Sims arrived at Nebraska this offseason with massive expectations. The former Georgia Tech starter transferred to Lincoln shortly after Rhule was named the Cornhuskers’ next head coach. Things didn’t quite go as expected in the loss to Minnesota. Sims committed three of the team’s four overall turnovers, including a costly late interception. Sims took the blame for the loss, which generated some goodwill with the Nebraska fan base. But the expectations remain, and he’ll have a lot of focus on him in the game against the Buffs.

With those expectations also come NIL opportunities. And there were plenty heading into the season for Sims. For example, Sims entered into a season-long partnership – which expires at end of the regular season – Amigos, a Nebraska staple with more than 25 locations across the Cornhusker State. He also has other NIL deals with the Nebraska-driven collective, The 1890 Initiative. Sims is also working with AKRS Equipment, which is a John Deere dealer.