Florida WR commit Vernell Brown III signs exclusive NIL deal with Panini America

Florida wide receiver commit Vernell Brown III landed another high-profile NIL deal. The four-star prospect signed an exclusive partnership with Panini America, he announced Thursday.

As part of the multi-year agreement, Brown will be featured across Panini’s collegiate products and be part of the company’s marketing activations. It’s the latest high-profile NIL deal for Brown, who committed to Florida in July.

“I’m excited to partner with a premium brand like Panini America,” Brown said in a statement. “When I was younger, I always dreamed what it would be like to have my own trading card – so to have this become a reality is really special.”

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A post shared by Vernell “Trey” Brown III🧌 (@_vb3_)

Brown is one of the top prospects in the country and a key piece of Florida’s recruiting class. The Orlando (Fla.) Jones product is a four-star recruit and the No. 35 overall player from the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 8-ranked wide receiver and No. 6 prospect in the state of Florida.

Panini is the latest addition to Brown’s growing NIL portfolio. He was also part of Adidas’ adizero 7 class in June, joining a group of top high school recruits such as 2026 five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson and Five Star Plus+ wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. in the campaign. Brown also has an agreement with American Eagle Outfitters, joining fellow Florida product Jamie Ffrench as partners with the brand.

“VB3 is well on his way to becoming an impactful player at the collegiate level, joining our current roster of playmakers,” said Jason Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations at Panini America. “We’re sure that he will be a fantastic addition to our collegiate products and programs in the coming years.”

More on Vernell Brown III’s On3 NIL Valuation

In July, the Florida State Board of Education ratified bylaw changes from the Florida High School Athletic Association that allow name, image and likeness activities for its student-athletes without forfeiting the ability to play prep sports. That opened the door for athletes in the state to agree to NIL deals, and Vernell Brown III continues to capitalize.

Brown has an On3 NIL Valuation of $256,000, which sits at No. 61 in the High School Football NIL Rankings. He has 16,100 followers on social media – fueled by 12,900 followers on Instagram – as he goes through his senior season at Jones.

The On3 NIL Valuation is calculated by combining Roster Value and personal NIL. 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. NIL in an athlete’s name, image and likeness and the value it could bring to regional and national brands outside of the scope of NIL collectives.

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