Michigan DB Will Johnson Taking Advantage Of Early NIL Opportunities
Five-star cornerback Will Johnson was the face of Michigan’s 2022 recruiting class, which finished No. 10 nationally in the On3 Consensus national team rankings.
Johnson committed to Michigan last February over Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas A&M, USC and a number of other top programs. Johnson, the son of ex-Wolverine Deon Johnson, was a leader for the Wolverines on the trail and played a big role in U-M’s strong closing during the early signing window.
Johnson enrolled at Michigan last month and is already taking advantage of the biggest trend in college football — Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
“NIL has been good,” Johnson said. “I have a good support system to help me out. I have a lawyer and sports marketing guy that helps me with NIL. He looks over all my contracts and deals. Him and my family help me focus on what I have to focus on. They handle all of that. I do everything I need to do it. It’s pretty easy. Obviously, it’s great for me. I get to make money now and do all that, so I’m happy about it.”
Johnson is No. 28 in On3’s NIL ranking system with a valuation of $65,000. Through his first month at Michigan, Johnson has signed deals with Positivity Alkaline Water, Valiant Management and, most recently, The Wolverine Magazine.
“They’re all good,” Johnson said. “I have connections with all of them. It’s been easy and kind of natural. I’m making money off of it, and it’s a benefit both ways.”
Valiant Management, which was founded by ex-Wolverine Jared Wangler, is serving as the de facto NIL arm of the University of Michigan. As Michigan continues to navigate NIL waters, Valiant has, per its official website, already secured nearly one million dollars in NIL deals for U-M student-athletes.
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“I’ve known the Wanglers since before can remember,” Johnson said. “I’ve known them my whole life, so they’ve been supporting me my whole life. I felt like doing a deal with them meant a lot. It’s a great deal for both of us. They’re really connected with Michigan, so it only made sense to do something with them.”
While Johnson said he hasn’t had much NIL guidance from the Michigan football program just yet, he is excited about the recent announcement of U-M’s VICTORS Local Exchange program, which will allow businesses to apply for opportunities to partner with Michigan student-athletes.
“It’s more of my outsources for sure,” Johnson said. “But Michigan gives you the platform to be able to use your sources and get people to reach out. Now, I know they have this new platform they’ve built and made (VICTORS Local Exchange program). I’ll probably learn more about that soon.”
Johnson will appear on the cover of The Wolverine Magazine’s recruiting edition, which features profiles and analysis on every 2022 Michigan signee.
Preorder at TheWolverineOnDemand.com by Feb. 14 for fastest delivery.
