Top-5 NIL Valuations in USC's 2024 class

The On3 NIL Valuation is an index that looks to set the standard market value for both high school and college-level athletes. The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

The NIL valuation is comprised of a number of dynamic data points that focus on two primary factors – an athlete’s social media presence and their level of athletic performance.

A base valuation is generated from the number of followers on each social media platform an athlete has (Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok). Each platform is weighted differently based on the number of marketing dollars that brands and advertisers typically spend on each.

Here are the top-5 On3 NIL valuations among the 12 commitments in the USC Trojans 2024 class

1. CB Marcelles Williams – NIL Valuation $137K

Williams is one the ranked players in the country while playing for one of the best programs in the country in St. John Bosco. There are lots of eyes on Williams during the season and his social presence continues to grow. He is ranked as the No. 71 overall prospect in the class, which is going to give him some boost in the NIL department. Since committing, he has seen his value increase, which is not surprising. His senior season will likely see him rise again when he is on the field, likely having a stellar season.

2. Dakoda Fields – NIL Valuation $134K

Everything said about Williams before is applicable to Fields as well. He is a high ranked defensive back at a top high school program and is committed to the Trojans which has helped his social presence grow. Fields is quite active on social media which leads fans, especially USC fans, to follow him. He is a vocal recruiting for the Trojans in the class and as the continues to grow, his outgoing nature will help him propel his numbers. His $134K valuation is sure to grow as he goes through his senior year.

3. WR Xavier Jordan – NIL Valuation $132K

Xavier Jordan has several large factors to his advantage that allow him to be a potential major benefactor of NIL opportunities. One of the biggest reasons is Jordan plays a position, WR, that is often times one of the more popular positions for fans to cheer on. The skill players, especially ones with the ball in their hands get lots of love. It’s a flashy position. Him being ranked as a top-100 prospect at a premier position gives him major NIL upside. Jordan also benefits from being in Los Angeles and at a high level football program that gets plenty of buzz year in and year out. Being a top prospect from a popular program does favors on social media. Jordan has just shy of 9K social media followers, giving him more value. Jordan is ranked in the top-100 high Schoo NIL valuations at No. 114.

4. EDGE Kameryn Fountain – NIL Valuation $115K

We are once again on the defensive side of the ball, but this time we have an edge rusher. Fountain’s high rank helps his valuation but also being in a high traffic area such as Atlanta has allowed media and different fanbases to get eyes on him and support him. His social numbers are not all that high, which makes his $115K pretty impressive. Edge rusher is a premier position which helps boost his value both in recruiting and NIL. Fountain has a wildly impressive offer sheet that includes Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, and Ole Miss.

5. TE Walter Matthews – NIL Valuation $114K

We have our second offensive recruit on the list! This one comes in jumbo tight end/wide receiver Walter Matthews out of Georgia. He also reaps the benefits of being a top prospect on a popular high school squad, putting eyes on him from an early time. Decent social media numbers that will continue to grow. I have a feeling he will be one that really sees his NIL value grow in college, when he plays in an offense that is designed to help his position thrive.