When the NCAA adjusted its rules on college athletes being allowed to make money in 2021, an entirely new industry opened up. Of course, this industry relates to the college athlete promotional sector—for profit! For those who missed the changes, the NIL (name, image, and likeness) rules officially permit college athletes to profit from endorsement deals and sales stemming from their position as college athletes.
This is one of many exciting NCAA changes that have materialized in recent times, and you can check out more breaking news here to see what’s coming next. As for the figures and statistics relating to the athletes who have capitalized on these NIL changes, the top earners are killing it, as you are about to discover.
Bronny James—USC
When your dad is one of the best NBA players of all time, it’s never going to be too difficult to monetize your image. Then again, you still need some game to bring in the followers and the money. Of course, that’s precisely what Bronny James managed to do while playing at USC, and today, Bronny James still tops the charts for all-time NIL earners.
With over 13 million social media followers, Bronny James has been able to ink all kinds of deals while shooting hoops at USC. These included deals with Beats by Dre, Fast X, PSD Underwear, as well as Nike, giving him an estimated NIL value of around $6 million.
Shedeur Sanders—Colorado
Moving from basketball to football now, Shedeur Sanders comes in at a solid second in terms of overall NIL value. As a quarterback for Colorado at the moment, Sanders has managed to secure several high-profile deals that have helped him reach such a position. Deals with Beats by Dre, BRADY, and Gatorade remain his largest contracts, but since he’s still a Junior, more deals could be on the way.
Sanders’ approximate NIL value right now is around $4.6 million, which makes him the highest-earning NCAA football player in the NIL industry. And when you consider that he’s achieved this with less than 2.5 million social media followers (compared to Bronny James’ 13 million+), you’ve got to take your hat off to the guy.
Livvy Dunne—LSU
Livvy Dunne is the only female college athlete in the top three, and much like Shedeur Sanders, she is a Junior right now. Dunne has over 12 million social media followers, which is obviously huge, and her estimated NIL value is $3.2 million. If you thought that was impressive, consider this: she has around 330 million “likes” on her TikTok account. This shows that she has a huge following, but most importantly, a following that regularly engages with her content.
As a result, she’s cashed in on deals with huge brands like American Eagle, Motorola, Accelerator, Leaf Trading Cards, and more. Most recently, she’s appeared in a ManningCast commercial too, so she is clearly diversifying her image, deals, and subsequent income streams.
