Travis Hunter is one of college sports' top earners. Here are the 10 student-athletes with the highest NIL valuations.
- Since 2021, student-athletes have been able to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
- Top student-athletes have worked with brands like New Balance, Celsius, and Beats by Dre.
Travis Hunter returned to the football field in style on Thursday night, receiving seven passes for more than 100 yards and three touchdowns and playing more than 40 snaps on defense to help the University of Colorado win its home opener against North Dakota State.
Throughout his collegiate career, Hunter has translated his on-field success into lucrative deals with brands like Celsius, EA Sports, and American Eagle Outfitters — and his strong performance in week one suggests there's more to come.
Name, image, and likeness deals — or NIL deals for short — have become a billion-dollar industry since their introduction to amateur sports in 2021, allowing student-athletes the opportunity to make significant amounts of money regardless of whether they have the option to turn pro.
Plus, in May, as part of a major antitrust settlement, the NCAA and its five power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) agreed that schools can directly pay their athletes for the first time in college athletics history.
Spencer Wadsworth, the senior vice president of global soccer at talent management firm Wasserman, told Business Insider that NIL has helped take the pressure off some athletes to go pro prematurely.
"There are different pressures that each person goes through, and I think knowing that you can still earn some living — technically get paid for your sport — and continue your studies is extremely positive because everyone does have their own journey," he said.
Wadsworth added that NIL can teach athletes good habits when it comes to managing their money by giving them more support, rather than leaving them on their own as professionals.
And the amounts aren't insignificant: Even at the college level, some athletes are valued at millions of dollars.
Media and technology company On3 uses an algorithm to track and update players' NIL Valuations weekly.
NIL Valuations are calculated based on an athlete's performance, influence, exposure, and deal data, which are used to create a Roster Value and an NIL Value.
According to On3, most athletes' total NIL Valuations are based on their Roster Value, which is defined as "a calculation of an athlete's respective value to their team," similar to the salary professional athletes receive from their organizations.
Meanwhile, their NIL Value is related to how an athlete's performance, influence, and exposure lead to additional advertising and sponsorships.
Their Roster Value plus their NIL Value creates their total NIL Valuation.
While these student-athletes have built names for themselves through their talents, skills, and social media savvy, some top NIL earners might have had some extra help attracting deals thanks to their legacy-bearing last names.
With valuations starting at $1.3 million, here's a look at the top 10 student-athletes profiting the most from NIL. These figures were accurate as of August 30, 2024.
10. Wide receiver Evan Stewart has an estimated NIL Valuation of $1.3 million.
Stewart spent his first two seasons with Texas A&M University, where he had a total of 91 receptions for 1,163 yards and six touchdowns. But on Saturday, he'll make his debut with the Oregon Ducks.
Per Sports Illustrated, head coach Dan Lanning told reporters, "There's a lot of positives" with Evan, adding that "he's one of the best at attacking the ball in the air."
Thanks to his 2.4+ million followers across social media platforms, deals with brands like NXTRND, EA Sports, NOCCO, and Coach, and likely a high Roster Value, On3 estimates that Stewart has an NIL Value of $1.3 million.
9. University of Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has an estimated NIL Valuation of $1.4 million.
Beck threw for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, taking his team to victory in the Capital One Orange Bowl against Florida State University and finishing with an impressive 13-1 record.
This year, he'll be looking to finish his collegiate career with a third national championship under his belt before entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
In addition to championships, Beck has accumulated various deals with brands like Powerade, EA Sports, The Players' Lounge, Airstar Charter (a private jet company), and Beats by Dre as a member of the second-ever "Beats Elite" class.
Per a press release by sports marketing company Learfield, the "Beats Elite" class is "curated based on leadership, character, and the athletes' overall commitment to excellence in their craft," and members will be featured in campaigns wearing custom Beats products.
8. UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers has an estimated NIL Valuation of $1.4 million.
The redshirt senior is back at UConn for one final season with a slew of accolades to her name.
The original "It Girl" of the 2020 draft class, Bueckers finished her freshman year with awards like the Naismith Trophy, the Wooden Award, and the ESPY for Best College Athlete — Women's Sports.
And despite a string of injuries disrupting her sophomore and junior years, she returned to the court in full force for the 2023-2024 season, leading the Huskies to the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament and earning the Big East Player of the Year award, the Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, and more.
James Barry, vice president of talent marketing at Wasserman, told BI, "Her ability to leverage herself as a content creator and creator in general, along with her sport, it's unique and she gets it."
With 4.9 million followers across social platforms, her performance and reach have helped her secure deals with brands like Nike, Gatorade, StockX, Chegg, Verizon, and Madison Reed, giving her a total NIL Valuation of $1.4 million.
7. Duke University freshman Cooper Flagg also has an NIL Valuation of $1.4 million.
The 6-foot-9 freshman from Newport, Maine, is starting his college basketball career strong — the 17-year-old has already signed with CAA for NIL representation and inked his first major deal with New Balance.
The brand announced its partnership with Flagg on August 26, highlighting his status as a five-star prospect who was the only teenager selected to train with the USA Basketball Men's National Team before their gold-medal-winning run in Paris.
"I grew up wearing New Balance, and I appreciate their authentic connection to my community," Flagg said in the release. "The focus and growth of the brand in basketball and our shared values and history drew me in. From day one, it was clear that this would be a family-like partnership. I'm so excited to join this family and help them grow the category with young athletes."
And if that still doesn't explain his worth, multiple outlets have already named him the projected No. 1 pick for the 2025 NBA Draft.
6. University of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has an estimated NIL Valuation of $1.7 million.
During the 2023-2024 season, then-sophomore Quinn Ewers threw for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns and helped lead his team to the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
Ewers' total NIL Valuation has decreased slightly since BI last reported on it in March, dipping from $1.9 million to $1.7 million.
Still, Ewers has made deals with Hulu, Dr. Pepper, Athletic Brewing Company, EA Sports, Texas One Fund, and private jet company Nicholas Air in 2024, signifying that the slight shift may have been the result of a decrease in his Roster Value.
5. University of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has an estimated NIL Valuation of $1.7 million, up from $1.6 million in March.
The Heisman candidate finished last season with 2,834 passing yards for 23 touchdowns and 468 rushing yards for 12 touchdowns to lead the Crimson Tide to a 12-1 record.
Throughout his career, Milroe has signed deals with Beats by Dre (he, too, is a member of this year's "Beats Elite" class), EA Sports, Six Star Pro Nutrition, and most recently, Celsius.
On August 26, Milroe was announced as a member of Celsius' "Essential Six" roster, along with other top players like Donovan Edwards, Emeka Egbuka, and fellow top NIL earner Travis Hunter.
According to Marketing Dive, each athlete will have a campaign complete with "TV spots, social media content and activations across retail, on-campus and consumer channels."
Celsius CMO Kyle Watson told the outlet in a statement, "Each athlete serves as an inspiration and motivation to our consumers and their commitment to greatness truly embodies Celsius' Live Fit lifestyle."
Milroe also highlights a number of other brand collaborations and partnerships on Instagram, including with Raising Cane's, Rhoback, and Evamor Water.
4. University of Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter has an estimated NIL Valuation of $2.7 million.
Hunter started the 2024-2025 season strong, putting up an all-around impressive performance against South Dakota State on Thursday night. He finished the game with more than 100 yards and three touchdowns on offense, in addition to playing more than 40 snaps on defense.
This year alone, he's signed deals with brands like Leaf Trading Cards, EA Sports, Rock 'Em Socks, and Celsius. This furthers his partnership portfolio which has also included American Eagle Outfitters, Cheez-It, 7-Eleven, NXTRND, and more.
Although On3 no longer provides specific breakdowns for players' NIL Values and Roster Values, it's likely that both have increased to bring his total NIL Valuation from $2.4 million in March to $2.7 million in August.
3. Arch Manning's NIL Valuation has increased from $2.8 million in March to $3.1 million.
The sophomore backup quarterback comes from a long line of football royalty. His uncles, Peyton and Eli Manning, were Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks in the NFL, and his grandfather, Archie Manning, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
As On3 only lists Panini America and EA Sports in Manning's NIL Deal Tracker, his total valuation could take his Roster Value — perhaps affected by his football pedigree — into consideration.
2. Louisiana State University gymnast Livvy Dunne is the highest-valued female college athlete, with an estimated NIL Valuation of $3.9 million.
With a combined social-media following of 13.2 million people, Dunne is one of the most-followed student-athletes ever, which likely helps brands gravitate toward her.
On3 reported that her portfolio of deals includes American Eagle Outfitters, Too Faced Cosmetics, Leaf Trading Cards, GrubHub, and Nautica.
Her most recent deal came in May when she signed a multimillion-dollar partnership with Passes, a creator platform that offers fans exclusive content and experiences.
"Passes allows me to monetize my creativity and expertise in ways that were previously unavailable to college athletes, which is why I'm so excited to be partnering with them," Dunne said, Forbes reported.
Dunne is returning to LSU for her final year of NCAA eligibility, where the team will be striving for back-to-back national championship titles.
1. Shedeur Sanders is the highest-valued student-athlete, with an estimated NIL Valuation of $4.7 million.
University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, 22, made waves in college football last season alongside his dad, Hall of Famer "Coach Prime" Deion Sanders, after transferring from HBCU Jackson State University to the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Despite finishing his junior year season 4-8 overall, Sanders threw for more than 3,000 yards with a passing completion percentage of 69.3% and a passer rating of 151.7.
On Thursday, he returned to the field for the start of his senior season, passing for 445 yards and four touchdowns against North Dakota State.
It came just one day after he became the first college football player to sign an NIL with Nike. The brand posted an image of Sanders on Instagram with the line, "You know what Time it is" — a nod to Deion Sanders' other nickname, "Prime Time" — and the caption, "Now it's a family business."
Shedeur Sanders is also a member of this year's "Beats Elite" class and has previously signed deals with brands like Google, Topps, Urban Outfitters, Oikos, Mercedes-Benz, Actively Black, and Gatorade.
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