Advertisement
football Edit

Name, Image & Likeness, Part 6: Who has the most future value?

The initials NIL now mean something in college football. So which players from the class of 2020 have the most future value based on potential earnings from name, image and likeness? Here’s an educated guess, based on talent and - equally as important - the market they could own.

*****

RIVALS' NAME, IMAGE & LIKENESS SERIES:

MONDAY: Answers to biggest questions | NIL 101 - Who will make the money?

TUESDAY: Building an athlete's brand

WEDNESDAY: What HS athletes think

THURSDAY: How colleges are handling this

FRIDAY: The most marketable rising freshmen

*****


1. QB Harrison Bailey, Tennessee  

Advertisement
Harrison Bailey
Harrison Bailey (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Bailey is a five-star quarterback headed to one of the most rabid college football towns in the country. If he’s successfu,l he could be a star in terms of marketing.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT VOLQUEST.COM

*****

2.  WR Demond Demas, Texas A&M

Demond Demas
Demond Demas (Rivals.com)

Hollywood Demas is a flashy kid and an amazing athlete. The Aggies have a great fan base and he could own the market in College Station if he’s as good as I think he will be. He already has over 16,000 Twitter followers and 103,000 Instragram followers, which is more than anyone in the 2021 Rivals100.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS A&M FANS AT AGGIEYELL.COM

*****

3. WR Zavier Betts, Nebraska  

Zavier Betts
Zavier Betts (Nate Clouse)

Wait, what? Butts isn’t a five-star, right? Nope, but he’s a top 60 player from the state of Nebraska who stayed home, and if he breaks out, he’ll be a megastar there.


SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NEBRASKA FANS AT HUSKERONLINE.COM

*****

4. QB Bryce Young, Alabama 

Bryce Young
Bryce Young (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

The starting quarterback at Alabama should do OK for himself, right? Especially a dynamic talent like Young from California.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ALABAMA FANS AT BAMAINSIDER.COM

*****

5. QB DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson  

D.J. Uiagalelei
D.J. Uiagalelei (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

DeShaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence have paved the way, and now Uiagalelei can reap the benefits if he follows suit as a Heisman candidate.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH CLEMSON FANS AT TIGERILLUSTRATED.COM

*****

6. RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

Bijan Robinson
Bijan Robinson (Rivals.com)

The Longhorns are a big deal in Texas, obviously, and if Robinson is as good as expected, he could be the poster child for a program that badly needs a winner.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS FANS AT ORANGEBLOODS.COM

*****

7. RB Kendall Milton, Georgia

Kendall Milton
Kendall Milton

Running backs at Georgia do pretty well, right? Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb and D’Andre Swift would have wowed the market in Athens. If Milton is next in line, he will cash in.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT UGASPORTS.COM

*****

8. WR Jordan Johnson, Notre Dame

Jordan Johnson
Jordan Johnson (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

The quarterback gets all the attention usually, but a five-star Midwest receiver having a huge career at Notre Dame could make him very valuable.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NOTRE DAME FANS AT BLUEANDGOLD.COM

*****

9. CB Elias Ricks, LSU  

Elias Ricks
Elias Ricks (Rivals.com)

LSU defensive backs are marketable as we saw from Tyrann Matthieu and now Derek Stingley Jr., who is just shy of 40,000 Twitter followers as a sophomore. Ricks could really cash in.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH LSU FANS AT TIGERDETAILS.COM

*****

10. OL Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

Paris Johnson Jr.
Paris Johnson Jr. (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Offensive linemen are people, too, and Ohio State has a massive national brand and fan base. Think Penei Sewell, but in Columbus. It’s a stretch, I know, but this local could be special.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT BUCKEYEGROVE.COM

Advertisement