🏅 Flagg got Snagged

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Happy Week 1! We’ve got a packed-out edition for you today – what better way to start the college football season than with NIL Wire? Today, we’re bringing you updates on Cooper Flagg’s massive NIL agreement, why Brian Kelly doesn’t like Oklahoma State’s QR code helmets, and more. It’s all coming up right now!

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— Cole, Justin and Collin

The Big 3

Cooper Flagg Signs with New Balance

Duke Freshman Cooper Flagg, the presumptive #1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, just signed an endorsement deal with New Balance. The Blue Devils’ phenom currently holds a $1.4M NIL valuation – the highest in all of college basketball – despite not lacing up for a single game yet.

Don’t be too sure Flagg will be wearing New Balance shoes next season though. Duke has a school-wide deal with Nike, which could complicate Flagg’s ability to rep New Balance on the court: 

“The connection with New Balance as a family company and a company with Maine roots means a lot to me," Flagg told ESPN about the decision. New Balance operates a manufacturing plant less than 30 miles from his hometown. (More)

NIL Issues in North Carolina

Faizon Brandon, a 2026 five-star QB who’s currently committed to Tennessee, can’t make money off of his NIL due to rules in his home-state of North Carolina. His mother Rolanda is fighting that rule in court, though – she just brought a lawsuit against the state’s Board of Education.

The lawsuit is rather straightforward: Faizon was offered “life changing” money by a trading card company. As the rules currently stand in North Carolina, he’s not able to take advantage of the opportunity.

The case is further complicated by the state’s confusing NIL double-standard: private-school athletes are allowed to take advantage of NIL opportunities in North Carolina, but not public-school athletes. (More)

Brian Kelly is not a Fan of QR Code NIL Helmets

Oklahoma State made headlines last week with their new helmets, which will display QR codes that allow fans to scan and give money to the school’s NIL collective. LSU head coach Brian Kelly was not a fan of the idea.

“We can keep NIL off the field,” he explained, “I think we can generate the things that we need here at LSU separate from the game day atmosphere, the collegiate kind of feel that you have… This is just my personal feeling, putting a QR code on your helmet just doesn't feel collegiate to me.”

Of course, Kelly isn’t anti-NIL. The Tigers have embraced NIL more willingly than most schools, which is why they’ve consistently topped NIL valuation charts over the last few years. The tigers were even selected by Amazon as the centerpiece of their new NIL docuseries, which is coming out on September 10^th. (More)

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ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Will Howard

• School: Ohio State 

• Sport: Football

• Position: Quarterback 

• Class: Redshirt Sophmore

 Accolades: 

• 2023: (at Kansas State) Second-team All-Big 12 (coaches), Academic All-Big 12, Graduated in December with his degree in accounting 

• 2022: Academic All-Big 12

• 2021: Academic All-Big 12

• NIL: Will Howard is ranked #25 nationally in the top NIL valuations in college sports and has landed deals with Onit Athlete, and Grippo’s Chips. He also used The Foundation. Ohio state’s NIL collective, to land himself a brand new Bronco. 

NIL BLITZ

♦️ Lincoln Riley on NIL recruiting: “You don't want to be going to a gun fight with a knife”

♦️ 22 Oklahoma athletes are being given cars as part of a massive NIL deal

♦️ Georgia Tech broke their athletic department’s donation record, taking in $78M last year

♦️ Thanks to NIL, The NCAA may make changes to their membership financial reporting system 

♦️ H-E-B signs Texas’ volleyball superstar Madison Skinner to an NIL deal

♦️ Right after we predicted him as a breakout NIL star, Zachariah Branch signed an NIL deal with Jordan Brand

♦️ UConn strikes a deal with their own NIL collective for a one-year on-field advertising partnership

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Would you tune into the Vegas-fueled NIL Tournament?

• Yes, it’s college basketball with money on the line! - 46%

• No, there aren’t any blue-blood programs playing - 54%