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CFB Week 1 is just around the corner, which is why we thought it’d be important to catch y’all up on all things NIL. Which college football players hold the largest NIL valuations in the country this season? Who seems primed for an NIL breakout? Who’s due for NIL regression? This is the NIL Wire college football preseason primer.

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NIL Wire’s Preseason Primer

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, football season has finally arrived. Nothing – not even the Olympics – can replace the joy of college football Saturdays, which is precisely why we wanted to set you up perfectly for Week 1 of the college football season.  

We’re NIL Wire, so of course we’re going to be talking about all things NIL. Today’s edition will be focusing on individual players: Which players hold the highest NIL valuations in the country? Whose set for an NIL breakout this season? Who’s in danger of an NIL fall-off?

It’s all coming up right now – let’s dive in.

Highest NIL Valuations in the Country

Here’s the college football players with the highest valuations in the country, per On3:

1. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado QB ($4.7M)

2. Arch Manning, Texas QB ($3.1M)

3. Travis Hunter, Colorado DB ($2.7M)

4. Jalen Milroe, Alabama QB ($1.7M)

5. Quinn Ewers, Texas QB ($1.7M)

6. Carson Beck, Georgia QB ($1.4M)

7. Evan Stewart, Oregon WR ($1.3M)

8. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss QB ($1.3M)

9. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon QB ($1.2M)

10. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee QB ($1.2M)

As you can see, the highest valuations in the country are all quarterbacks, with two exceptions. Those exceptions find themselves in somewhat remarkable, albeit quite different, circumstances.

In Travis Hunter’s case, he’s connected to the biggest college football hype-machine of the NIL era. Colorado’s ability to stay in the limelight directly correlates with his ability to capitalize on NIL deals – usually endorsement spends by national brands.

Evan Stewart, on the other hand, isn’t exactly a household name yet. His money is coming from the NIL-money printing factory that Oregon’s collective has become, thanks in large part to Nike founder Phil Knight. Stewart is getting paid in roster value, not necessarily based on his brand.

There’s going to be a lot of movement with this top ten list throughout the year. Last year Heisman winner Jayden Daniels was valued at $563K on August 28^th, 2023 – good for 57^th best in the country. By December 13^th, his valuation had ballooned to $2.2 million after a successful Heisman campaign.

That’s nearly a 400% increase in value over a 3 ½ month period. Chances are, someone else will make a similar leap this season, which brings us to our next topic.

NIL Breakout Candidates

There are a couple players that I think could really increase their NIL valuations as the season goes on. Right now, these guys are undervalued.

Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei

DJ Uiagalelei currently holds a $612K valuation – that’s the 55^th highest in the country. He is, however, taking over a Florida State squad that went undefeated in last year’s regular season. The Seminoles hold the tenth best national title odds, including a relatively easy ACC schedule.

Considering Jordan Travis touched a $1.2M valuation last season under similar circumstances, I’d be surprised if Uiagalelei’s valuation didn’t rise substantially this fall. He’s a Heisman dark-horse who’s being seriously undervalued after having a career season for Oregon State last year.

Did they lose their first game of the season on Saturday? Yes. But they’re not playing a ranked team until October 5th, which should be plenty of time to wash that less-than-stellar performance out of everyone’s mind.

Plus, I think a comeback narrative could actually prove more lucrative if the Seminoles can finish their season strong. Uigalelei will have big-game opportunities, but he’ll also be the favorite in most matchups from here on out.

USC wideout Zachariah Branch

Zachariah Branch was a First Team All-American last year as a true freshman. Despite putting up modest receiving numbers, he became one of the most dangerous returners in the country, logging 774 combined kickoff and punt return yards, as well as a couple touchdowns. With an expanded role, he’s set to skyrocket.

Branch will turn eyes not only because he’s good – he’s also very fun to watch. Explosive plays are an NIL moneymaker, and Branch is good for a couple a game. I’d expect him to go well beyond his current $387K valuation this season, even without Caleb Williams throwing him the ball.

Risky Business

There’s a couple players who could be heading the other way, too, for one reason or another. I’d expect a bit of NIL valuation regression for the following guys.

Syracuse QB Kyle McCord

Kyle McCord didn’t exactly inspire anyone last year during his Ohio State tenure, but that’s not entirely his fault. He was burdened with unrealistic expectations from the get-go, and when he struggled against their biggest rival, Michigan, the entire fanbase seemed to turn on him.

The good news is that he has a fresh start at Syracuse now. The bad news is that he’s losing a ton of weapons with his transfer – there’s no more Marvin Harrison Jr. to bail out broken plays, and his new team won only 2 games in conference last season.

McCord will be playing from behind a lot, which could mean he puts up a bunch of passing yards. It could also force him to overextend himself though, throwing more interceptions. I think the move may have been good for his career, but his NIL earnings will likely take a hit as he steps out of the limelight a bit to focus on getting to the NFL.

Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke

Tyler Van Dyke is in a similar position to McCord, transferring from the University of Miami to Wisconsin this offseason. The main problem I see with Van Dyke, though, is that the hype may get cut off before it ever has a chance to begin.

Wisconsin plays #5 ranked Alabama on September 14^th, which most expect to be a drudging. Then, they play #23 USC. Those two games are followed by three easy ones, but then there’s the three-week gauntlet he’ll face from October through November, playing #8 Penn State, #25 Iowa, and #3 Oregon back-to-back-to-back. Those defenses could completely kill whatever confidence he regains after the beginning of the season.

It's never a good sign when the coach is talking about how deep the QB room is, either. That often means the guy who’s starting could be given less leeway than usual:

The timing just isn’t great. If Van Dyke wants to improve on his $469K valuation, he’ll have to string together more than four good games in a row to build momentum. That seems highly unlikely considering the schedule he’s about to face.

What do you think of our breakout candidates? What about our regression candidates? Let us know by responding to this email. We’re also doing a mailbag edition in the future, so send in any questions for a chance to get it answered by us!