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Breaking Down the Top 3 NFL Draft Picks' NIL Deals & More

Apr 30, 2024

This past week, lives were changed as college football players were drafted into the NFL. Before all these athletes move on to professional football, let's look back at the Top 3 draft picks and their NIL deals in college.

No. 1 Pick: Caleb Williams

As expected, Caleb Williams was selected by the Chicago Bears as the first overall pick of the NFL draft. The 6-foot-one-inch quarterback is a force both on and off the field and currently holds several records at USC including the single-season record for total offense (4,919 yards), most touchdowns scored rushing and passing (52), most touchdown passes thrown (42) and more. He also won the Heisman Trophy in 2022.

Over his successful football career, Caleb signed several notable NIL deals and earned over $10 million. He worked with brands like Dr Pepper, Nissan, United Airlines, Leaf Trading Cards, Fanatics, and more.

No. 2 Pick: Jayden Daniels

LSU's Jayden Daniels was selected second overall by the Washington Commanders. After transferring from Arizona State to LSU, Jayden excelled. In 2023 Jayden threw 3,812 yards with an impressive 73% completion rate and won the Heisman Trophy.

Over his college career, Jayden secured over $2 million from his NIL deals and worked with brands like Powerade, Hey Dude, Beats by Dre, Urban Outfitters, and Raising Cane's.

No. 3 Pick: Drake Maye

Tar Heel Drake Maye was selected third overall by the New England Patriots. Drake led the Tar Heels to the ACC Championship game and set a UNC school record for most passing yards in one season (4,321 yards) and passing touchdowns (38). Ultimately Drake was named the 2022 ACC Player of the Year. Maye is leaving UNC as the fifth quarterback with most passing yards (8,018).

It's estimated that Drake Maye, son of former UNC quarterback Mark Maye, made around $1 million from NIL deals over his college career. He worked with Lowe's, Bose, Bojangle's, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's ZOA Energy, and more.

How Do Brands Choose Who to Work With?

Brands typically analyze an athlete's following to determine if they want to work with the athlete or not. If the athlete's audience aligns with the business's target audience, the brand will work with the athlete.

For example, say Caleb Williams has a following of rising football stars who are high school-aged males. An athleticwear company wanting to break into the men's high school apparel scene could choose to work with Caleb because his following is also the company's target market.

Interested in learning more about NIL and how to create your social media audience? Check out the Activate NIL Personal Branding Course (discount code included).