Now settled in Baton Rouge, the QB1 for the Tigers is using strong play on the field to secure strong deals in the NIL game.
Like many in this era of the NCAA transfer portal, all it took was a change of scenery for LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Starting his college career at Arizona State, Daniels got off to a blazing start by playing in all 12 games his freshman season, throwing for 2,943 yards and 17 touchdowns with just two interceptions. After the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Daniels returned under center for the Sun Devils for a full season in 2021 but regressed in almost every meaningful statistical measure as a passer.
Ahead of the 2022 season, Daniels hit the portal and ultimately landed with Brian Kelly and LSU. His first year in Baton Rouge couldn’t have gone much better; he returned to his 2019 form, again throwing for 17 touchdowns as he led the Tigers to a 10-win season and an SEC West title.
With a full season under his belt down south, Daniels and Co. found themselves sitting in the top five of most preseason polls with everything to play for. His promising play on the field has led to promising opportunities off of it in the name, image, & likeness (NIL) space, too, signing numerous big-name deals in August alone.
Boardroom breaks down the NIL portfolio of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, including his estimated market valuation and the deals that got him there.
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Jayden Daniels NIL Market Value
All data via On3.com’s NIL rankings as of Aug. 28, 2023.
College Football NIL rank: 57
Overall NIL 100 rank: 78
Annual Valuation: $563,000
10-week High: $587,000
10-week Low: $563,000
Total Social Media Followers: 98,000 (80K on IG, 17K on X, 187 on TikTok)
The above monetary figures are via On3’s NIL Valuation, a proprietary algorithm that “establishes the overall NIL market and projected 12-month growth rate by measuring two categories, Brand Value Index and Roster Value Index.”
“While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career.”
Notable Jayden Daniels NIL Deals
Beats by Dre
Beats by Dre decided to call a big play before the 2023 college football season kicked off.
Just ahead of Week 0, the audio software company announced the launch of its “Beats Elite” class, which featured 15 players across the nation. Daniels is part of this inaugural class alongside big names like reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams, Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy, and Texas signal-caller Quinn Ewers,
Specific details of the deal weren’t disclosed, but expect to see Daniels and Co. featured in branded campaigns and promoting Beats products on their respective social media accounts. The LSU QB already gifted headphones to teammates ahead of their anticipated Sept. 3 matchup against Jordan Travis and Florida State, so we’ll see if any other gifts are on the way in the future.
Powerade
After making an NIL play ahead of March Madness, Powerade is starting another campaign heading into college football season by signing Daniels and four other athletes to deals as part of its “It takes more” ad campaign. Per Sports Business Journal, the first commercial of the campaign is set to air on Sept. 3, with more to follow throughout the season.
Joining Daniels in this Powerade campaign are Florida State‘s Jared Verse, Georgia cornerback Malaki Starks, USC wide receiver Mario Williams, and Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson.
Raising Cane’s
Chicken fingers and football. That’s what Daniels does.
Raising Cane’s has been highly invested in the NIL landscape for a couple years now, reaching deals with the likes of former national champion and Georgia QB Stetson Bennett, Florida State’s Trey Benson, the Cavinder Twins, and LSU’s Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson.
Being based in Baton Rouge, it makes sense why the chicken chain has targeted LSU athletes. After a promising 2022 as QB1 and having the Tigers sitting in the top five of preseason polls, Daniels was the most logical choice for Cane’s to sign.
Other notable deals: NextGenChamps, The Athletic Collection
More NIL:
