The former Florida QB gained star status during his time in Gainesville, earning him some cash in the process. Boardroom looks back on his NIL deals.
With the NFL Draft kicking off next week, former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson is due to make a good chunk of change as a projected high pick. For reference, the top five picks in 2022 each made roughly $20 million or more via their respective signing bonuses alone. With most media folks placing Richardson in that range for this year’s draft, he’s likely to see that hit his bank account as well.
However, let’s not forget what Richardson has already made through name, image & likeness (NIL) while in Gainesville. His status as the star quarterback comes with quite a bit of clout in SEC country and that most certainly paid off.
Ahead of him hearing his name called in Kansas City, let’s break down what Richardson’s value was at Florida and the multiple NIL deals he signed while there.
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Anthony Richardson NIL Market Value
All data via On3.com’s NIL rankings.
College football NIL rank: 81
10-week high: $403,000
10-week low: $398,000
Total followers: 119,000
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.”
Anthony Richardson is the perfect example of how NIL valuations can differ from actual NIL earnings. First off, the above numbers did not continue to update when he declared for the NFL Draft. Therefore, his total followers have since grown and he’s no longer included on the college football NIL rankings.
Additionally, while his valuation halted at $403,000 — and, in turn, his ranking at No. 81 — On3 reported in November that Richardson “signed more than $1 million worth of NIL deals,” some of which we’ll break down below. That would seem to equate to a much higher ranking. Another key note within the report is that the million-dollar figure does not include any sort of money earned from collectives. So take these numbers with a grain of salt and keep in mind that in Richardson’s case, his reality is probably even better.
Notable Anthony Richardson NIL Deals
Gatorade
This one just made too much sense. Having been developed in Gainesville for the UF football program in 1965, it was only a matter of time before Gatorade signed a Gator, and who better to be the first than Richardson?
The deal included promotion from Richardson on his social media for the SEC Game Day Challenge, in partnership with Gatorade.
Fanatics
Another big name in the NIL space, Fanatics saw Richardson’s on-field success and decided to sign him to a deal that had the quarterback sign jerseys, footballs, and posters that would go for sale. Additionally, Fanatics sold his Florida jersey on its website. For what it’s worth, IP attorney Darren Heitner, who represents Richardson in sponsorship, endorsement, and marketing agreements, told On3 that while the terms were confidential, “marketing experts [he] spoke with said it was a very good deal.”
Champs Sports
Champs Sports is no stranger to signing popular college athletes to NIL deals, as we saw with the company partnering with the Cavinder twins. After Richardson stole the CFB limelight in Week 1 with an upset win over highly ranked Utah, the sports retailer quickly jumped at the opportunity to sign him.
Other notable deals: KloutMachine, L3 Campus
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