As the top QB prospect in the upcoming draft — per multiple outlets — it’s no surprise to see Bryce Young leave for the NFL. Before he goes, let’s look back at his impact on the NIL endorsement market.
Bryce Young didn’t waste time in declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft. Just two days after putting up five touchdowns in Alabama‘s 45-20 win over Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl, the quarterback made it official on Jan. 2. He posted the following on his official Twitter nearly two weeks later, thanking the Tide faithful for their support while he was there.
Can anyone blame him? According to his latest mock draft, Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Young slotted to be taken first overall by the Indianapolis Colts, who make a trade with the Chicago Bears in this particular mock draft, having been in dire need of a franchise quarterback since Andrew Luck retired in 2019.
“Bryce Young is a complete outlier from a size perspective and would be somewhat off-type for [Colts GM Chris] Ballard, but Young’s instincts, vision and accuracy as a passer are the traits worth betting on at the position. It won’t be a driving reason behind a trade up, but sniping Young ahead of division foe Houston would be an added benefit,” Brugler wrote.
And while he’s sure to instantly earn millions from his signing bonus alone as the potential No. 1 pick, Young has racked up quite a bit simply from being the top signal-caller at one of the top programs in college football. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner finished the season as college football’s No. 2 NIL earner, according to On3.com, with a valuation of $3.5 million. Among players who have stepped foot on a collegiate field, he’s actually THE top earner, but thanks to Arch Manning heading to Austin early, he is now classified as a college student-athlete, putting his $3.7 million valuation just ahead of Young’s.
So before he departs for the next level, Boardroom breaks down the complete Bryce Young NIL earnings story at Alabama.
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Bryce Young’s NIL Market Value
All data via On3.com’s NIL rankings as of Jan. 20, 2023.
College football NIL rank: 2
Overall NIL rank: 4
10-week high: $3,500,000
10-week low: $3,400,000
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.”
Notable Bryce Young NIL Deals
Dr. Pepper
It’s not officially college football season until the first Dr. Pepper “Fansville” commercial hits the airwaves. It’s become a Saturday staple in recent years, and Young decided to get in on the action in 2022. After Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei claimed the DP mantle last season, the company pegged Young to appear in “Fansville” commercials.
“Dr. Pepper is one of the brands that I grew up with and I feel like they have such a strong love for the game of football, just like I do,” Young told On3.com.
Nissan
Speaking of popular college football commercials, how about the Heisman House (presented by Nissan)? After winning the coveted award in 2021, Young officially became a member of the Heisman House, earning this endorsement deal with Nissan. Thanks to the new NIL rules, Young was able to appear in the commercials while still playing out his college season, whereas previous winners — such as Tim Tebow or Baker Mayfield — had to wait until they were out of school to participate.
Beats by Dre
The NIL King continued his bombardment of the space when he announced his partnership with Beats just a couple of weeks after his commercials aired on television. It was a subtle announcement, one in which he posted pictures of himself wearing Beats headphones on his social media, but you know the company is anything but. Also boasting endorsement deals with Beats are USC’s Caleb Williams and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
Celsius
In another deal in which the company double-dipped with USC’s Williams, Young announced a partnership with Celsius midseason. As both players share Celsius content on their social media channels, however, Celsius may have a few other things to worry about.
Additional Young NIL deals
Fanatics, Dollar Shave Club, NOBULL
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