“I think over time, his example–not only with his work ethic but as a competitor, has the toughness, the way he prepares, the way he treats people,” said Billy Napier, Gators’ head coach, praising the Florida quarterback, Graham Mertz, as a person on and off the field. Additionally, Graham was one of the most underrated quarterbacks at Gators, but his last season’s impressive performance not only left fans‘ memorized but also revealed his mindset and leadership qualities.

However, the four-star quarterback missed the last game of the season with a collarbone injury and, after recovering, he joined Florida as a starting QB. In the present scenario, he dropped a bold statement to express his mindset ” I think the biggest thing? Like, individual stats don’t matter. W’s matter.” Such mindset and performance of Graham caught the eyes of many top brands for endorsement deals. So. let’s have a look at the NIL deals of the star player.

Graham’s NIL deals and overall valuation

On Monday afternoon, Mertz announced his partnership with the Mercedes-Benz of Gainesville dealership. Although this was not the first car company, before that he signed a deal with Essential Motors NJ and landed a Range Rover Sport Supercharged in February 2023. However, the full details of the agreement with Mercedes have yet not been disclosed, but Graham is working with them to date. Moreover, the star QB confirmed he would appear in the upcoming EA College Football 25 video game through an Instagram post. As per the announcement of EA Sports, each player approx earned $600 for this deal.

However, the list of NIL deals of the QB does not end here. Mertz inked a NIL deal with PDQ Chicken for their restaurant chain. Besides this, in a new advertisement for PDQ, the four-star QB has shown his arm strength by posing the question “Want more sauce? nothing wrong with that.” Along with that, he signed endorsement deals with Raising Cane’s, Panini America, and Pepsi. Most importantly, Graham maintained a NIL connection with the Florida-driven NIL collective Florida Victorious, too. As per On3 NIL valuation, the four-star prospect has been given an impressive NIL valuation of approximately $592K. You need to remember one thing about these deals he got because of his performance. So, let’s take a glimpse of his performance throughout his football career.

Mertz’s track record with Gators to date

Last season, Mertz finished with 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns. On this net, Gators’ head coach said, ” I think just in general, his leadership, his voice, I mean, the guy is–it’s a big deal for the Florida Gators that Graham Mertz is back to play quarterback.” Along with that, the 4-star quarterback finished the year with a 5-7 overall record.

It will be fascinating to witness what the 2024 season has in store for Mertz and the rest of the Florida team. Let me tell you that as per his track record, the upcoming season may be fortunate enough for the Gators and Mertz to become a playoff contender. Let’s wait and watch.