NIL today has become a lucrative factor for college student-athletes like QB Jalen Milroe who is one of the top NIL earners in college. It’s the same even for the program as Alabama was able to secure an impressive rank as the No. 2 recruiting class under Kalen DeBoer in 2024. So it’s not surprising why the news about Alabama closing its top NIL collective sent shockwaves throughout the nation. According to rumors, Alabama’s Walk of Champions Collective is closing. 

The news first appeared on FootballScoop as a report from AL.com’s Hannah Denham who was the first to state the collective’s shutdown. The report further stated that Yea Alabama collective is still active. Former Alabama QB John Parker Wilson reportedly said, “Out of an abundance of caution for our donors and charitable partners, Walk of Champions ceased accepting donations and implemented a plan to dissolve.” But turns out, it’s some kind of a misunderstanding. 

Alabama GM wasted no time in setting the report straight after talks about the program shutting down their top NIL collective. “Fake news ❗❗” that’s what Courtney Morgan had to say about the rumor that’s spreading like wildfire. Taking to his X account on August 29, Morgan shared Alabama AD Greg Byrne which dismissed the wrong perception. Responding to FootballScoop’s breaking title “Alabama shutting down top collective,” Byrne wrote, “Come on, @FootballScoop! That headline makes it sound like we no longer have a collective. @yea_ala has been and will continue to be our primary NIL partner and one of the best in the country.” 

The Walk of Champions Collective was a non-profit to enable Alabama athletes to strike market deals with brands, but it didn’t work out according to plan. Just two years later, it has gone downhill. But that’s not the case for the program’s primary collective, which is Yea Alabama. FootballScoop later acknowledged their error in another statement which read, “Alabama has asked that we clarify… Their donor led Collective (Walk of Champions) has chosen to shut down. The school led one, Yea Alabama, remains active.” While the rumor may have shaken the public and the players, the good news is that it’s a whole different story, and stars like QB Jalen Milroe can continue building their NIL empire.

Jalen Milroe’s NIL rankings soar

As of the latest NIL rankings on On3, Jalen Milroe takes a coveted No. 5 spot with $1.7 million behind Travis Hunter with $2.7 million. The Alabama play caller inked a deal with EA Sports earlier in February followed by Six Star Pro Nutrition, Beats by Dre, and Celsius under Kalen DeBoer. Now, he has signed another huge deal with brand management and production company Improbable Media, becoming the first college football athletic partner. 

After the deal was struck, Jalen Milroe said, “Joining the Improbable Media family is a game changer for me. Being a college athlete in this new world of NIL brings more opportunity but also challenges, so it’s important to have the right team around me.” See how he brings his team to the spotlight despite it being his platform to shine. He was the one who held Alabama together when chaos spread during Nick Saban’s retirement, the one who made a lasting first impression on DeBoer. He’s already making big deals under his new HC in the offseason. Will Jalen Milroe be able to walk the hype this season?