JJ McCarthy NIL Earnings: How Much Did He Make From NIL Deals at Michigan?

JJ McCarthy is not only one of the top-ranked talents in the college football scene but also one of the most marketable faces in the league. With over 360K followers on social media across three major platforms—Instagram, Facebook, and X—McCarthy is considered an ideal candidate for endorsements. “J.J. is the perfect example of everything that NIL is and can be. He’s carried himself perfectly on and off the field, and he’s built his brand into one of the best in football—pro and college,” an agent told On3.com in January.

Although college football programs do not pay as handsomely as the pro leagues, the new NIL deal has helped college players catch a sniff of the big NFL paycheck. Riding on the same wave, JJ has capitalized on his social media fame to sign a few deals ahead of turning pro. But how much are his NIL deals worth?

JJ McCarthy ranks #7 among the highest-paid NIL deals

Although information about NIL deals is mostly kept private, JJ McCarthy is valued at $1.4 million, according to On3.com’s estimate. He is ranked #7 on the NIL list of highest-paid college athletes, a list topped by Bronny James and Shedeur Sanders. A significant portion of JJ’s money comes from multiple endorsements he is part of.

McCarthy is one of the brand ambassadors for Tom Brady’s apparel brand, BRADY™. Besides this, he also signed a deal with Alo Yoga, an American athletic apparel retailer. With this deal, he has now joined the list with Jimmy Butler and Caleb Williams.

Topps, a trading card company, has also roped in McCarthy to feature in the Bowman University Best Football trading card set. The list also includes Wolverine Boots and Bose, an audio brand. Now, McCarthy will have opportunities to build upon his college fame when he makes the transition to the NFL.

JJ McCarthy’s fate at the NFL draft

Deemed as a top-ten pick, McCarthy can go as high as #2 in the upcoming draft as there is a possibility that he might be roped in by the Washington Commanders. Although it is merely speculation at the moment, McCarthy’s case got a boost when Adam Schefter reported that Jayden Daniels’ visit with the Commanders didn’t go as expected. Hence, the #2 position is wide open for JJ McCarthy and Drake Maye.

But in case the Commanders don’t opt for McCarthy, he has a few other options as well. The Atlanta Falcons can use McCarthy as a backup QB to Kirk Cousins and develop him since he is just 21 years old. The Raiders are building up a new team under Antonio Pierce, and McCarthy can be a part of their setup. The Giants are also looking for a QB despite having Daniel Jones on the roster. The Vikings and the Broncos lost their former QBs, so they could add McCarthy too. Let us know where you think McCarthy will end up in the draft in the comments.