Top Five Highest-Paid College Football Players in 2024 Including Caleb Williams, Arch Manning & Shedeur Sanders

The college gridiron stars are not just tackling opponents on fields, their touchdown now comprises million dollar deals in the business world. The introduction of NIL has ushered in a new era where athletes are now harnessing the power of their personal brand. Amidst the intensely competitive environment, five college football players have made their way to the top.

The players who have leveraged their star power to secure lucrative contracts are- Caleb Williams, Arch Manning, Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and Drake Maye. Here’s a detailed list of college football players reigning in the world of endorsements.   

Shedeur Sanders’ double play from gridiron to brand deals

The Buffaloes quarterback extraordinaire and the son of coaching maestro, Deion Sanders, besides making waves on the field, Shedeur has conquered the NIL game too. Having a whopping 2.1 million social media followers, as per the On3 NIL valuation, Shedeur holds a valuation of $4.5 million. The list of brands that collaborated with the quarterback goes on with Nike, Mercedes-Benz, Brady Brands, Gatorade and Beat by Dre. 

Arch Manning’s firm base in NIL

The scion of the esteemed Manning family, Arch Manning earned a notable spot in terms of sealing endorsement deals. With a social media following of 222,000, his On3 valuation sits at 2.9 million. The courtesy for this NIL standing goes to an exclusive partnership with trading card company, Panini America. Besides, he is likely to have signed deals in endorsing brands like Chevrolet and Reebok.

Read More: ‘Catalyst’ Cormani McClain Behind Travis Hunter in Leading Colorado Buffaloes From Being ‘Good’ to ‘Elite’

Caleb Williams sips in NIL success

The Heisman Trophy recipient, Williams with a remarkable 319,000 social media followers, proudly boasts an impressive $2.6 million NIL valuation. Within his endorsement portfolio, there prevail heavyweight brands like United Airlines, Neutrogena, PlayStation’s Playmaker program and Beats by Dre. The recent additions to the roster have been Nissan, Wendy’s and Dr. Pepper hat solidified his status in the NIL charts. 

Travis Hunter hype makes its way to NIL

Hunter has a strong social media presence with more than 1 million followers across social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Apart from an impressive social media presence, Hunter’s holds a solid spot in the On3 NIL valuation chart with approximately $2.1 million. Having a love for fishing, the Buffalo cornerback and wide receiver attracted brands like Gary Yamamoto, WaterLand Co., Custom Baits and KastKing. Besides, his fashion-forward approach helped him to secure deals with the Michael Strahan brand. 

Drake Maye’s endorsement odyssey

The quarterback for the Tar Heels, Maye proves to be a powerhouse both on and off the field. He leverages his social media following of 75,000 and with this maintains an impressive NIL valuation amounting to $1.5 million. Among his endorsements, the brainchild of Dwayne Johnson, ZOA Energy solidifies his status as a rising ambassador. Other than that, his winning streak includes Bose and Campus Mogul.

No longer bound by the constraints of amateurism, the football prodigies are now savvy businessmen in the making. The multi-faced portfolio exemplifies the boundless opportunities that the world of sports endows college athletes with.   

Also Read: Johnny Manziel Backs Lebron James and Drake’s $3 Billion Investment Venture in the PGA Tour