In the tough world of college sports, NIL (name, image, likeness) rankings have crossed a major milestone—being accepted as a measure of an athlete’s brand power and the public’s reach. Olivia Dunne, a gymnastics sensation with a huge fan base and a list of great endorsements. But now, she has faced a setback; she has recently slipped down in her NIL ranking. Regularly counted among the top performers, Dunne is now under increasing pressure to perform; thus she is entangled in a fierce battle against other top NIL earners to regain her position.

Unlike Arch Manning and Travis Hunter, who seem to be everywhere, Dunne’s place in the sport and an extended season offer her a golden opportunity to stage a comeback. With the change in focus to her subsequent competitions, will the next few months be the tipping point for her personalized NIL landscape? She has an advantage to cross the mark of $1.5 million and can regain her NIL ranking back.

Olivia Dunne has a great chance to snatch her spot

NIL earnings and rankings matter a lot these days, along with performance on the field. Though Livvy Dune has dropped from her second place to fourth and is replaced by football phantoms. But still, there is one interesting thing. The 22-year-old gymnast is the only female among the top 10 athletes, and it shows her potential. Now, let’s take a look at the top four NIL rankers and their earnings.

Olivia Dunne was in the second spot with $3.9 million in earnings before she rejoined LSU. But as soon as she joined, her spot was snatched (though her earnings increased to $4.2 million) when a footballer named Arch Manning took her place with $4.8 million. But the worst was yet to happen. The very next day, Travis Hunter took third place as well, with a $4.5 million valuation, and Dunne slipped to fourth. But here’s the catch. Suddenly Hunter’s earnings shot up by $700,000, and he was placed second, and Manning dropped to third. Who topped the list, you must be wondering? American footballer Shedeur Sanders is leading on top with a $6.5 million valuation.

The interesting thing in this NIL rankings list is that all three top athletes are footballers. According to On3, Sanders is in first place, Hunter in second with $5.7 million, and Manning in third with a $5.5 million valuation. Though Olivia Dunne slipped to fourth, she has an advantage to improve her rankings as the NCAA championship is around the corner, which means more coverage, more attention, and more sponsorships. But others can also increase the valuations, right?

Yes, they surely can. But they don’t have many opportunities like Dunne has. Their football National Collegiate Athletic Association Football (NCAAF) is going to end in January 2025, which means less chance to increase the valuation. However, Dunne’s NCAA championship is about to start and will end in April. So, she will have ample time to recover and get back to her spot, or maybe top the list; you never know. What will she be able to do?

Dunne can convert her chances into reality

Olivia Dunne secured second place in the NIL rankings despite the tough competition, and she is still the only female athlete in the top 10. It shows that she has the potential to come back stronger. But the real question occurs: how will that happen?

As you all are aware, Dunne’s NIL valuation increased from $3.9 million to $4.2 million a few months back. But how that happened, you may ask. Well, she announced her return to LSU, and they just won the NCAA title. A combination of her special media presence and return to LSU helped her to boost her NIL valuation. Now, again the NCAA women’s gymnastics is about to start, and her performances on the gymnastics mat will surely help her regain her worth on the NIL list as well.

Dunne already has many partnerships with brands like American Eagle, Vuori, Nautica, Purina Pro Plan, and Sports Illustrated. And with the new NCAA championship, she will be getting new brand deals, partnerships, and her social media presence with 5.4 million followers on Instagram.

As NCAA season 2025 approaches, fans are excited to see her on the gymnastics mat, and Dunne herself must be looking forward to the NCAA women’s gymnastics championship 2025. The question of her NIL rankings will be answered as soon as the championship ends. It is to be seen if she will be able to get her second place back (at least), or if her ranking will drop even more.