The 10 student-athletes with the highest NIL valuations

Jared C. Tilton/Staff/Getty Images
- Since 2021, student-athletes have been able to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
- Top student-athletes have worked with brands like New Balance, Uber, and Beats by Dre.
- Arch Manning has an estimated NIL value of $6.5 million.
As the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, 18-year-old Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has already earned one of the highest NIL valuations in the country.
Name, image, and likeness deals β or NIL deals for short β have become a billion-dollar industry since they were introduced to amateur sports in 2021, allowing student-athletes the opportunity to make significant amounts of money regardless of whether they have the option to turn pro.
Plus, in May 2024, as part of a major antitrust settlement, the NCAA and its five power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) agreed that schools can directly pay their athletes for the first time in college athletics history. The final approval hearing, though, is scheduled for April.
Spencer Wadsworth, the senior vice president of global soccer at Wasserman, a global sports, music, and entertainment company, told Business Insider in August that NIL has helped take the pressure off some athletes to go pro prematurely.
"There are different pressures that each person goes through, and I think knowing that you can still earn some living β technically get paid for your sport β and continue your studies is extremely positive because everyone does have their own journey," he said.
Wadsworth added that NIL can teach athletes good habits when it comes to managing their money by giving them more support, rather than leaving them on their own as professionals.
And the amounts aren't insignificant: Even at the college level, some athletes are valued at millions of dollars.
NIL Valuations are calculated based on an athlete's performance, influence, exposure, and deal data, which are used to create a Roster Value and an NIL Value.
According to media and technology company On3, which uses an algorithm to track and update players' NIL Valuations weekly, most athletes' total NIL Valuations are based on their Roster Value, which is defined as "a calculation of an athlete's respective value to their team," similar to the salary professional athletes receive from their organizations.
Meanwhile, their NIL Value is related to how an athlete's performance, influence, and exposure lead to additional advertising and sponsorships.
Their Roster Value plus their NIL Value creates their total NIL Valuation.
While these student-athletes have built names for themselves through their talents, skills, and social media savvy, some top NIL earners might have had some extra help attracting deals thanks to their legacy-bearing last names.
With valuations starting at $3.3 million, here's a look at the top 10 student-athletes profiting the most from NIL. These figures were accurate as of March 13, 2025.

Jack Gorman/Stringer/Getty Images
Clemson University quarterback Cade Klubnik is preparing to enter his fourth season with the Tigers. Last season, he threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 463 yards and seven touchdowns.
He finished the season as a Maxwell Award semifinalist, and as a top-10 finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
Per Essentially Sports, head coach Dabo Swinney told reporters that Klubnik is a "veteran leader, very confident. And that can only come from being battle-tested and having the type of experience that he's got from really good success but also some failure as well."
Throughout his career at Clemson, Klubnik has signed NIL deals with brands like EA Sports, Fred Caldwell Chevrolet, Rhoback, and ONIT Athlete. He was also a member of the inaugural "Beats Elite" class of 2023 alongside Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Shedeur Sanders, and others. He has a roster value of $3 million and a total NIL valuation of $3.3 million, per On3.

Alex Slitz/Staff/Getty Images
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is preparing for his fifth season β and second as a starter β with the Tigers. Last season, he threw 337 completions for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns and was named MVP of the 2024 Texas Bowl in LSU's 44-31 win over Baylor.
"Building a relationship with all of his receivers is what we're looking for in that, timing, and you know he's got some deep threats," head coach Brian Kelly told reporters on March 12, per LSU Wire.
Kelly added, "I think what we'll see is a quarterback that comes through the spring and just feels really confident with the options that he has."
On3 reported that Nussmeier has a roster value of $3.3 million and a total NIL valuation of $3.6 million thanks in part to deals with brands like Cheez-It, Powerade, EA Sports, Signature Ride, and Bayou Traditions.
Nussmeier is the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.

Jacob Kupferman/Contributor/Getty Images
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers has a roster value of $3.5 million and a total NIL valuation of $3.7 million.
As a redshirt freshman last season, Sellers threw for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 674 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the team to a 9-4 record. Coaches voted him the SEC Freshman of the Year and he was also named the National Freshman Offensive Player of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America, among other accolades.
Throughout his college career, he's signed NIL deals with brands like EA Sports, Palmetto Autographs, Famously Garnet Sports, and Garnet Trust. His most recent NIL deal came from Cheez-It alongside Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer ahead of their Citrus Bowl matchup in December 2024 (Illinois ultimately won the game 21-17).
In a March 2025 interview with On3's Mike Uva, Sellers said "it's going to be an exciting year" with the team's new talent.
"I've been in this system, and I know our system. I know our guys. We've got our timing stuff down. It's all about focusing on the details now," he added.

Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
University of Florida quarterback DJ Lagway played in 12 games last season and started seven. In that time, the true freshman threw for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 101 yards from 50 carries.
On a March 4 episode of the "Outta Pocket with RGIII" podcast, Robert Griffin III said Lagway was "literally the best quarterback" he's ever seen "coming out of high school."
Lagway's NIL portfolio includes deals with Nintendo, Gatorade, Leaf Trading Cards, and Florida Victorious, the Florida Gators Collective. He has a roster value of $3.4 million and a total NIL valuation of $3.8 million.
On the podcast, Lagway shared that NIL has been a blessing, allowing him to take care of himself and his family, but said the end goal is the NFL.

Altan Gocher/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images
No. 1 college basketball prospect AJ Dybantsa has chosen to attend BYU in the fall and already has an estimated NIL valuation of more than $3 million.
At 6-foot-9, the 18-year-old helped the USA's U17 National Team win gold at the 2024 U17 FIBA World Cup in Turkey, averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
In December 2024, Dybantsa's business advisor Leonard Armato told CBS Sports that his decision to attend BYU "wasn't a money decision as much as it was a culture fit, a decision for the family, basketball, all those things that should be the determining factors." It was widely reported that Dybantsa had an asking price of about $5 million from schools, but his On3 NIL valuation is reported at $3.8 million with a roster value of $3.3 million
On an episode of ESPN's "First Take," Dybantsa also highlighted head coach Kevin Young, who coached his "favorite player of all time," Kevin Durant.
"I'm trying to get to the NBA and I think it's gonna be the best development program for me," Dybantsa said, per Forbes.
Dybantsa's current NIL portfolio includes Red Bull and Nike, though Armato told CBS Sports that the Nike contract will expire in June.
"His deal will be up before he goes to college and he will be a free agent in the athletic footwear market," Armato said, leaving the door open for a potentially record-breaking deal in the fall.

Todd Kirkland/Stringer/Getty Images
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has a roster value of $3.2 million and a total NIL valuation of $4 million.
In his freshman season with the National Championship-winning Buckeyes, Smith caught for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, earning him the titles of Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Some of his NIL deals include Nintendo, Red Bull, Lululemon, Battle Sports, American Eagle Outfitters, and the 1870 Society.

Kristen Young/LSU/University Images via Getty Images
With a combined social-media following of 13.5 million followers, Dunne, 22, is one of the most-followed student-athletes ever, which likely helps brands gravitate toward her.
On3 reported that her portfolio of deals includes American Eagle Outfitters, Too Faced Cosmetics, Leaf Trading Cards, GrubHub, and Nautica. Her most recent deal came earlier in March when she signed with Crocs.
In October 2024, she was ranked No. 31 on Forbes' Top Creators list of the year, finishing above other popular creators like Addison Rae, Nara Smith, and Monet McMichael.
Dunne is competing with LSU in her final year of NCAA eligibility as the team strives for back-to-back national championship titles.

Todd Kirkland/Stringer/Getty Images
After spending the last four years at the University of Georgia, quarterback Carson Beck has decided to take his talents to the University of Miami for his final year of NCAA eligibility.
Despite continuing to recover from a UCL injury to his right elbow, Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson told reporters that Beck is already making an impact, Sports Illustrated reported.
"Obviously, it's a unique situation, surely, but his football IQ is really high. You can tell just in meetings and talking football with him, and I think it's important for him to just get injected with the team. Just be around and be around those guys and build rapport," Dawson said.
Prior to injury, Beck finished last season with 3,485 passing yards for 28 touchdowns; he also rushed for 71 yards and an additional touchdown.
On3 reported that Beck has a roster value of $3.9 million and a total NIL valuation of $4.3 million. His NIL portfolio includes deals with Chipotle, Powerade, private jet company Airstar Charter, EA Sports, and Leaf Trading Cards. He was also a member of the second "Beats Elite" class in 2024.

Jared C. Tilton/Staff/Getty Images
The 6-foot-9 freshman from Newport, Maine, is starting his Duke basketball career strong. Before the season even started, Flagg signed with CAA for NIL representation and inked his first major deal with New Balance.
The brand announced its partnership with Flagg in August, highlighting his status as a five-star prospect who was the only teenager selected to train with the USA Basketball Men's National Team before their gold-medal-winning run in Paris.
So far this season, he's started in every game he's played and averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Oh, and multiple outlets have already named him the projected No. 1 pick for the 2025 NBA Draft.
Flagg has a roster value of $3.4 million and a total NIL valuation of $4.8 million. In addition to New Balance, some of his other NIL deals include Gatorade and Fanatics.

Todd Kirkland/Stringer/Getty Images
Arch Manning comes from a long line of football royalty. His uncles, Peyton and Eli Manning, were Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks in the NFL, and his grandfather, Archie Manning, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Now, with Quinn Ewers having declared for the NFL Draft, it's Arch's time to shine as the starting quarterback of the Texas Longhorns.
"The thing about Arch is this, from the day he arrived, there's been a real sense of humility about him," head coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters on March 11, Sports Illustrated reported. "If you didn't know his last name and didn't know the face, and just looked at the body of work, the teammate that he is, the work ethic that he has, his commitment to his craft, his commitment to his teammates, this process has been underway for a couple of years."
Last season, Manning started just two games but appeared in nine; he threw for 939 yards and nine touchdowns.
He has a roster value of $4.1 million and a total NIL valuation of $6.5 million, thanks in part to deals with brands like Uber, Red Bull, EA Sports, and Panini America.