Wolverine Digest

Incoming McDonald's All-American Trey McKenney scores big with new Ford Bronco in NIL partnership

Jerred Johnson|
Trey McKenney, a five-star guard of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, is the 45th annual Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award winner
Trey McKenney, a five-star guard of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, is the 45th annual Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award winner | Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Incoming Michigan Wolverine freshman Trey McKenney has already begun cashing in on the name, image, and likeness (NIL) program. The McDonald's All-American is coming to Ann Arbor with all the hype you would associate with a player of his caliber. These days, hype means dollars and perks in collegiate sports.

McKenney used the power of his name and image to secure himself a brand-new Ford Bronco. The Bronco came courtesy of a partnership with the Randy Wise Automotive team. McKenney shared the budding partnership and pictures of his new whip on his Instagram, seemingly excited to continue to work with the automotive group in the future as well.

Seeing 17 and 18-year-old kids securing vehicles worth $75,000 or more has become a routine thing due to the new NIL landscape. Michigan football quarterback Bryce Underwood used his partnership with Feldman Automotive Group to get a vehicle for himself, each of his parents, and a security guard who worked at his former high school.

While it seems insane that these kids are driving brand new vehicles, the marketing ability of these premier athletes is undeniable. Some have even secured national deals with massive insurance companies and top-level shoe deals with Nike and Adidas. If a company sees a mutual benefit in the marketing and advertising relationship, they will make the deal. While some have been cringing at the way NIL has changed college sports, the fact of the matter is it is here to stay. Michigan, as an athletic program, has grown leaps and bounds in its utilization of NIL and the change in thought process has reaped immediate rewards. McKenney is just the latest in a long line of Michigan athletes to benefit from the program.

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Orchard Lake St. Mary's Trey McKenney | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

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