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Top LSU Wide Receiver Recruit Joins adidas NIL Roster

No. 1 ranked class of 2026 receiver prospect Tristen Keys signs NIL partnership with adidas.

Michael Ehrlich

Tristen Keys for adidas
Tristen Keys for adidas / adidas
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With one more season of high school football ahead for the LSU-committed Tristen Keys, the top wide receiver recruit in the 2026 class is joining a new team off the field. The Hattiesburg, Miss.-native has signed a NIL partnership with adidas, as the latest top prospect on the brand's growing high school football roster.

Keys is the newest signing for adidas, who counts fellow top receiver recruits Chris Henry Jr. and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt as NIL endorsers. The German-based sports brand recently signed Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola and top NFL Draft picks Travis Hunter - who joined the brand ahead of winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy - Abdul Carter, Jalon Walker, Shemar Stewart and Emeka Egbuka, among others to their roster.

The brand announced their partnership in a collab post on Instagram with Keys, with the message "Don’t blink or you’ll miss the future. Welcome to the three stripes."

The 6'3" pass catcher hauled in 58 receptions for 1,275 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior and although he committed to LSU in March, has visited Miami with trips to Alabama and Tennessee still to come.

Keys is poised to be next in line as adidas' star wide reciever, following in the footsteps of Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jets' Garrett Wilson and Bears' Rome Odunze, among others. Additional star NFL players wearing three stripes include Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, Micah Parsons of the Cowboys and Brock Purdy of the 49ers.

If Keys ultimately attends LSU, he won't be able to wear adidas cleats on-field for the Tigers - who are sponsored by Nike - but can support the brand via social media and additional off-the-field marketing opportunities.

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Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

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