3 Ohio State Football Players About To Earn Themselves a Bigger NIL Deal

Ohio State is loaded in NIL resources, which gives a few players a chance to take the next step toward stardom.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Devin McCuin (3) takes the field during the first practice of training camp at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus on Aug. 6, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Ohio State Buckeyes are under a month away from another season getting underway, which means it's another opportunity for breakout stars to come into their own.

On the surface, the Buckeyes' NIL spending is immense. According to On3, star wideout Jeremiah Smith leads the Big Ten pack at $5 million, followed by his quarterback, Julian Sayin, at $2.5 million as of today.

But outside of their top two stars offensively, Buckeye fans will have to get used to hearing some other names who could potentially make noise in the NIL space this fall.

Which Ohio State Players Should Be Keyed in on for NIL Deals?

An Ohio State Buckeyes helmet sits in the desk in front of head coach Ryan Day as he talks to media during a Cotton Bowl press conference at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas prior to their College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup on Dec. 30, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

For starters, emerging talent Devin McCuin has already made headway in fall camp thus far at wide receiver alongside coach Ryan Day's praise. Day told reporters, including Ohio State Buckeyes On SI's Hanna Williford, just how much McCuin has grown this off-season.

"I thought he was consistent in the spring, but now he's gonna take a huge step here, because that position, as we know, is gonna be critical," Day said Aug. 6. "That position is really gonna be an important part of our offense. And Devin certainly has put himself in a position to be that guy that was gonna compete for it and win the job."

At present, McCuin isn't quite known on the NIL front for Ohio State yet. However, he comes to Columbus with an estimated valuation of $578,169.

Elsewhere, according to The NIL Standard, an independent website that tracks major spending across college football and college basketball, Ohio State's resources are valued at $38.5 million. And it isn't just the offense that's getting all the love either.

On the defensive side, cornerback Jermaine Matthews Jr. is estimated at roughly $976,000. Last season, Matthews Jr. forced a fumble and secured two interceptions while not missing a game for the Buckeyes. With a bit more of a step up, Matthews Jr. could help lead the defense on the backend as the team reloads from a top-heavy NFL Draft earlier this spring.

Lastly, it's hard not to include middle linebacker Payton Pierce from a list like this one. Pierce has dove into being a leader this off-season, even going as far as telling stories about what Day and the coaching staff are teaching on a day-to-day basis.

Pierce is inching closer to the half-million mark, with a value estimated at $459,180.

With the Buckeyes ranked No. 1 in the first AP Top 25 poll of the season, the stakes couldn't be higher for what comes next for one of college football's biggest brands.

For the time being, winning and NIL come at a premium for Ohio State. And it knows it.