Kevin Jennings one of nine college stars to receive Sling TV NIL deal

College football is nearly back after one of the most memorable offseasons in history. Texas Tech suffered through the Brendan Sorsby saga, the ruling in Colorado allowed for the return of many class of 2022 athletes and just this week, LSU signed a transfer from the Cleveland Browns.

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings also became a focal point of the summer headlines after the school launched his “K7NG of Dallas” Heisman campaign and named a new athletic recovery center after him.

Two weeks before SMU’s season opener against Florida State on Labor Day, Jennings was introduced as part of a new NIL campaign with Sling TV. Jennings joins a list of some of college football’s top names, including University of Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and University of South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers.

“They picked a couple of quarterbacks from around the nation, so I’m honored to be one of them,” Jennings said.

The campaign will roll out over the season, with content from Jennings and other players being featured on social media to promote Sling TV’s flexible passes to watch college football.

“Our athlete partners show what it means to approach the game on their own terms,” said Seth Van Sickel, Sling TV’s senior vice president of video and streaming services in a press release. “With this campaign, we’re letting fans know that Sling is focused on providing flexibility and affordability to follow the action all season long.”

In addition to Jennings, Mensah and Sellers, Virginia quarterback Beau Pribula, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier, Kentucky quarterback Kenny Michey, Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon and Oklahoma defenders and brothers Peyton and Eli Bowen were selected for the NIL deal.

For Jennings, Sling TV is the latest in a string of deals he’s received since rising to prominence.. After leading SMU to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024 and the school’s first bowl win in over a decade in 2025, Jennings is one of the most highly regarded quarterbacks in the country.

As a result, Jennings also earned a deal to become a Nike athlete over the summer, a lielong dream come to fruition. Jennings grew up running around in the signature shoes of his childhood heroes, and hopes now that he may have a pair of his own.

“It was something that's something I dreamed about at a young age,” Jennings said. “Everybody had the KDs, LeBron's, and even Chris Ronaldo’s. [My own shoe] would be a blessing for sure.”

In both the Sling TV and Nike campaigns, Jennings joined a roster of the nation’s top college talent, primarily at the quarterback position. The SMU captain attended the Manning Passing Academy in late June, where he got to train and build relationships with many of the arms that would soon grace the social media of both NIL deals.

Jennings said the fraternity of quarterbacks he’s become a part of allowed him to grow. He became close with players like the University of Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. and Maryland’s Malik Washington as they would challenge one another and give tips on how to improve in Manning Academy drills.

“There’s certain drills… I’d do it my type of way, and Malik Washington would come up to me and say ‘Hey, you should do it this way, it’s easier,’” Jennings said. “It’s us being able to help each other out on the field.”

The K7NG of Dallas will start his Heisman march on Monday, Sept. 7 on the road in Tallahassee for a primetime game against the Seminoles.

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