Tennessee Offensive Lineman Inks First NIL Deal

Tennessee Volunteers Offensive Lineman Jerome Carvin has signed his first NIL deal

Since arriving at Tennessee in 2018, Jerome Carvin has been a fixture in the offensive line rotation. Carvin has played in 40 games with 23 starts, between center and guard.

However, on Tuesday night, Carvin announced a first for him on Rocky Top. The talented, multi-year starter unveiled his first NIL with VKTRY insoles.

Proud to announce my first NIL deal with @teamvktry
I’ve used these insoles my entire time at the University of Tennessee, and they have allowed me to take my game to the next level. I recommend every athlete use VKTRY insoles to boost their performance#teamvktry #vktryathlete pic.twitter.com/CcXb6h97Xl

— Jerome Carvin (@JeromeCarvin) October 13, 2021

This is just one of many examples of the new NIL rules connecting athletes with brands they have used for their entire careers.

Carvin will be a key piece for Tennessee this weekend, as he should move back to guard with Cooper Mays likely to re-enter the lineup. The Rebels will play a 3-2-6 that will force the interior linemen to deal with twist stunts and blitzes from all spots on the field.

"I think the toughest thing for him is when he's starting at one spot, giving him enough reps at the next spot is difficult to manage and get what you need at both, during the course of the week and at practice," Josh Heupel said earlier this year about Carvin balancing both positions. "At the end of the day, some of the snaps have to be better, and that's true with Cooper (Mays) in there as well. There are times where there are plays down the football field that we're not able to connect on. Simple execution, center-quarterback snap, and some of that's the quarterback catching it too. All of those pieces have to play in together. Once he's at the center position, he's doing a great job at communicating. He's done that for the most part during the first four ball games that he's played some center, but needs to do it at a higher level."

Tennessee will play Ole Miss on Saturday at 7:30 pm ET on ESPN.