Texas' Top NIL Players Entering College Football Playoff
The Texas Longhorns are the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff and will take on the No. 2 seed Washington Huskies in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
The other CFP matchup will pit the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines against the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl.
While the game is the draw, there is a chance for Texas players to boost their value in Name, Image and Likeness, especially if they expect to return to college football in 2024.
With NIL, these games and the attention they provide offer each of them a chance to benefit financially — especially those are in the Top 5 in valuation among Longhorns players, per On3.com.
Oddly enough, the Longhorn with the highest NIL value entering the College Football Playoff is unlikely to play.
Texas freshman quarterback Arch Manning — the son of Cooper Manning and the nephew of former NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning — has only taken a handful of snaps this season.
But the name carries weight in NIL, and his valuation stands at $2.8 million, the second-highest valued player in college football behind Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, who is valued at $4 million.
One of Manning's first NIL deals was with Panini America and he donated his earnings — $102,000 — to Ronald McDonald House Charities.
After Manning is another quarterback — Texas starter Quinn Ewers, who is valued at $1.3 million.
He is coming off a selection as the most outstanding player in the Big 12 Championship Game, where he set a record for passing yards. He threw for 452 yards and four touchdowns. For the season he passed for 3,161 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions.
While Ewers is draft-eligible after the season, it’s possible he returns to Texas for the 2024 season. If he returns, he has deals with Panini America and Sonic.
The next two Longhorns in NIL valuation are both offensive linemen. Kelvin Banks has a value of $802,000 and Christian Jones has a value of $767,000. The pair helped protect Ewers and open up holes for the Texas running game, led by freshman Jonathan Brooks.
Banks was the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and one of his top deals is with Bose. Jones was All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and has deals with several companies, including Athletic Brewing Company.
Rounding out the Top 5 in valuation is wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who has a value of $765,000. Worthy was named All-Big 12 First Team at both wide receiver and at returner.
Worthy had another tremendous season, as he caught 73 passes for 969 yards and five touchdowns. He injured his ankle in the Big 12 title game, but head coach Steve Sarkisian is confident Worthy will be ready for the Sugar Bowl.
Earlier this year Worthy signed a deal with American Airlines and has had previous deals with Sonic.
