As the fall season creeps in, sports fans are buzzing for college football, women’s volleyball, soccer, and field hockey. But there’s more happening than just the action on the field.
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals are turning college athletes into serious marketing stars. Out2Win, a NIL platform, just dropped a report ranking the top 50 most marketable college athletes in these sports. If you’re a brand eyeing the college scene, it’s a goldmine of insights.
Football’s Finest: The Top Marketable College Football Athletes
College football is still king, and its athletes are cashing in on their popularity. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver, tops the list.
Smith is the number one recruit for 2024 and scored a wild 98 on Out2Win’s scale. Off the field, he’s scored brand deals too—like joining Travis Kelce’s American Eagle campaign.
His social media stats are wild: nearly 600,000 Instagram followers and a 28% engagement rate. On TikTok, he’s got over 61,000 followers with a 5% engagement rate. Not bad at all.
Arch Manning: The Heir to a Dynasty
Arch Manning, Texas Longhorns quarterback and nephew to Peyton and Eli, is right up there too. He landed in the top three with a score of 95.
He’s got more than 480,000 Instagram followers and a solid 16% engagement rate. TikTok isn’t his main stage, but with that family name and his potential, his marketability is sky-high.
Ryan Williams: A Rising Star
Ryan Williams, Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver, sits at No. 2 with a score of 96. He’s expected to rake in over $1.8 million from NIL deals this season.
He’s also crushing it online, with over 750,000 Instagram followers and about 485,000 on TikTok. Engagement? 4% on Instagram, 2% on TikTok. Brands are definitely watching.
Volleyball’s Vanguard: The Cornhuskers Dominate
Women’s volleyball is blowing up, especially at the University of Nebraska. The Cornhuskers own the top eight spots for marketable volleyball players. That’s some serious dominance.
Harper Murray leads the way with a score of 94. She’s got close to 550,000 TikTok followers and a 12% engagement rate, plus 235,000+ on Instagram at about 13% engagement.
Other Notable Cornhuskers
Andi Jackson, Laney Choboy, and Maisie Boesiger all scored a 92. Each has over 100,000 Instagram followers and even bigger numbers on TikTok.
Choboy’s Instagram engagement is huge at 26%. Taylor Landfair, ranked sixth, sees over 37% engagement, and Ryan Hunter at No. 8 is close to 40%. That’s wild for any influencer, let alone college athletes.
Soccer Stars: Women Lead the Way
College soccer’s marketability is on the rise, especially with the World Cup coming to North America soon. Out2Win’s list highlights both men and women, but women are taking the top spots.
Ava Nucci from Mississippi State is the most marketable soccer player, scoring a 94. She’s got 1.8 million TikTok followers (10% engagement) and about 600,000 on Instagram (7% engagement). At just 18, she’s already joined the Gainbridge Super League’s DC Power academy. The potential’s obvious.
Kiana Paloma Dufour and Matty Moore
Kiana Paloma Dufour, University of Southern Mississippi, follows with a score of 93. Third is Matty Moore from Stetson University’s men’s team, at 92.
Moore’s got 1.4 million TikTok followers and a 10% engagement rate. Mariah Nguyen, University of Minnesota, ranked No. 5, also has over a million TikTok followers. Soccer athletes are definitely having their moment.
Field Hockey: Niche but Noteworthy
Field hockey doesn’t get the same love as football or volleyball, but honestly, there’s something intriguing about its under-the-radar status. For brands, it’s a bit of a hidden gem.
The big stars in field hockey might not rack up huge follower numbers. Still, the engagement is wild—Fleur Knopert at the University of Maryland pulls in a 44% engagement rate on Instagram with just 1,300 followers.
Northwestern’s Maddie Zimmer isn’t far behind, sitting at a 33% engagement rate with 6,700 followers. That’s impressive, considering the sport’s niche appeal.
Want to dive deeper into which college athletes are making waves this fall? Check out the Marketing Brew report.
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