NIL deals have changed the landscape of collegiate sports forever. Nowhere is that more prevalent than in college football, where programs are battling it out for top high school recruits and players in the transfer portal.
In Week 7 of the college football season, we saw some incredible games as three featured matchups against ranked teams. The No. 3 Oregon Ducks won their massive Big 10 game against the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, 32-31.
It should come as no surprise that one of the biggest risers in this week’s NIL valuation shared by On3 was an Oregon player. Defensive tackle Derrick Harmon came in at No. 2 this week with an increase of $275,000, which was tied for the most.
His teammate, wide receiver Evan Stewart, came in at No. 8 with an increase of $118,000. He could not be stopped by the Buckeyes, racking up seven receptions for 149 yards and one score.
In the losing effort, Ohio State star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka saw his valuation increase by $70,000, ranking 15th.
Another matchup between ranked teams saw the No. 1 Texas Longhorns go on the road and dismantle the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners, 34-3. Longhorns offensive tackle Cameron Williams took the No. 1 spot with an increase of $275,000.
The quarterback he protected, Quinn Ewers, was No. 13 with $82,000.
In the final ranked vs. ranked matchup, it was the No. 13 LSU Tigers pulling off an overtime victory over the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels in Death Valley. Their quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier, was No. 4 on the list with $196,000.
Well-traveled Louisville Cardinals quarterback Tyler Shough, who is in Year 6 of his collegiate career, took the No. 3 spot with $258,000. He led his team to a victory over the Virginia Cavaliers in Week 7 ahead of a massive matchup with the No. 6 ranked Miami Hurricanes this upcoming weekend.
Rounding out the top five is West Virginia Mountaineers EDGE rusher TJ Jackson. The transfer from the Troy Trojans has been wreaking havoc in opposing backfields all season and earned the $174,000 increase to his NIL valuation.
Kansas State Wildcats running back DJ Giddens, Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik, Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Paiva and South Carolina Gamecocks EDGE rusher Kyle Kennard were the other players who broke six figures in NIL increases last week.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.
© 2024 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
