College athletics isn’t just about the “athletics” anymore – it’s so much more.
According to NCSA College Recruiting, the NCAA approved a name, image, and likeness policy in July 2021 “that allows student-athletes to monetize their NIL.”
At the time, nobody knew how much this would impact the college sports scene, but almost 4 years later, it’s completely changed schools’ recruiting processes, transfer policies, and day-to-day actions.
College athletes aren’t just known for their actions on the field or court anymore, they’re just as popularized for their NIL deals – agreements “between a student-athlete and a third party, such as a brand, company, or individual, where the student-athlete receives compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness.”
Some student-athletes have become household names for both their work and play. Here’s a look at 4 college athletes who are taking over sports marketing:
Olivia Dunne
Olivia Dunne, a 5th-year student-athlete on the Louisiana State University gymnastics team, is one of the most popular college athletes of this generation. She boasts over 13.3 million followers across Instagram and TikTok. While many casual sports fans might not watch college gymnastics, almost everyone has seen her on TikTok, Instagram, TV commercials, billboards, you name it. She’s inked deals with Vuori, SI Swimsuit issue, American Eagle, Uber Eats, and so many more brands. Her NIL valuation stands at $4.1 million as of April 2025.
Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg, a true freshman on the Duke University basketball team, could be one of the best stories in college sports this year. Flagg is just 18 years old, but put up one of the best freshman seasons in college basketball history and is projected to be the #1 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft. Not only is he successful on the court, but his NIL deals help him resonate with his audience because he is partnered with companies like Gatorade, Epic Games, UberEats, and AT&T. College students have many similar interests, so Flagg is capitalizing on that. He has a NIL valuation of $4.8 million as of February 2025.
Juju Watkins
Juju Watkins, a sophomore basketball player at the University of Southern California, is the 2025 AP Women’s Player of the Year and has won many awards in her two seasons in college basketball. Off the court, she has NIL deals with Fanatics, StateFarm, Nike, and Gatorade, among other major brands. A few weeks ago, Watkins posted about a limited-edition Gatorade x Juju Watkins bottle drop, a collaboration so true to her fans and the women’s basketball community. Her NIL valuation reached $739,000 as of March 2025.
Arch Manning
Arch Manning, a sophomore football player at the University of Texas, is the son of Cooper Manning and nephew of legendary NFL players Eli and Peyton Manning. While he’s just begun his college football career, he has already signed NIL deals with companies like RedBull, Uber, and Vuori. He also worked with EA Sports to promote College Football 2025, and even appears in the game. The wealthiest player in terms of NIL earnings, Manning boasts a NIL valuation of $6.5 million.
In the age of social media, college sports will continue to change as we know them. But one thing will remain certain – college athletes are more than just athletes, and NIL will continue to shape college sports and sports marketing as a whole.
Lindsey Komson 
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