Florida State's Trey Benson, Jordan Travis sign NIL trading card deals with Leaf

Nakos updated headshotby:Pete Nakos07/19/23

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Florida State is in position for a historic season.

The Seminoles return quarterback Jordan Travis and running back Trey Benson. Each could have left to the NFL draft Instead, they’ll be two major pieces for the offense this season. The Seminoles have popped up in the top 10 of some preseason polls. Others have even dubbed them as the College Football Playoff dark horse. They’ll first have to make it through Week 1 when LSU makes the trip to Tallahassee.

The decision to return for at least another year has paid dividends from an NIL standpoint for the duo. They have now signed one of their most high-profile partnerships to date. Travis and Benson have inked agreements with Leaf Trading Cards, their agent Joe Hernandez of Just Win Management told On3.

Leaf has emerged as a popular trading card company for athletes in NIL. Livvy Dunne released the “first gymnastics NIL trading card the world has ever seen” with the company back in December. The company has also been aggressive in college football, working with Tennessee quarterback signee Nico Iamaleava and USC Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams.

Topps has also emerged as a winner since it secured trading card rights deals with nearly 200 student-athletes across college football and basketball last June.

According to Hernandez, plans are in the works for cards featuring Travis and Benson.

Trey Benson, Jordan Travis continue to find NIL success

Each represented by Just Win Management, the pair of Florida State starters have been successful finding NIL opportunities.

Jordan Travis has signed notable deals with Barstool Sports and CAMPUS. Together, the duo has secured endorsement deals with Hotel Indigo, NextGen Camps and Tallahassee Ford. They’ve inked agreements with The Battles End, a Florida State-focused NIL collective that launched in early December, too.

This past season, the Florida State quarterback threw for 2,769 yards and 22 touchdowns, while rushing for 367 yards and another seven touchdowns. The Seminoles finished 10-3 on the season for the first time since 2016. Travis currently holds a $1.2 million On3 NIL Valuation. He ranks No. 15 in the On3 NIL 100, which is the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation. He has built up a major social media following, too, with more than 122,000 followers.

As a sophomore, Benson carried the ball for 990 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. The former Oregon transfer has an On3 NIL Valuation of $627,000, which is No. 64 in the On3 NIL 100.

The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

About On3 NIL Valuation, Brand Value, Roster Value

The On3 NIL Valuation accounts for an athlete’s roster value and brand value. Roster value is the value an athlete has by being a member of his or her team at his or her school, which factors into the role of NIL collectives. Brand value factors in an athlete’s personal brand and the value it could bring to regional and national brands outside of the scope of NIL collectives.