Recent Tennessee, Georgia commits see notable increase in On3 NIL Valuations
With fall camp nearly here in college football, plenty of highly-touted recruits have announced their commitments in the last 10 days. The nation’s top recruits spent June and July making their officials visits and cutting down their top five lists before making a decision.
Top prospects including five-star receiver Mike Matthews and Five-Star Plus+ linebacker Justin Williams have made their decisions recently. With those moves, they’ve also seen their On3 NIL Valuations see noticeable jumps.
The increase in On3 NIL Valuations comes from the major school brands now associated with the recruits. Playing for a preeminent program guarantees eyeballs will be on the athlete and signifies just how talented the prospect is. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index and sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes.
Here’s a look at four recruits who saw their valuations jump this week following their commitment:
Mike Matthews – Tennessee
Position: Wide receiver
On3 NIL Valuation: $364,000
Increase over last week: $88,000
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 14
A longtime in-state target for Georgia, five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews picked Tennessee earlier this month. Josh Heupel made a significant difference in his commitment, with the Vols’ high-powered offense drawing in the 6-foot-0.5, 180-pound pass-catcher. Making the decision to go to school at Tennessee and play in the SEC only helps his NIL value, especially considering what the Vols have accomplished in the NIL Era. As a rising senior at Lilburn Parkview, he won’t be able to profit from his publicity rights because Georgia prohibits high schoolers from cashing in.
“What makes Tennessee right for me are the culture, the tenacity that everyone has there, how crazy the fan base is and the offense,” Matthews told On3’s Chad Simmons. “Everyone is bought into what Tennessee is doing and they have great support. Their fans have also always stood out to me.”
Justin Williams – Georgia
Position: Linebacker
On3 NIL Valuation: $367,000
Increase over last week: $49,000
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 9
Earning comparisons to former Ohio State great Ryan Shazier, picking up Justin Williams was a crucial pickup for Georgia earlier this week. The Five-Star Plus+ linebacker out of Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge High School actually grew up in the Chicago area. Because he wasn’t necessarily born and raised in the Lone Star State, he was open to exploring out-of-state options. He gave Oregon a long look, given Dan Lanning‘s track record of developing NFL talent at the linebacker position. Georgia and Kirby Smart have won back-to-back national titles behind one of the nation’s top defenses. That pitch worked on Williams, who picked the Bulldogs over Oregon and Texas A&M. He racked up 105 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks this past season. Now he can start building an NIL platform with the backing of the “G” brand.
Taylor Tatum – Oklahoma
Position: Running back
On3 NIL Valuation: $205,000
Increase over last week: $21,000
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 35
Taylor Tatum has seen significant growth in his social media following since his recruitment has ramped up in the last six months. The running back had less than 4,000 followers across his platforms back in December. Tatum’s following now sits north of 24,000. His commitment to Oklahoma in the last week has only helped. The nation’s No. 1 running back looked at USC, Baylor and Texas A&M, but his relationship with Sooners running backs coach DeMarco Murray made the difference. Oklahoma now has a commit from a tailback that rushed for 1,850 yards, 33 touchdowns and averaged 141 yards a carry against some of the stiffest competition in the Lone Star State. His NIL brand is only taking off, too.
Jaime Ffrench – Alabama
Position: Wide receiver
On3 NIL Valuation: $157,000
Increase over last week: $18,000
On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 11 (2025 class)
Jaime Ffrench did not need to wait any longer to make a decision. The four-star recruit in the 2025 cycle committed to Alabama on Saturday, becoming the fifth recruit in the Tide’s class. Ffrench has visited Tuscaloosa three times, and he’s set to return for Alabama’s annual cookout this weekend. Picking the Tide over Florid State, the third-ranked wideout in his class can start to build a social media following with the backing of the Alabama fanbase.
“I committed there so early because of the opportunity with what they’re offering me,” Ffrench told On3’s Chad Simmons. “The coaches have shown me a lot of love and have stayed in contact. I try to go as much as I can and see everything they have to offer.
About the On3 NIL Valuation
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
While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career.
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.