Kentucky RB Chris Rodriguez sees large NIL value decrease after arrest

On3 imageby:Jeremy Crabtree05/17/22

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After he was arrested for careless driving and operating a vehicle while under the influence, Kentucky junior running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has seen a significant decrease in his On3 NIL Valuation.

Rodriguez now has an On3 NIL Valuation of $227,000, which is a decrease of $76,000 from previous weeks.

Rodriguez, who is projected to be a major piece in the Wildcats’ offense, saw a rise in his NIL value throughout the spring. His NIL value climbed from $99,000 to $303,000 buoyed by the news of his return and expected impact in the SEC.

Yet, the On3 NIL Valuation algorithm considered Rodriguez’s arrest and 8.5% drop in social media followers and engagement in the new valuation released on Tuesday.

The On3 NIL Valuation is an index that looks to set the standard market value for both high school and college-level athletes. The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time. And at this moment, it’s clear Rodriguez’s value on the NIL market is dropping because of the off-the-field issue.

Chris Rodriguez warrant set aside following mistake by his lawyer

Chris Rodriguez was arrested on May 8 for careless driving, having no tail lamps and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, according to the Kentucky arrest report. He was stopped by police in Fayette County, Ky.

Originally, it was reported Rodriguez failed to appear at his arraignment. That lead to a warrant for his arrest and also a $200 fine. However, there was a scheduling mishap on the attorney’s part. The attorney told Rodriguez not to attend, according to Kentucky Sports Radio’s Matt Jones. The new court date will take place this coming Friday in Lexington.

“We have confirmed with Chris’ attorney’s that this was a scheduling mistake in their office,” Kentucky Sports Information Director Susan Lax said. “Chris was specifically advised by his attorneys not to attend because they would take care of it. They are diligently working to get it corrected.”

According to Lax, “take care of” refers to having his attorneys attend on Rodriguez’s behalf.

Rodriguez returns to Kentucky for his fifth season in the program after a career-best 1,378 yards on the ground in 2021. In 32 career games, he has 417 carries for 2,739 yards and 27 touchdowns. He added 15 receptions for 75 yards and three touchdowns.

The former three-star recruit came to the Wildcats in the 2018 class as an unheralded prospect. He ranked No. 1082 in the country according to the On3 Consensus, also ranking No. 83 among running backs and No. 110 in his home state of Georgia.