Nebraska stars Jeff Sims, Anthony Grant, Marcus Washington to host youth camp
To say Nebraska Cornhusker fans are excited about transfer quarterback Jeff Sims and star running back Anthony Grant in the same backfield would be an understatement. So, it only makes sense that Sims and Grant – along with receiver Marcus Washington – are using some of that excitement to host a youth football camp made possible through NIL.
Since the inception of NIL in July 2021, youth camps have become a popular way for athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness rights. And Sims, Grant and Washington are set to host the Lincoln Youth Football Camp on July 30 at Lincoln Southeast High School.
Sims, Grant and Washington are expected to be instructing at the event, which is run by NextGen Camps. There will also be photo and autograph opportunities with the Husker players.
Additional details haven’t been released yet. But if it’s like other NextGen events, the Lincoln Youth Football Camp will feature specific group training, combine testing, a 7-on-7 tournament for skill players and a lineman challenge for offensive and defensive linemen. The camp, which is open to kids ages six to 18, costs $125 and a portion of the funds go directly to the players. Registration is now available online for the camp.
This isn’t the only NIL deal Sims, a Georgia Tech transfer, has agreed to since arriving in Lincoln. Earlier this week, Sims announced a partnership with AKRS Equipment, one of Heartland’s leading John Deere dealers. In the promotion, Sims is shown leaning against a John Deere tractor. All three players have signed a NIL deal with The 1890 Initiative, the leading Husker-focused collective.
Camps provide reliable NIL opportunities
Youth camps are an easy way to provide fans and kids access to some of their favorite players. Plus, it’s an opportunity for student-athletes to give back to their college’s community while creating a direct source of deal funding.
Next Gen takes on the logistic work of camps, from securing venues and coaches along with the other business basic necessities.
“I think it’s also something that’s sustainable in the NIL space,” NextGen founder Jacob Byrd previously told On3. “As things shift as far as rules and guidelines, we see youth sports camps as something that’ll stay around for a long time.”
The company has partnered with a number of high-profile names, including camps earlier this week at Ohio State that featured Buckeyes’ star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and another in Pennsylvania that featured Penn State standout cornerback Abdul Carter.
Ole Miss stars Quinshon Judkins, Michael Trigg and Jaxson Dart are set to host a NextGen Camp this Saturday at Oxford High School.
On top of taking care of the details, the firm ensures enough staff are on-site to handle the number of campers. On average, football camps draw more than 200 campers, while basketball brings in roughly 150 campers.
Byrd used to run tennis camps, which gave him the infrastructure and confidence to run the NIL model. The profit split with the athlete depends on the number of kids who attend the camps.
Jeff Sims must be ‘steady’ for Nebraska
Jeff Sims has the starting quarterback position locked down for the Cornhuskers. After Nebraska’s 2022 starter Casey Thompson entered the transfer portal, Sims became QB1.
Sims started eight games for the Yellow Jackets in 2022 before suffering a season-ending foot strain. He went 110-for-188 and 1,114 passing yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. The junior had 405 rushing yards on 49 carries. He added one rushing TD and had two fumbles in eight games. Georgia Tech upset No. 24 Pitt 26-21 and took down Duke 23-20 in overtime the next week with Sims under center.
At Nebraska this spring, Sims went 9-for-13 for 139 passing yards and added 14 rushing yards on six attempts. Sims ran in for a touchdown, his only TD of the day.
HuskerOnline reports Sims has taken on a leadership role in the quarterback room and the team since he arrived on campus. Plus, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield told HuskerOnline that Sims is more than capable of hanging in the pocket and making a play and isn’t afraid to run the ball.
Anthony Grant the Huskers’ offensive star
Anthony Grant is the returning alpha for the Nebraska offense.
He led the team in rushing during the 2022 season and came 91 yards short of becoming Nebraska’s first 1,000-yard ball carrier since 2018. Grant, who hails from Buford, Georgia, earned All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition for his efforts. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder’s 218 carries were the most by a Husker since 2014. And it’s clear that Grant is the leader in a backfield with plenty of depth.
In 2022, Washington played the most snaps of any wide receiver. He caught 31-of-48 targets for 471 yards. This fall, he’s expected to be one of the Cornhuskers’ top playmakers at receiver.
Cornhuskers have solid On3 NIL Valuations
Jeff Sims has more than 39,000 followers on social media. His brand success combined with his roster value at Nebraska, helped him build an On3 NIL Valuation of $107,000. Washington has an On3 NIL Valuation of $75,000, while Grant’s valuation is $73,000.
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 calculates the optimized NIL opportunity for athletes relative to the overall NIL market and projects out to as long as 12 months into the future.