On3 NIL Elite Series: Top players talk about NIL's impact on their recruitment
The best-of-the-best high school football prospects in the 2024 recruiting class arrive in Nashville on Tuesday for the On3 NIL Elite Series presented by Mizuno, the first event under the On3 OS division.
The On3 NIL Elite Series is aimed to give each athlete and their family an education on the NIL climate they’ll soon enter in college. On3 is covering every angle of the event, with multiple reporters on the ground covering NIL to the latest on each athlete’s recruitment. This blog was updated throughout Tuesday with news, interviews and observations.
Watch HLXU Showdown featuring Madden NFL 23
7:30 p.m. – Be sure to tune in at 8:45 p.m. tonight to On3’s YouTube channel for live coverage of the Madden NFL 23 head-to-head tournament, powered by Hyperluxe Gaming.
On3 NIL Elite Series swag bags are fire
7:19 p.m. – The participants at the On3 NIL Elite Series are looking good thanks to Mizuno.
DJ Lagway lets his family focus on NIL
6:45 p.m. – When it comes to NIL, Florida quarterback commitment DJ Lagway said it’s a family affair.
“My dad handles all that,” Lagway said during check-in for the On3 NIL Elite Series. “I leave that all to him. I just really just focus on playing ball and just getting better every day.”
Lagway said that he is aware of all the stories about big dollars being thrown at quarterbacks, especially with names like 2023 star quarterback recruit Nico Iamaleava getting an $8 million deal over three years with Tennessee. But that’s something he says he’s not focused on.
“I’ve heard the stories a little bit,” Lagway said with a chuckle. “I’m just going to really focus on the game of football.”
With that focus, he has high expectations from his time in Gainesville.
“You can win a Heisman there, win a national championship,” Lagway said. “I want to win a national championship, awards and all that stuff for the fan base because they deserve it.”
‘They threw out a big number’
5:15 p.m. – A highly touted 2024 recruit at the On3 NIL Elite Series said they were quick to call out bullshit with NIL in recruiting.
“One school, when they found out they weren’t in my top five, they threw out a big number,” the recruit that asked to not be identified told On3’s Pete Nakos.
Cam Williams focused on long-term payday
4:45 p.m. – Four-star receiver and longtime Notre Dame commitment Cam Williams is confident that if he has success on the field, it’ll lead to success also with NIL. The Glen Ellyn (Illinois) Glenbard South playmaker said that’s especially true with the support that comes from being a top player at a program like Notre Dame.
“The basic things with Notre Dame will set you up, obviously, the education over those four years,” Williams said Tuesday during check-in for the On3 NIL Elite Series. “What you can do with that degree after those four years will take you way higher than what you can do with NIL for example… It’ll come naturally. If I get to school and do my thing, my social media is going to grow. Obviously, I think it’s just going to come naturally. I just need to let it play out.”
KJ Bolden knows when teams are lying about NIL
3:43 p.m. – Five-Star Plus+ defensive back KJ Bolden of Buford, Georgia, said he’s quickly figured out how to weed out schools that are overstating their ability to help student-athletes succeed through NIL.
“If a school is telling you that you’re going to get millions or in the millions range, that’s quarterback money,” Bolden said Tuesday after arriving for the On3 NIL Elite Series. “Receivers and safeties, we’re like in the $700K, $600K-ish range. Schools always tell me in those ranges there. I had a school tell me, ‘We’re going to get you $2 million during the first year.’ Come on. Some schools you know are lying. Some schools you know who’s for real.
“It’s a crazy process for sure. If a school wants you, they’re going to get to serious business quickly. It definitely starting to get harder as we speak.”
Bolden – the No. 5 player in the On3 Industry Ranking – has an On3 NIL Valuation of $418,000. Georgia has a 61% of landing him, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
Behind the scenes at the On3 NIL Elite Series
3:31 p.m. – We’re just getting things cranked up at the On3 NIL Elite Series.
Jaheim Merriweather focused on his game
2:50 p.m. – When he first started going through the recruiting process, three-star athlete Jaheim Merriweather was all about the bag. But as he learned more about how student-athletes can profit from their NIL on the next level, he shifted his focus.
“At first, I was really big about NIL,” Merriweather, who committed to Purdue in late April, said during check-in for the On3 NIL Elite Series. “I wanted one really bad. But now, I don’t even really think about it.”
The Knoxville (Tennessee) Bearden star doesn’t think about it because he knows if he finds success at Purdue, there will be plenty of NIL opportunities.
“I just play,” he said. “I just play ball now. It’s going to come. If I put on a show, it’s going to come.”
Eddrick Houston has learned who’s being honest
2:15 p.m. – Five-star DL Eddrick Houston of Buford (Georgia) High School said he’s quickly learned through the recruiting process who is and who isn’t being honest about the potential for NIL opportunities on the next level.
“It takes a lot of learning, though,” Houston told On3 during check-in Tuesday. “And it’s new, too. It’ll take you a minute to get it. But once you start getting in the groove of it, you can start to tell who’s real, and who’s not.
“It’s a crazy thing the amount of money that they throw at you to get you to their school, and now it’s legal for them to do that. But you can get a slight tip on if they’re real or not by how they talk and how much they offer. Talking to the players, not just the starters and some of the low guys, can help you figure that out, too.”
Houston said he still plans to make his commitment on Aug. 22 between USC, Clemson, Alabama, Georgia or Ohio State.
Ryan Wingo: On3 NIL Elite Series is ‘a good thing’
1:40 p.m. – Five-star receiver Ryan Wingo out of St. Louis (Missouri) St. Louis University hopes to get a lot of out his time at the On3 NIL Elite Series.
“From this, I’m hoping to learn a lot about everything,” Wingo said during check-in for the event on Tuesday. “I really don’t get into (NIL) too much. But there’s a whole lot of reporters here, so you’re getting that early stage and interviews. Then you have some really good people coming to talk to us – really just showcase everything.
“It’s a good thing that they’re doing for us.”
NIL 3rd on list of factors for Kameron Davis
1:12 p.m. – Any time you get an elite group of athletes together, the obvious question is where NIL ranks on the players’ list of important decision-making factors. For Florida State four-star running back commitment Kameron Davis, NIL is important. But it’s also not the most important factor.
“I say it’s No. 3 on my list,” Davis told On3’s Pete Nakos when he arrived for the On3 NIL Elite Series on Tuesday. “First, I have the atmosphere. Second, I have the production of my skills and talent. And then I’ll worry about NIL after that. It’s not the biggest thing I worry about. My NIL will be valued off of how I carry myself and the production I have.”
Davis, who is the No. 48 overall recruit in the country out of Albany (Georgia) Dougherty, has an On3 NIL Valuation of $160,000.
First recruits begin to arrive
1 p.m. – Ryan Wingo has arrived at the On3 NIL Elite Series. Wingo is one of the top-ranked receivers and No. 22 overall in the On3 Industry Ranking. He is considering Georgia, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, Miami and Tennessee. Dylan Stewart, the No. 9 overall player, has also arrived. He is considering Georgia, South Carolina, Oregon, Ohio State, Tennessee, Alabama, Penn State, Michigan and Miami.
Top recruits set to arrive from Rocky Top
11:10 a.m. – On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons reports that both Dylan Stewart and Ryan Wingo will be coming from Tennessee visits in Knoxville over to Nashville for the On3 NIL Elite Series today. Stewart, an EDGE, is the No. 9 overall player in the On3 Industry Ranking. Wingo is one of the top-ranked receivers and No. 22 in the country.
Kirk Herbstreit to talk about football’s impact
10:30 a.m. Tuesday – Nationally known football analyst Kirk Herbstreit will also be a speaker at the On3 NIL Elite Series.
Herbstreit has a multi-faceted role with ESPN which includes College GameDay. He is also an analyst for ABC’s Primetime College Football Game of the Week. In addition to Herbstreit being the Face of College Football, he also serves as an analyst for Amazon’s coverage of the NFL on Thursday Night Football.
Herbstreit will speak to the invitation-only group of elite football players and their parents from the Class of 2024 about how football can impact their lives.
“College football is such an important part of the fabric of the sports landscape,” Herbstreit said. “These players will become the leaders of our game and will carry a responsibility at a very young age. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with the players and parents about the unique era we are currently seeing.
“These young men have so much thrown at them and so many people talking to them. On3 has built a unique event to provide both information and perspective. I want to convey the importance of college football and how it can positively impact their lives.”
Olivia Dunne excited to share her ‘NIL journey’
10 a.m. Tuesday – LSU gymnast and social influencer Livvy Dunne will be a featured speaker at the On3 NIL Elite Series. She’ll share how she has built her valuation. She’ll also talk about what she has learned since the inception of NIL. The most followed college athlete on social media, Dunne has a $3.4 million On3 NIL Valuation. She also has a multi-year agreement with Vuori Clothing.
“I’m really excited to attend the On3 NIL Elite Series to discuss my NIL journey with the top high school prospects in the country,” Dunne said. “On3 has been so supportive of student-athletes and I hope to continue that momentum with them. Nashville is one of my favorite cities and I can’t wait to get back for this event!”
Top On3 NIL Valuations at On3 NIL Elite Series
8:30 a.m. Tuesday – With so many talented recruits in attendance, it’s no surprise that most of the top student-athletes with high On3 NIL Valuations will also be at the On3 NIL Elite Series.
On3 has a look at the valuations of every player at the event. The headliner is Florida Gators’ quarterback commitment DJ Lagway. He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $620,000. Five-Star Plus+ receiver and Ohio State pledge Jeremiah Smith is also high on the list with a $452,000 On3 NIL Valuation.
Inaugural On3 NIL Elite Series to begin Tuesday
8 a.m. Tuesday – Twenty-two of the top 100 prospects in the 2024 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, will be in attendance. The On3 NIL Elite Series aims to give each athlete and their family an education on the NIL climate they’ll soon enter in college. Six of the athletes in attendance are able to monetize their publicity rights as high schoolers. Held at the Thompson Hotel in downtown Nashville, invitations to the event have been extended to athletes and a guardian.
“This event facilitates information and transparency into the marketplace for these athletes,” On3’s Athlete Network Development director Grant Frerking said. “Our goal is to create more opportunities to educate and prepare athletes to navigate a marketplace that is projected to grow to nearly $5 billion over the next few years.”
On3’s Pete Nakos has more details about what to expect Tuesday and Wednesday.
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