Top five On3 NIL Valuations in Penn State, Ohio State showdown
James Franklin has beaten Ohio State just once in his 10 seasons, coming in 2016. The last Penn State coach to beat the Buckeyes in Columbus was Tom Bradley in 2011.
For the Nittany Lions to win a Big Ten title and legitimately contend for a berth in the College Football Playoff, they have to run the Big Ten East. That also hasn’t happened since 2016.
If Penn State has any shot of doing that this year, the path to the postseason starts Saturday in a top-10 showdown with Ohio State, which is loaded with talent and athleticism. The Buckeyes have their best defense in recent memory, currently ranked No. 7 in the nation in total defense. Penn State is No. 1, allowing just 193.7 yards per game.
Saturday should be a fun one in Columbus, slated for a noon ET kickoff on FOX.
“Noon kickoff in the shoe, it’s going to be rocking,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said this week. “We just say all the time, you picture yourself playing in this type of environment. What you do is you find guys who want to play in this environment, want to play in these types of games.”
On3 is breaking down the top-five On3 NIL Valuations ahead of Saturday’s Penn State-Ohio State matchup:
1. Marvin Harrison Jr — Ohio State
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.2 million
Social media followers: 488,000
Position: Wide Receiver
Ohio State will have the best wide receiver in the country on its offense Saturday in Marvin Harrison Jr. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound wideout dominated the Big Ten a year ago. His stats have started to pick up in recent weeks, entering the top-10 matchup with 31 receptions for 604 yards and five touchdowns. His ability to make high-level grabs has consistently awed scouts. He’ll be a crucial Saturday, providing Kyle McCord with a reliable target all day.
The son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison opted to not sign any NIL deals last season. That has changed. Harrison has publicly announced more than 10 endorsement contracts with brands and collectives since March, while also launching a memorabilia collection. His top NIL deals include a partnership with Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet of Columbus, joining the Zoa Energy Drink marketing campaign, a one-off agreement with Dr Teal’s and being featured on a bag of Grippo’s Chips. In recent weeks he’s added notable endorsement deals with 7-Eleven, Chipotle and Kane Footwear. His social media following has continued to climb since last season, now sitting at nearly 490,000 followers.
2. Drew Allar — Penn State
On3 NIL Valuation: $1.1 million
Social media followers: 105,000
Position: Quarterback
The No. 3 quarterback in the 2022 cycle left Ohio for Penn State and spent last season learning behind Sean Clifford. Drew Allar impressed in moments last season, and he was the clear starting quarterback in training camp. Now in Year 2 working with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich‘s offense, he’s shown top NFL draft prospect potential on some passes this season as he’s led the Nittany Lions to a 6-0 start. Allar has a 65.2% completion percentage, passing for 1,254 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s yet to be picked off.
As the Penn State starting quarterback, Drew Allar has become a popular target for brands looking to spend dollars in NIL. The 6-foot-5, 243-pounder agreed to terms on a deal with Inch & Co. last December, receiving the keys to a Tesla. He also partnered with Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and the brand’s Mission Tiger program to present a $30,000 donation to Pennsylvania middle schools in July. Allar gifted his entire offensive line headphones in August through a deal with Bose. He’s recently promoted Hulu on his Instagram, too.
3. Olu Fashanu — Penn State
On3 NIL Valuation: $789,000
Social media followers: 9,800
Position: Offensive Tackle
Already named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week once this year and tabbed on multiple Midseason All-American teams, it’s safe to say Olu Fashanu has lived up to the first-round NFL draft talk. The 6-foot-6, 317-pound offensive tackle is the second-best graded tackle in the country through seven weeks, according to Pro Football Focus. Fashanu and his former Gonzaga College High School football teammate Caleb Williams could both be top-five NFL draft picks this spring.
While dominating the left side of the offensive line this season, he’s helped Allar comfortably grow into his role as Penn State’s starting quarterback. Fashanu allowed no sacks on 299 true pass-blocking snaps in 2022, with a pressure percentage of just 3.0% in 2022. This year he’s tied for No. 2 in the nation with a 93.4% pass grade from PFF. Fashanu has worked extensively with the Penn State-driven NIL collective Happy Valley United. He also landed a Tesla last year from Inch & Co.
4. Kyle McCord — Ohio State
On3 NIL Valuation: $732,000
Social media followers: 80,000
Position: Quarterback
Any doubts that Kyle McCord could be QB1 for Ohio State were dismissed after leading the game-winning drive in South Bend. McCord was far from perfect in the 17-14 win over Notre Dame, but he made critical throws in the clutch, completing 11-of-15 passes on third and fourth down. The third-ranked Buckeyes have had some swagger since then, setting up Saturday’s top-10 showdown in Columbus. McCord has thrown for 1,651 yards this season with 11 touchdowns and just one interception.
With the title of Ohio State starting quarterback, his marketability has shot up. The former five-star prospect signed with Rhoback in August. As part of the deal, he was compensated and will earn a commission for the sales he drives to Rhoback. The quarterback will also receive a substantial amount of gear. Back in June, he landed a 2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 53 through Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet of Columbus. He’s also added an endorsement deal with Dr Pepper in recent weeks. McCord’s added roughly 23,000 social media followers since the end of August, too.
5. Denzel Burke — Ohio State
On3 NIL Valuation: $635,000
Social media followers: 35,000
Position: Cornerback
Over the past week, Denzel Burke has earned multiple second-team Midseason All-American honors. The junior will have a chance Saturday to prove why he’s worthy of first-team recognition. A former four-star prospect, Burke has developed into one of the nation’s top cornerbacks. So far this season he has four pass breakups and an interception. He’s also forced eight incompletions. With a solid social media following and a household name on the Ohio State defense, he’s signed some notable NIL deals, too. He’s worked with the Ohio State-focused collective The Foundation and held a camp this summer with Next Gen Camps and multiple teammates.
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.