John Ruiz to fund Xavier Restrepo's 10u 7-on-7 team through NIL deal
Xavier Restrepo credits a piece of his success in football to playing 7-on-7.
The Miami wide receiver is now a third-year sophomore who started playing the game at four years old. But playing 7-on-7 made him more comfortable at the receiver position. That’s why he continues to give back to that system.
For the past two years, he has coached 8u and 9u teams, making his way up the ladder while coaching his brother. But this year’s team — now at the 10u level — will look a tad different. Restrepo’s team is coming under Raw Miami’s umbrella. The program is known for its varsity program, which just had On3 Consensus five-star quarterback Julian Sayin on its team at Battle Miami’s kickoff event last month.
But on top of joining the well-known 7-on-7 program, Restrepo has secured a sponsorship for his 10u team through LifeWallet. The publicly traded company, which is owned and ran by Miami booster John Ruiz, has been one of the biggest spenders in the NIL era.
“Honestly, it’s a true blessing,” Restrepo told On3 in a phone interview on Thursday night. “The relationship Mr. Ruiz and I have is actually a great relationship. Super thankful for him doing this for me.”
Securing the sponsorship will help cover costs of jerseys, travel and logistics. At the turn of the calendar year, Ruiz made the decision all LifeWallet athletes would be required to join the big brother program as part of their agreements.
The sponsorship will also fulfill Restrepo’s piece of community service. He previously signed the NIL deal with LifeWallet. He won’t be the only Miami football player joining the Raw program, either. Kamren Kinchens and Kahlil Brantley will assist the varsity program with head coach Jose Duasso.
“It is with great pride and honor that LifeWallet Sports will be sponsoring Xavier Restrepo’s Raw 7-on-7 team,” Ruiz said in a statement to On3. “LifeWallet Sports continues to have a strong commitment to the youth. Who better to be at the forefront than our own Xavier Restrepo. As I have stated before, X is No. 1 for me.”
Xavier Restrepo’s ties to 7-on-7 football
The Miami wide receiver played in seven games last season as he dealt with a foot injury that kept him sidelined. But he showed his talent when he was able to play. In the season opener against Bethune-Cookman, he grabbed five receptions for a career-high 100 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown reception.
He’ll be back for his fourth season in the fall. Restrepo will be able to use 7-on-7 as a way to get some extra time with his family, too. While he will be coaching his brother, it’s actually a family gathering. His mother serves as the “team mom,” while his dad is the defensive coordinator.
“My parents had me when they were super young,” he said. “They have been through this whole process with me, opposed to how some parents oversee everything. They’ve experienced everything. To keep having them on my side, to keep going through life together, is special.”
With a team made up of local kids, instead of a national focus like the varsity team, he knows the athletes well. Even being more than 10 years older than the players he coaches, Restrepo said they have the same passion for the game as he does.
“We’ve been doing this the past two years and our team is amazing,” Restrepo said. “The kids love football. And it’s easy to coach kids who love the sport as much as you do. They’re true competitors at heart.”
With more than 33,000 social media followers and a $70,000 On3 NIL Valuation, he has plenty of NIL opportunities away from the field. Signing with LifeWallet is a plus, but incorporating his 7-on-7 team was not necessary.
In his eyes, it is a way of giving back to the system that helped him land at Miami.
“I remember when I used to play 7-on-7,” he said. “That’s why I got back into this coaching stuff, the impact it left on me and my family. Traveling across the country. Fast forward to going to college, seeing former teammates at other universities.”