Scarlet Sunrise: Pair of Buckeyes sign NIL deals to promote new college football video game

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Pair of Buckeyes sign NIL deals to promote new college football video game

On Thursday, EA Sports began sending out contracts for college football players to sign, allowing the company to put those players in EA Sports’ College Football 25 video game. Players will be given $600 and a copy of the game in exchange for their name to be in the game.

But a pair of Buckeyes stars, cornerback Denzel Burke and tailback Quinshon Judkins, signed a separate deal to promote the game. On3’s Pete Nakos reported on that partnership.

Working with the NIL marketplace Opendorse, the college football video game franchise is signing side NIL deals with some of the sport’s top athletes to promote the game.

Those deals are not $600, rather each agreement is different and based on the athlete’s NIL value – basically, a negotiated marketing deal. A source has told On3 that a list of 100 priority athletes has been pieced together the last few weeks ahead of Thursday’s announcement. With a pre-approved budget, this is just phase one of EA’s marketing rollout.

While Denzel Burke, for example, is being paid on the side to promote the game now, he could also be tapped this summer to promote the official launch date, which has not been announced to this point.

Pete Nakos, On3

Burke and Judkins are both expected to be among the highest-ranked players in the game. Judkins was a two-time All-SEC back at Ole Miss before transferring to Ohio State. Burke will be one of the top cornerbacks in college football this season.

They’re both doing their part to help promote the new EA Sports College Football 25 video game.

Lettermen Row recruiting expert Matt Parker makes pair of RPM picks for Ohio State

To kick off the weekend, Lettermen Row’s Matt Parker placed a prediction into the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine on Nate Roberts picking the Buckeyes. He set his pick at a confidence level of 70 percent.

He also made a prediction into the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine on four-star Olney (Md) Good Counsel safety Faheem Delane picking the Buckeyes. I have set my pick at a confidence level of 65 percent.

He explains why below.

On Roberts:

The 6-foot-3.5, 220-pound Oklahoma native is the No. 119 overall prospect and the No. 5 tight end according to the On3 Industry Rankings. On3 has it a bit different with Roberts as the No. 143 overall prospect and the No. 8 tight end.

No matter rankings, however, Bailey and the Buckeyes have Roberts as tight end No. 1.

It was reported earlier in the week that Roberts is returning to Ohio State this spring for the spring game on April 13. He was on campus in January as well and at the conclusion of that visit, he told Lettermen Row that he would not return until his official visit this summer. That change in plans is a big reason why I now feel confident in placing the prediction.

On Delane

New safeties coach Matt Guerrieri has more than made up for any potential meltdowns in the recruitment, planting the Buckeyes firmly in the race. Speaking with some sources within the Woody Hayes Athletic Center throughout the week, Ohio State is confident in its position with Delane.

Relationships are certainly important, but he also fits what Ohio State wants in its 4-2-5 defensive scheme. Delane has also mentioned he wants to play with other great players. Well, the Buckeyes have three pretty great cornerbacks in their 2025 class already. No. 1 cornerback Na’eem Offord, No. 2 cornerback Devin Sanchez and No. 8 cornerback Blake Woodby.

Ohio State arguably has the best secondary heading into the 2024 season as well. That talent will showcase exactly why Delane will predictively pick the Buckeyes when it’s time.

Corey Dennis takes job at Ole Miss

Ryan Day made the decision to replace Corey Dennis at his spot as the Ohio State quarterbacks coach earlier this offseason. Dennis was expected to ‘transition into a still-to-be-determined role with the program,’ according to a university release when the news was announced.

Dennis took different route, however. He left the Buckeyes program to take a job as an analyst at Utah a few weeks ago. Now he’s already landed a different gig. He has joined Lane Kiffin’s staff at Ole Miss, according to OM Spirit’s Zach Berry.

Dennis had been with the Ohio State program since 2015, when he was an intern under then-head coach Urban Meyer, Dennis’ father-in-law. Dennis was a graduate assistant for the Buckeyes in 2016 and 2017 before being elevated to a quality control role in 2018 and 2019. He became the Buckeyes quarterbacks coach in 2020, the position he was in for the last four seasons prior to his demotion.

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 189 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 280 days

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