Athletes With the Highest NIL Evaluations

More money, more problems doesn’t always hold, particularly when discussing millionaire college athletes. A look into the athletes with the highest NIL evaluations showcases how the decision to overturn the ruling prohibiting athletes from profiting from their name, image, and likeness is paying dividends for many.

Livvy Dunne

The reason why everyone wants to become a social media superstar is because of others’ success stories. Olivia Dunne is a gymnast at Louisiana State University, but she’s most known for having over 10.5 million followers on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter combined, contributing to her $3.3 million evaluation.

Dunne’s mark on TikTok is exceptional, considering she’s surpassed a quarter of a billion likes from 7.1 million followers. Dunne has had a successful career as a gymnast, competing in the Nastia Liukin Cup in 2020 and other prominent competitions since 2016.

In her first year with the Tigers, she became an All-American for her prowess on the uneven bars, where she scored a 9.9 at the NCAA Championships.

Caleb Williams

USC’s Caleb Williams is the only active college football player in the top five. The Heisman winner and his coach, Lincoln Riley, put their Oklahoma days behind them to go to the sunny SoCal skies. USC flirted with making the College Football Playoff before they lost to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship game.

The loss sent USC to a “New Year’s Six” bowl against the surprising Tulane Green Wave, a game in which the Trojans lost in the final minutes. Since he has only completed two seasons, Williams and his $3.6 million evaluation must return to USC for his third season in college before he becomes the unanimous number one selection of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Mikey Williams

College basketball has always had a stink to it for paying college athletes under the table. Fortunately, with how the NIL changed the landscape for all student-athletes, it no longer has to be covert. Mikey Williams is a four-star point guard heading to the Memphis Tigers for the 2023-24 season. And although there are several players ranked ahead of Williams in the recruiting rankings, his six million social media followers and his skills handling the rock are good for a $3.6 million evaluation.

Arch Manning

We’ve seen Peyton and Eli Manning prove themselves at the highest level, with each winning two Super Bowls at quarterback. But their third brother, Cooper, will have a chance to make his mark on the NFL with his son, Arch Manning.

Having a family name to hold up to may be challenging for the future Longhorn, but it also helps get him $3.8 million from his name, image, and likeness. If Peyton and Eli’s nephew shows out in his first year, the sky is the limit for him.

Bronny James

Like Mikey Williams, Bronny James may not be the most talented player for the 2023-24 incoming class, but being LeBron James’s son has benefits. The all-time leading scorer’s son has not decided where to take his talents this year, although his $7.8 million evaluation will follow.

The athletes with the highest NIL evaluations prove that having all the talent in the world is small potatoes compared to their Q-rating. And when you pair extraordinary talent with a prominent brand, there are plenty of reasons to stay in school.

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