These 5 Longhorn athletes are cashing in on NIL deals with Texas at the forefront

Yahoo

28-02-2025

If you're looking for cash cows on the Forty Acres, you might find yourself at Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium or the Texas Longhorns' new Moody Center.
Roaming these athletic plains are some of the highest-paid college athletes in the country, according to data from On3, a sports analytics website.
Since the introduction of name image and likeness rules into college football, Texas was always bound to be a big spender, considering its generous donors and ability to consistently rake in revenue from its athletics department.
Data from USA Today shows the University of Texas as the second-highest grossing athletic department in terms of revenue as it brought in $239 million last year — only bested by Ohio State's $251 million.
From 2005 to the end of the 2022 season, Texas received $766 million in booster donations, according to USA Today and the Knight Commission. Only Texas A&M ($849 million) and Oregon ($969 million) outspent Texas.
In On3's rankings, which use a 'proprietary algorithm' to project the annual value of college and high school athletes, these Longhorn athletes ranked highest in the website's top 100, according to the site's internal system.
The combination of a superstar last name and the Longhorn football empire was always destined to make money, and Arch Manning is making good on that.
Even before he took the mantle as Texas' starting quarterback, Manning was topping the NIL Valuation rankings and now, as a Heisman favorite, he is essentially unrivaled.
Boasting an estimated valuation of $6.5 million, Manning has already penned a $100 thousand deal with Panini and a headlining deal with Red Bull, although the financial details of the latter are not yet available.
Edge rusher Colin Simmons was a key piece of a stout defense in 2024. His performances earned him the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, determined by the Maxwell Football Club.
Simmons has also turned his on-field accolades into a $1.5 million NIL valuation, good enough for 44th on the list. Locally, he has collaborated with Austin Speech Labs and Austin Regional Clinic in ads. Additionally, he also appeared in a campaign for Kane Footwear.
Like Simmons, Ryan Wingo is another Longhorn sophomore who is expected to cash in after a stand-out debut season. At 46, Wingo is the fifth-ranked wide receiver on the list and currently has an NIL valuation at $1.5 million.
Through the Texas One Fund, an NIL liaison that helps Longhorn players ink deals, Wingo has collaborated with Austin Regional clinic, the Austin Marathon and Dell Medical Center. Wingo was also featured in the same Kane Footwear campaign as Simmons.
Tre Johnson is projected to be a surefire lottery pick in this year's NBA draft, with some predictions placing him in the top five. The highly-rated recruit is expected to be a one-and-done, but before leaving UT, he will likely have the opportunity to make a significant impact in the NIL market.
Slotting in at 59th on the list, Johnson is the 12th-ranked college basketball player on the list. While his NIL valuation is not available, he has already made good on a handful of NIL deals.
Following in the footsteps of football phenom Manning, Johnson made a deal with Panini Trading Cards, except that Johnson did it while he was still in high school. Johnson was also featured in an ad for PSD Underwear and, through the One Texas Fund, collaborated with the Austin Creative Resuse Center.
Justus Terry is the last Texas Athlete to make the list and will be the latest highly touted recruit to join the program. Still in high school, Terry is ranked 13th nationally in his class, according to 247Sports, and was originally expected to commit to Georgia before heading to Longhorn land.
In On3's list, Terry is ranked 83rd. While his valuation is currently unavailable, it's not a stretch to think he will rise up the rankings after a strong first season on Texas' defensive line.
Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: These five Texas athletes are cashing in on NIL deals