The 10 student-athletes with the highest NIL valuations

• Since 2021, student-athletes have been able to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
• Top student-athletes have worked with brands like New Balance, Uber, and Beats by Dre.
• Arch Manning has an estimated NIL value of $6.5 million.

As the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, 18-year-old Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has already earned one of the highest NIL valuations in the country.

Name, image, and likeness deals — or NIL deals for short — have become a billion-dollar industry since they were introduced to amateur sports in 2021, allowing student-athletes the opportunity to make significant amounts of money regardless of whether they have the option to turn pro.

Plus, in May 2024, as part of a major antitrust settlement, the NCAA and its five power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) agreed that schools can directly pay their athletes for the first time in college athletics history. The final approval hearing, though, is scheduled for April.

Spencer Wadsworth, the senior vice president of global soccer at Wasserman, a global sports, music, and entertainment company, told Business Insider in August that NIL has helped take the pressure off some athletes to go pro prematurely.

“There are different pressures that each person goes through, and I think knowing that you can still earn some living — technically get paid for your sport — and continue your studies is extremely positive because everyone does have their own journey,” he said.

Wadsworth added that NIL can teach athletes good habits when it comes to managing their money by giving them more support, rather than leaving them on their own as professionals.

And the amounts aren’t insignificant: Even at the college level, some athletes are valued at millions of dollars.

NIL Valuations are calculated based on an athlete’s performance, influence, exposure, and deal data, which are used to create a Roster Value and an NIL Value.

According to media and technology company On3, which uses an algorithm to track and update players’ NIL Valuations weekly, most athletes’ total NIL Valuations are based on their Roster Value, which is defined as “a calculation of an athlete’s respective value to their team,” similar to the salary professional athletes receive from their organizations.

Meanwhile, their NIL Value is related to how an athlete’s performance, influence, and exposure lead to additional advertising and sponsorships.

Their Roster Value plus their NIL Value creates their total NIL Valuation.

While these student-athletes have built names for themselves through their talents, skills, and social media savvy, some top NIL earners might have had some extra help attracting deals thanks to their legacy-bearing last names.

With valuations starting at $3.3 million, here’s a look at the top 10 student-athletes profiting the most from NIL. These figures were accurate as of March 13, 2025.

10. Cade Klubnik — $3.3 million

The 6-foot-9 freshman from Newport, Maine, is starting his Duke basketball career strong. Before the season even started, Flagg signed with CAA for NIL representation and inked his first major deal with New Balance.

The brand announced its partnership with Flagg in August, highlighting his status as a five-star prospect who was the only teenager selected to train with the USA Basketball Men’s National Team before their gold-medal-winning run in Paris.

So far this season, he’s started in every game he’s played and averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Oh, and multiple outlets have already named him the projected No. 1 pick for the 2025 NBA Draft.

Flagg has a roster value of $3.4 million and a total NIL valuation of $4.8 million. In addition to New Balance, some of his other NIL deals include Gatorade and Fanatics.

1. Arch Manning — $6.5 million

Arch Manning comes from a long line of football royalty. His uncles, Peyton and Eli Manning, were Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks in the NFL, and his grandfather, Archie Manning, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

Now, with Quinn Ewers having declared for the NFL Draft, it’s Arch’s time to shine as the starting quarterback of the Texas Longhorns.

“The thing about Arch is this, from the day he arrived, there’s been a real sense of humility about him,” head coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters on March 11, Sports Illustrated reported. “If you didn’t know his last name and didn’t know the face, and just looked at the body of work, the teammate that he is, the work ethic that he has, his commitment to his craft, his commitment to his teammates, this process has been underway for a couple of years.”

Last season, Manning started just two games but appeared in nine; he threw for 939 yards and nine touchdowns.

He has a roster value of $4.1 million and a total NIL valuation of $6.5 million, thanks in part to deals with brands like Uber, Red Bull, EA Sports, and Panini America.