Reports: Ohio State freshman QB Quinn Ewers signs $1.4M NIL deal
Quinn Ewers has only been on Ohio State’s campus for a few weeks, but he’s already cashing in on NIL deals.
According to multiple outlets, Ewers has signed a deal with GT Sports Marketing worth $1.4 million. GTSM specializes in autographs for athletes, and the deal with Ewers reportedly spans three seasons. Ewers is a freshman for the Buckeyes who enrolled at school earlier this month.
Ewers was the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2022, but he decided to bypass his senior season and enroll a full year early at Ohio State in order to capitalize on the marketing opportunities ahead of him.
As reported on by Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel, Ewers’ home state of Texas does not allow high school athletes to profit from the use of their name, image and likeness as part of its state NIL law. That caused Ewers, a star quarterback from Southlake Carroll High School in suburban Dallas, to leave the state and head to Ohio to a headstart on his college career — and put some endorsement money in his pockets.
When Ewers was still deciding whether or not to leave high school early, Thamel reported that Ewers had a cash and equity deal on the table from a local kombucha company with “several other offers” also there for the taking. The Holy Kombucha deal has already been announced, as has a deal with a Columbus, Ohio-based car company.
#1 and #1 working together… welcome @QuinnEwers to the @ricart family in this @RabidCustoms lifted supercharged @FordTrucks @Ford F-250 Tremor. Look out for big things with @akidagain and thanks to @BuckeyeScoop and @kirk_barton for making this happen #PoweredByRicart pic.twitter.com/GIzlo8em8l
— Rick Ricart 🏍🏎💨 (@RickRicart) August 28, 2021
Now Ewers will be able to cash in on the autograph circuit even while he sits on the sidelines for the Buckeyes. C.J. Stroud won Ohio State’s starting quarterback job. Two other acclaimed recruits, Kyle McCord and Jack Miller, are also on the roster for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day said earlier this month that Ewers has a long way to go in order to see the field. While Ewers just arrived in Columbus this month, Stroud and Miller are in their second season with the program. McCord, a 2021 recruit, enrolled early and participated in spring practice, as well as preseason camp.
The Buckeyes open the 2021 season on the road against Minnesota on Thursday night.
