Rutgers football’s 2022 top NIL player values
In 2021, the landscape of all college athletics was drastically changed when the NCAA put measures into place to allow student-athletes to sign NIL deals. NIL stands for name, image, and likeness – these deals allow athletes to make money on their own through various means. Essentially, they can now make money in ways that previous generations had to sneak around or were even caught and penalized for doing (paging Reggie Bush).
While some of the NIL stories surfacing around the country have certainly raised some valid questions about the future of the sport and how the NCAA may had mishandled the situation from the start, the threshold into the new era of college sports has officially been breached – and there may be no going back.
Quite a few Rutgers student-athletes have begun taking advantage of NIL opportunities, including quarterback Gavin Wimsatt who left high school early to early enroll at Rutgers and reportedly signed a few deals on his way to campus. But, just how much can these players expect to earn; what’s their value?
This is where On3 and their resources come in. On3 is already a great resource for all fans of the recruiting race, but they also specialize in monitoring and valuating NIL values for players in college and being recruited. This value is determined by team prestige, performance, and social media following. It does not reflect the actual amounts any student-athlete may have agreed to.
A new NIL collective was launched by Rutgers alumni and supporters just last month. Since fans can expect to hear about NIL much more often with moves like this, we decided to take a look at the top eight NIL values for Rutgers football in 2022. Just as a reminder, these values can waiver and be impacted at any time.
Taj Harris - Wide Receiver
© Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
On3 NIL Valuation: $171,000
Harris signed with an agency while at Syracuse, prior to transferring to Rutgers. Moving to the Big Ten should help boost this higher.
Gavin Wimsatt - Quarterback
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
On3 NIL Valuation: $47,000
It seemed Wimsatt was agreeing to NIL deals before ever arriving on campus. If the highly touted recruit can live up to his four-star ranking, his valuation will begin to skyrocket.
Christian Izien - Safety
(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
On3 NIL Valuation: $26,000
Izien started all of the Scarlet Knights contests as a junior last season. He has the second-most social media followers of anyone on the list behind Wimsatt.
Austin Albericci - Quarterback
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
On3 NIL Valuation: $25,000
Albericci made his collegiate debut as the holder for a successful extra point and field goal in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl versus Wake Forest this past season. The senior has been named to the Academic All-Big Ten list in each of his first three seasons.
Khayri Banton - Linebacker
Waitin patiently…. pic.twitter.com/64jqQY26eG
— Khayri Banton (@juiceupkha_x3) November 26, 2021
On3 NIL Valuation: $23,000
Banton will need to see more field time if his valuation were to rise, but for actual amount there will be opportunities out there for him. The sophomore from New Jersey appeared in four games in his freshman season.
Al-Shadee Salaam - Running Back
© Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
On3 NIL Valuation: $21,000
Salaam is already on the list without seeing any action as a freshman. If the sophomore takes advantage of his time in what will likely be a rotation in the backfield, his valuation will jump up quickly.
Max Patterson - Wide Receiver
LES CHOPPPPPP! 🪓 pic.twitter.com/VRm8C7wvTt
— Max Patterson (@maxspatt) December 17, 2020
On3 NIL Valuation: $20,000
Patterson appeared in four games his freshman season, including the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The sophomore has moved up the depth chart with some departures with a real chance to compete for opportunities. Should he do so, his valuation will rise.
