5 High School football players with the highest NIL valuation (image credit: Bryce Underwood/Instagram)

5 High School Football players with the highest NIL valuation in 2024-25 ft. Bryce Underwood

Modified Nov 25, 2024 13:33 GMT

NIL opportunities are redefining high school sports, across the board. Athletes are leveraging their talent and personal branding to secure endorsements, making them invaluable even before college. Let's look at the top five high school footballers with the highest NIL value at the time of writing, as per On3:

5 high school football players with the highest NIL valuations in 2024-25 Season

#5, Faizon Brandon (QB): $1 million

Grimsley High School's (Greensboro, NC) rising star in the class of 2026 is quarterback Faizon Brandon. Brandon has 18K followers on Instagram and is one of the most talked-about high school prospects in the country. Brandon is a five-star rated prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN, while On3 has him at four stars as the QB2 in the Class of 2026.

Brandon committed to the Tennessee Volunteers in March and sued the North Carolina State Board of Education over their ban on endorsements. He told 247Sports:

"I feel like this is important because we are able to benefit off of what we worked for. This will help many other kids and not just myself."

#4, Tavien St. Clair (QB): $1 million

Tavien St. Clair, a top-of-the-line 2025 quarterback prospect, is in his final year at Bellefontaine High School, Bellefontaine, OH. He carries a $1 million NIL valuation due to his well-documented talent and his strong social media presence of 21K followers on Instagram.

A five-star recruit as per 247Sports, St. Clair has committed to Ohio State after outstanding MVP performances in regional showcases that wowed scouts. Tavien St. Clair said to Eleven Warriors during Ohio State's 7-on-7 tournament:

"I feel like I don’t really have to necessarily prove myself, just be the best I can be."

#3, David Sanders Jr. (OT): $1.1 million

David Sanders Jr. is an offensive tackle for Providence Day School (Charlotte, NC). He boasts 24K followers on Instagram. The young athlete has been named an All-American and has secured multiple state championships as well.

A five-star athlete, as per 247Sports, Sanders is committed to Tennessee and told Rivals:

"The amount of effort they put in recruiting me within this last year, I would say they've been recruiting me the best out of anybody."

#2, Keelon Russell (QB): $1.1 million

Keelon Russell of Duncanville High School (Duncanville, TX) is a class of 2025 quarterback. He boasts 54K Instagram followers, which combined with his five-star rating (QB3 in his class, as per 247Sports) has helped push his NIL value.

A two-time state champion and multiple MVP honoree, Russell is committed to Alabama, which will only help his reputation and NIL value grow.

#1, Bryce Underwood (QB): $2.2 million

Belleville High School's Bryce Underwood leads from the front with double the NIL valuation of Keelon Russell. Underwood has 155K Instagram followers and has a sponsorship deal for autographed trading cards with Champions Circle and Valiant Management, two of Michigan's NIL collectives.

Underwood famously flipped from LSU to Michigan last week, with a rumored $10-12 million NIL deal being a major factor in his decision. It is entirely likely, with this in mind, that Underwood's NIL value will soar to perhaps record heights when he hits college.