When the NCAA made the decision that collegiate athletes would soon be able to profit off their name, image and likeness (NIL), it opened up a whole new world for football stars who have yet to make it to the highest level. Rivals took a guess at which incoming freshman would benefit the most from this and their choice of an Irish player might surprise you.
Mike Farrell, Rivals recruiting director, placed wide receiver Jordan Johnson one of the freshmen who could benefit the most from the NIL ruling. Johnson placed 8th on Farrell’s list, claiming that “the quarterback gets all the attention usually, but a five-star Midwest receiver having a huge career at Notre Dame could me him very valuable.”
Rivals ranked Johnson as the best prospect in the 2020 Irish recruiting class, in front of tight end Michael Mayer, offensive lineman Tosh Baker and speedy running back Chris Tyree. Farrell is right with his assessment that it’s usually a quarterback that gets all the hype, but skill position players can get plenty of love as well. I would expect Tyree to be a wanted man for his services as well and could possible rival what Farrell thinks Johnson could bring to the table.
No one really knows what could be in store for athletes when this ruling finally passes. August 30th is the next big date, as each NCAA division is expected to have a draft of what their NIL proposals will be. What we do know is this will usher in a new era for college football, and potentially keeping star players on campus for longer than expected.