- Oct 15, 2018
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Report: Richardson inks mid six-figure NIL deal
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson has yet to start a game in college, though that could change soon. But the redshirt freshman quarterback hasn't waited to cash in on his growing popularity as an explosive playmaker poised to become one of college football's next stars.
According to a report from Forbes, Richardson has secured a mid six-figure name, image and likeness endorsement deal and has plans to seek a few similar deals.
He has signed with Darren Heitner, an attorney and increasingly popular figure in UF circles thanks to his involvement in NIL legislation passed in the last couple years. Heitner noted in the Forbes piece that Richardson is taking a very patient approach when it comes to monetizing his likeness.
"We’re going to take a very different approach than many in this space," Heitner said in the Forbes piece. "Maybe three to five deals in total, six-figure or seven-figure deals. We want to make sure he’s associating with strong companies and being properly valued."
Richardson's value to the Gators couldn't be more clear at this point.
He was a spark plug in the team's first few games of the season but little more than that, as coach Dan Mullen stuck with starter Emory Jones despite some early struggles. But Jones' development has slowed in recent weeks, leaving questions about his long-term upside.
There are question marks about whether he can be a championship-caliber quarterback with further development.
There are no such questions about Richardson, who immediately showed an improved rhythm and feel for the offense on Saturday in leading an attempted comeback against LSU in the second half. The redshirt freshman led four straight touchdown drives, nearly helping Florida dig itself out of a hole created by a thoroughly porous defense.
Richardson has already been hailed as a potential future Heisman Trophy candidate.
That puts him in a unique position as a player with seemingly unlimited upside relative to his current status, but with the distinct disadvantage of not having a large body of work to fall back on. Essentially, companies willing to spend a big chunk on an NIL deal are betting that Richardson will pan out as a superstar. Its a bit of a leap of faith.
"Admittedly, it’s not that easy, but there is some leverage," Heitner said. "Someone in the position of Richardson or Quinn Ewers or Spencer Rattler have leverage because this won’t be the last year they’re competing in college sports. There’s a guarantee they’re going to be here for at least one more year or two more years in college before going pro. Companies realize that and understand that they will have more time to exploit the relationship while the athlete is in school and perhaps renegotiate a deal later on."
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson has yet to start a game in college, though that could change soon. But the redshirt freshman quarterback hasn't waited to cash in on his growing popularity as an explosive playmaker poised to become one of college football's next stars.
According to a report from Forbes, Richardson has secured a mid six-figure name, image and likeness endorsement deal and has plans to seek a few similar deals.
He has signed with Darren Heitner, an attorney and increasingly popular figure in UF circles thanks to his involvement in NIL legislation passed in the last couple years. Heitner noted in the Forbes piece that Richardson is taking a very patient approach when it comes to monetizing his likeness.
"We’re going to take a very different approach than many in this space," Heitner said in the Forbes piece. "Maybe three to five deals in total, six-figure or seven-figure deals. We want to make sure he’s associating with strong companies and being properly valued."
Richardson's value to the Gators couldn't be more clear at this point.
He was a spark plug in the team's first few games of the season but little more than that, as coach Dan Mullen stuck with starter Emory Jones despite some early struggles. But Jones' development has slowed in recent weeks, leaving questions about his long-term upside.
There are question marks about whether he can be a championship-caliber quarterback with further development.
There are no such questions about Richardson, who immediately showed an improved rhythm and feel for the offense on Saturday in leading an attempted comeback against LSU in the second half. The redshirt freshman led four straight touchdown drives, nearly helping Florida dig itself out of a hole created by a thoroughly porous defense.
Richardson has already been hailed as a potential future Heisman Trophy candidate.
That puts him in a unique position as a player with seemingly unlimited upside relative to his current status, but with the distinct disadvantage of not having a large body of work to fall back on. Essentially, companies willing to spend a big chunk on an NIL deal are betting that Richardson will pan out as a superstar. Its a bit of a leap of faith.
"Admittedly, it’s not that easy, but there is some leverage," Heitner said. "Someone in the position of Richardson or Quinn Ewers or Spencer Rattler have leverage because this won’t be the last year they’re competing in college sports. There’s a guarantee they’re going to be here for at least one more year or two more years in college before going pro. Companies realize that and understand that they will have more time to exploit the relationship while the athlete is in school and perhaps renegotiate a deal later on."
