NIL Era Heisman Trophy Winner Cards
The college card market has never been one that’s gotten much respect from the sports card industry. For years, Panini was the only company that could produce licensed college cards, but those cards only came out once players were drafted. This meant that if you wanted a Duke basketball card or an Alabama football card of your favorite star, you wouldn’t get that card until they were already on a professional team.
That all changed when NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) rules came into effect. NIL revolutionized the industry, and Panini adapted. This year’s National Treasures Collegiate Football set included the usual professional rookies in their college uniforms, but it also featured players who are still in college.
2024 Panini National Treasures Collegiate Football checklist added: https://t.co/wKpF9p9lAk #collect #thehobby #quinnewers pic.twitter.com/LRRZDiewZ1
— Checklist Insider (@CardChecklist) October 30, 2024
Panini is well known for its iconic Rated Rookie logo on some of its rookie cards. A few years ago, they introduced the Rated Prospect logo, which had previously been used exclusively on baseball cards. Now, we’re starting to see the Rated Prospect logo appear on college football cards as well.
Before NIL went into effect, Topps returned to the college football and basketball market by releasing an unlicensed Bowman product. This eventually turned into a licensed product once NIL started.
The 2024 Heisman Trophy was recently awarded to Travis Hunter of Colorado. Hunter already has a First Bowman card in his Colorado uniform—a rarity given how frequently players transfer schools these days. His Bowman can be found in 2023 Bowman University Chrome.
The same cannot be said for last year’s Heisman winner, Jayden Daniels. He doesn’t have a First Bowman card at all. Despite playing phenomenally last season, most of his LSU cards remain unlicensed. However, Panini’s Prizm has started releasing cards, so if you’re looking for some of Daniels’ base cards, Prizm would be a good place to start.
For collectors seeking the first Heisman winner with a licensed First Bowman, Caleb Williams is the player to look for. Williams, who was also this year’s number-one draft pick, is part of the first fully licensed college product Topps has released in over a decade. The card is from 2022 Bowman University Chrome.
As for Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman winner, he was included in the 2021 Bowman University checklist. However, that set wasn’t licensed, meaning his Bowman cards lack the Alabama logo.
Overall, we’re still in a transitional period for college cards. The stigma surrounding them—that they’re less desirable than professional cards—still lingers. However, with Topps now producing licensed college cards, complete with official logos, there’s potential for the perception of college cards to change significantly in the coming years.
Adam has been a sports content creator since 2016, initially focusing on creating sports-related graphics for his Instagram page. In 2018, he transitioned to writing and podcasting about sports cards. Since then, he has worked both independently and with companies within the industry, producing podcasts, videos, and written content on sports cards.