Ohio State Buckeyes Football Star Embracing NIL Opportunities

An Ohio State Buckeyes football star is making the most of his NIL opportunities.

Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke (10) celebrates an interception during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State is one of the schools that have gone all-in on NIL. They know what it will take for their teams to remain near the top of their respective sports and they are willing to do whatever it takes to remain competitive.

The Buckeyes football team is reportedly near the top of the food chain when it comes to NIL spending; there is a reason that they have so many talented players not only transferring into the school but not wanting to leave.

One of those standouts is cornerback Denzel Burke. With an NIL valuation of $619,000, he is No. 85 among college football players, just missing out on the overall top 100, which the final person on the list has a valuation of $661,000.

The star defensive back has deals with Kane Footwear, Next Gen Camps, The 1870 Society and EA Sports, per On3. It is something that he has fully embraced, as his brand is only growing.

“NIL has really changed my perspective on life after football,” he said, via Jerod Smalley of NBC4i.com. “It’s crazy how you can be competitive in all aspects of life. My job and my teammates’ job hopefully is to continue to bring other players with you, too, and give them opportunities, to kind of share the bread.”

The better Burke and his teammates play on the field, the more opportunities they will have off it. Currently undefeated at 3-0 and ranked No. 3 in the country, Ohio State is on track for a College Football Playoff spot, which will bring even more attention and NIL deals to players on the team.

While the cash in their pocket is nice, that isn’t what it is all about for Burke. He knows this will set him up to be successful later in life when his football playing days are over.

“It’s helping me grow as a man, becoming a businessman,” he said. “Learning about new things — insurance, compliance, how to read contracts — it’s really just setting me up for the future.”

A premier cornerback prospect, Burke has been projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft in 2025. Given everything he has learned as he navigates the NIL sphere, he could be better prepared than some of his peers to become a professional and all of the new challenges that come with it.