Texas Longhorns Football Players Land Luxury Car NIL Deal

Two more Texas Longhorns football players have agreed to an NIL partnership with a luxury car brand.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond during football spring practice at the Frank Denius practice fields in Austin, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

For major college football programs to keep up in the current landscape, NIL programs need to be top-flight. Some programs have budgets between $13-20 million, making it difficult for other schools to compete in the collegiate form of free agency.

One of the schools have have had a lot of success with NIL is Texas. They have annual deals that help get their players paid, such as the Lamborghini Austin partnership.

On Friday, it was announced that wide receiver Isaiah Bond and defensive back Michael Taaffe were selected to be partners for the NIL deal. This partnership is a strong one between the school and the Italian luxury car brand, which noted they selected those two players based on their “strong academic achievements, community leadership and success on the field.”

Previous players who partnered with Lamborghini Austin are Bijan Robinson, now a star with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL, Jaylan Ford, Jake Majors and Jordan Whittington.

Bond is preparing for his first season at Texas. He was a former four-star recruit who began his career playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide but opted to transfer after two seasons.

He became a household name for the play he made during the Iron Bowl against Auburn when he saved Alabama’s season. Overall, Bond caught 48 passes for 668 yards and four touchdowns and is on the All-SEC Second Team in preseason.

Taaffe is also entering his junior season, all with Texas. A former walk-on, he has appeared in 27 games in two seasons and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 for the 2023 campaign. Last season, Taaffe had three interceptions, 2.5 tackles for loss and two passes defended.

“The Lamborghini Austin Promotional Partner Program rewards student-athletes for success in the classroom, contributions to their community and performance in sports,” Bruce Knox, managing partner of Lamborghini Austin, said in a release.

“Our committee selected two outstanding student-athletes who took a unique path on their University of Texas journey, who achieved success in the classroom as well as on the field, and who will join forces to lead the Longhorns in their first year of competition in the SEC.”

This deal will only add to Bond’s NIL valuation. One of the best players in college football, he is already at No. 75 on On3’s Top 100, and will assuredly be moving up the list with his own brand on the rise and Texas behind him.