Wisconsin student athletes taking calculated approach towards NIL

Head coach Paul Chryst was asked his thoughts on the new world of NIL (name, image, likeness) and how it’s being used specifically as on the recruiting front.

His response was brief but telling.

“The letter of the law is it’s not to be used for inducement," Chryst said Tuesday at Wisconsin's local media day. "I don’t think that’s the case.”

It most certainly is not. NIL has taken the college football world by storm, fueling controversies like the one which saw 2021’s Biletnikoff winner, Jordan Addison, transfer from Pittsburgh to Southern California.

Wisconsin has mostly stayed out of the headlines when it comes to NIL, but that isn’t to say it's not involved. The Varsity Collective was formed in June to guide and facilitate UW student athletes in their NIL endeavors, and some football players have cashed in.

Star outside linebacker Nick Herbig has multiple deals, the biggest one being Fresh Fit Cuisine in Madison, which benefits his wallet and nutrition.

“They do a lot of meal prepping stuff, and the lady that works there is a dietician," Herbig said on Tuesday. "She’s done a great job this offseason of making sure I get great meals.”

Herbig also has a deal with the golf club company Stix, but says he isn’t too focused on NIL.

“For the most part I don’t really do too much NIL," he said. "But if there’s stuff that really catches my attention, I’ll look into it.”

Projected starting left guard Tyler Beach said the offensive line is also making moves of its own in Madison, working with local hot dog spot Portillo’s, as well as the larger Sprecher Brewing Company. The offensive line appears to be doing well for itself, as they also announced a partnership with Mission BBQ last July.

Some players on the team are focusing on deals outside of Madison, particularly back home. Wide receiver Dean Engram says he is signed to a sports agency in his hometown of Washington, D.C. called Sports Entertainment Group. The agency works with local athletes, like Buffalo Bills wideout Stephon Diggs and former Badgers running back James White, currently of the New England Patriots. Any NIL opportunities that come Engram’s way will be managed by the agency.

Redshirt freshman receiver Skyler Bell, who hails from The Bronx, New York, is using NIL to bring more football to his community.

“(In the Bronx) I do camps and things like that," Bell said. "Basketball is a big thing in the Bronx, so I’m trying to bring some more football over there. We’re a big basketball state…I’m trying to introduce some more kids, because out there there’s not a lot of fields, but there’s a basketball court on every corner.”

Some Badgers football players, like defensive linemen Rodas Johnson and Isaiah Mullens, aren’t particularly focused on NIL. Both are projected starters at defensive end flanking Keeanu Benton, but defensive line is one of many positions where Chryst expects spirited competition in fall camp.

“I’m trying to focus on the season, I’m not trying to get super distracted about that stuff right now,” Mullens said. “Hopefully something comes my way, but I’m not super worried about that.”

Because the nature of NIL is often about marketing and displaying oneself, quarterbacks are commonly thrust into the endorsement deal spotlight as the face of their team. Starting QB Graham Mertz and his backup, Chase Wolf, had varying takes on the matter.

“Right now, not really,” said Mertz when asked if he had any current NIL deals. “I have a really good team doing my NIL stuff. They do a good job of, if it’s a good thing and it matches my brand, we’ll work with it, but if not, we won’t do that. I try not to have it distract me at all.

"I’m focused on this team and maxing out what we’ve got, but it’s also nice if something pops up that’s interesting and you like to do, then you might as well do it.”

Despite Mertz not holding any current NIL deals, he’s clearly very in-tune with the situation if he has people on the outside managing his NIL affairs. Wolf has taken a different approach.

“At this point in my career, I’m more focused on what I can do to make the team better," he said. "Obviously if the right deal comes along I’ll take it…It’s something that’s new to me, and I want to learn as much as I can before I jump into something. I’ve been offered some stuff, but I haven’t accepted anything, because I’m not exactly comfortable, 100%, with what’s going on.”

Wolf isn’t alone — many people in college football, from players to coaches to fans, aren’t exactly comfortable with what’s going on. But the reality is, NIL is here to stay as college football becomes more commercialized than ever before.

Wisconsin football may not make the most NIL-related headlines, but Badger football players are still making the most of their opportunities while taking a measured approach to endorsement deals.

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