Cade Klubnik Turns $3.4M NIL Payday Into Community Giveback With Unique Deal originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is making headlines off the field as well as on it, thanks to a groundbreaking new NIL deal that includes a highly detailed, lifelike action figure.

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Valued at $3.4 million by On3’s NIL rankings, Klubnik has solidified his place not just as a top college quarterback but also as a marketable star attracting unique endorsements.

Klubnik recently partnered with Collegiate Legends, a company known for creating collectible action figures of prominent college football players. This deal marks the company’s first collaboration with an ACC athlete and comes as part of their final NIL campaign of the year.

Previous Collegiate Legends clients include standout athletes like South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and Alabama’s Jaylen Mbakwe.

“Cade embodies the leadership and character that make him a role model on and off the field,” said Holly Tanory, President of Collegiate Legends. “We are proud to feature him as our first ACC athlete, and we look forward to an exciting season ahead.”

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Klubnik has also committed to giving back, pledging a portion of the proceeds from the action figure sales to charity. He will make a special appearance to distribute these toys to children in the local community, while also donating some figures to Clemson Athletics to enhance fan and player engagement programs.

The timing of this NIL deal aligns perfectly with Klubnik’s rising profile. After a breakout 2024 season where he threw for 3,649 yards and 36 touchdowns, the Clemson star quarterback has been generating buzz as a Heisman Trophy candidate and NFL Draft prospect.

Ranked No. 7 on On3’s NIL valuation list and No. 8 on the NIL 100 — a ranking of the top college and high school athletes by NIL value — Klubnik is a major presence in the college football landscape.

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Heading into his senior season, Klubnik remains focused on growth and team success. “Quarterback is a developmental position, and building chemistry with my offensive coordinator has been key,” he recently told On3.

Related: Clemson Facing NIL Test as New Threat Emerges for 5-Star LB Tyler Atkinson

Related: Cade Klubnik Takes Shot at Transfer Culture, Praises Arch Manning but Snubs Rival

Related: EA Sports Misses Big With Dabo Swinney Look in College Football 26

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.

While some people hate the NIL era because of what it has done to recruiting and the pureness of that process, you can’t deny that college athletes deserve to make money off their image and likeness and it just needs more regulation.

But when players use part of their NIL earnings the way Antonio Williams did over the weekend.

Williams donated $10,000 to his alma mater over the weekend after hosting his free youth football camp. This is exactly why NIL is necessary because while it benefits players, it also benefits their communities that they give back to.

According to the camp’s website, the Antonio Williams Camp was free and limited to just 200 participants so it was a popular sign-up. His camp focused on football skills, leadership, and motivation and took place on Saturday, June 28.

How can you still have a negative thought about NIL after seeing something cool like this?

Williams may be four years removed from high school, but he didn’t forget where he came from and donated a big check to his alma mater’s booster club. This type of money goes a long way at the high school level and he did this after hosting a free youth camp. This is what a leader looks like.

The talented wide receiver deserves all the good karma and juju heading into the 2025 season and he’s one 1,000-yard season away from being a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The projected first-team All-ACC wideout is also considered one of the top-five receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class. When he gets drafted next year, there’s no doubt that him giving back to his community will continue.

USC right-handed pitcher Brodie Purcell, an All-Big Ten second-team selection this past season, has formally entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. Purcell will have two years of eligibility remaining wherever he lands.

The 6-foot-3 Purcell posted a 2.11 ERA with 51 strikeouts and 19 walks over 42.2 total innings across 27 appearances in 2025, limiting opponents to a .177 batting average against him. It was a significant improvement off his 2024 totals when Purcell had a 4.03 ERA with 31 strikeouts to 17 walks in 29 innings pitched as a freshman.

Big Ten announces baseball awards for 2025 season

The Big Ten announced its 2025 baseball awards for the season as the Big Ten Tournament got underway Tuesday. Awards were handed out for individuals, as well as teams of players that performed the best this regular season.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Roch Cholowsky, So., SS, UCLA
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Joseph Dzierwa, Jr., SP, Michigan State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Roch Cholowsky, So., SS, UCLA
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jake Hanley, Fr., 1B, Indiana
COACH OF THE YEAR: Mark Wasikowski, Oregon

ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
SP — Cade Obermueller, Jr., Iowa
SP — Aaron Savary, Jr., Iowa
SP — Joseph Dzierwa, Jr., Michigan State +
SP — Grayson Grinsell, Jr., Oregon
RP — Will Rogers, Sr., Michigan
RP — Seth Mattox, Sr., Oregon
RP — Isaac Yeager, Jr., Washington
C — Alex Calarco, Sr., Maryland
1B — Jacob Walsh, Sr., Oregon
2B — Mitch Voit, Jr., Michigan
SS — Roch Cholowsky, So., UCLA
3B — Ethan Hedges, Jr., USC
OF — Korbyn Dickerson, So., Indiana
OF — Devin Taylor, Jr., Indiana
OF — Mason Neville, Jr., Oregon
UTL — Reese Moore, So., Iowa
At-Large — Ryan Cooney, So., Oregon (2B)
At-Large — Paxton Kling, Jr., Penn State (OF)
+ unanimous selection

ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
SP — Cole Gilley, Sr., Indiana
SP — Reece Beuter, Sr., Iowa
SP — Michael Barnett, Jr., UCLA
SP — Max Banks, Sr., Washington
RP — Luke Broderick, Jr., Nebraska
RP — Michael Vallone, Gr., Purdue
RP — Brodie Purcell, So., USC
C — Daniel Rogers, Gr., Iowa
C — Weber Neels, Jr., Minnesota
1B — Logan Sutter, Sr., Purdue
1B — Mulivai Levu, So., UCLA
2B — Ryan McKay, So., Michigan State
SS — Chris Hacopian, So., Maryland
3B — Roman Martin, So., UCLA
OF — Vytas Valincius, Sr., Illinois
OF — Trevor Cohen, Rutgers
OF — AJ Salgado, Sr., UCLA
UTL — Jack Porter, So., Penn State
At-Large — Jake Hanley, Fr., Indiana (1B)
At-Large — Benny Casillas, Gr., Michigan (SS)

ALL-BIG TEN THIRD TEAM
SP — Kyle McCoy, So., Maryland
SP — Jason Reitz, Jr., Oregon
SP — Caden Aoki, Sr., USC
RP — Zach Bates, So., Illinois
2B — Abbrie Covarrubias, So., USC
SS — Maddox Molony, So., Oregon
3B — Owen McElfatrick, Jr., Northwestern
OF — Ben Wilmes, Sr., Iowa
OF — Anson Aroz, Jr., Oregon
OF — AJ Guerrero, Sr., Washington
UTL — Dominic Hellman, Jr., Oregon
At-Large — Jacob Schroeder, Gr., Illinois (C)
(no C, 1B due to second team ties)

— On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this report.

Clemson Facing NIL Test as New Threat Emerges for 5-Star LB Tyler Atkinson originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Clemson is in for a fight if it wants to land one of the nation’s top defensive players.

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Five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson has wrapped up his official visits, and the Tigers—who hosted him first in June—remain in the mix. But the dynamic around his recruitment may be shifting, and Clemson’s traditional recruiting model could soon face its toughest NIL-era challenge yet.

Atkinson, the No. 1 linebacker and a top-10 overall prospect in the 2026 class, kicked off his June with a visit to Clemson. That early positioning gave Dabo Swinney’s staff an important window to make a lasting impression, one built on player development, culture, and a no-nonsense approach to the transfer portal and NIL.

But the college football world is evolving—and fast.

Following stops at Oregon and Georgia, Atkinson’s final visit to Texas has stirred national buzz. According to On3’s Steve Wiltfong, the Longhorns may now be the biggest threat to Georgia’s standing as the perceived leader.

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“I think you could look at Texas as the biggest threat to Georgia,” Wiltfong said in a recent update, highlighting that this recruitment may be far from over.

Texas’ late push has some wondering whether Clemson can keep pace in an NIL-driven race. Atkinson recently signed a high-profile NIL deal as part of Adidas new Adizero class, placing him among a select group of high school athletes already earning national branding deals. For a player already building his name off the field, the allure of an NIL-friendly environment could be pivotal.

That’s where Clemson’s challenge becomes clear. Swinney has built his program on stability and long-term growth, not flashy offers or short-term financial gain. While the Tigers have NIL infrastructure in place, their more controlled, culture-first approach often contrasts with the aggressive NIL strategies seen at places like Georgia, Oregon, and Texas.

Still, Clemson has a track record of developing elite defenders and sending them to the NFL. If Atkinson values a proven pipeline and the kind of environment that has helped many Clemson stars thrive, the Tigers can still be a real contender.

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Whether that’s enough in today’s recruiting climate remains to be seen. Clemson was the first school to get him on campus this summer; that first impression could still matter, or Atkinson may have been wowed by everyone else since.

As no decision time has been made, Clemson remains in the race. But now, it’s clear they’ll need to overcome not just SEC rivals—but the shifting winds of NIL as well.

Related: Cade Klubnik Takes Shot at Transfer Culture, Praises Arch Manning but Snubs Rival

Related: Jaguars Could Add Former Clemson Rival in Late Offseason Move

Related: Former MLB Umpire Who Ejected Clemson Star Strikes Again in CWS Controversy

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.