In the new age of college football, star players are no longer simply competing for championships —they’re building a brand and piling up paychecks in the process. For Bowling Green State University tight end Harold Fannin Jr., the 2023 season was a coming-out party on the gridiron.

It was his emergence as a credible Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) success story out of a Group of Five institution. That’s where opportunities are traditionally harder to obtain. His statistics set the stat sheet ablaze, yet now the figures by his name in NIL valuation are gaining eyeballs throughout the country.

How Much Are Harold Fannin NIL Deals Worth?

As of spring 2025, Harold Fannin Jr.’s NIL value is estimated at around $78,000, per On3’s NIL Valuation Tracker. For a Mid-American Conference (MAC) tight end, that is considerable. It puts him among the highest-valued Group of Five players in the nation — an accomplishment fueled primarily by a breakout sophomore season in 2023.

Fannin closed the 2023 campaign with 41 catches for 550 yards and six touchdowns and was a First-Team All-MAC choice, paving the way as the conference’s best tight end. His athleticism, versatility, and capacity to be lined up in various positions made him a challenge to cover for defenders. And with Bowling Green’s offense on one of its most successful campaigns in years, Fannin became the target.

That success carried over off the field. Fannin has secured several NIL agreements, most of them with regional and local brands that tap into his popularity in Ohio and the surrounding region.

One such company is Apparel360, a Midwest athletic apparel company that partnered with Fannin to push their “MAC Mode” line of performance wear. He also partnered with the BGSU Bookstore on a limited-run “Fannin Fever” apparel drop. This sold out within days of its January 2024 launch.

But perhaps his most meaningful NIL deal is with the Toledo Youth Gridiron Foundation, where Fannin directs football camps and gives presentations on leadership and academics to youth athletes. The agreement not only bolsters his individual brand but also demonstrates how NIL agreements can extend beyond financial gain and make a difference in the community.

Bowling Green head coach Scot Loeffler spoke highly of his star tight end during a December 2023 press conference.

“Harold has been a difference-maker for us — not only on the field, but with how he conducts himself. He’s a locker room leader, a favorite among the fans, and now someone who is demonstrating what kind of impact NIL can have even at a place like Bowling Green.”

Social media has also assisted Fannin in boosting his worth. He has more than 12,000 followers on Instagram and keeps seeing consistent engagement in the form of game-day clips, training footage, and lifestyle content. His own hashtag, #FanTheFlame, has become synonymous with his name, often used by fans and partners.

Harold Fannin’s Net Worth

Harold Fannin Jr.’s ascension is also reflective of Bowling Green’s general NIL approach. In 2022, the university began its BGSU Elevate program to teach athletes about personal branding. It introduces them to local business partnerships and develops an infrastructure to assist them in the NIL arena.

By Opendorse’s 2024 figures, Bowling Green athletes experienced a 55 percent year-over-year boost in NIL income. Especially with football and men’s basketball taking the lead. The average NIL contract for Bowling Green student-athletes last year was approximately $2,100. It’s a figure that keeps rising as more corporations recognize the value in local talent.

Fannin’s emergence has made Bowling Green more visible in recruiting circles as well. Prospects are taking notice of how the school supports its athletes, even without the glitz and glamour of the Power Five.

Fannin has the same bright future. With eligibility still in his future and a potential bid at the 2025 NFL Draft, he is at a fork in the road. Another solid season can send his draft status skyrocketing and his NIL value into the six figures. This, provided he gets a national brand deal or some national media buzz.

Surprisingly, most think he could come back for one additional year, employing the 2024 season to enhance both his on-field reel and off-field marketability. With his momentum, the choice might reward him handsomely.

Former NFL tight end and MAC icon Ben Watson commented on Fannin’s emergence through X (formerly Twitter):

“Harold Fannin Jr. is the truth. Bowling Green has a special one. Keep watching.”

Harold Fannin Jr.’s NIL tale is confirmation that opportunity is not reserved for blue-blood programs or Heisman contenders. Through talent, timing, and charisma, players like Fannin are creating wealth and clout from smaller platforms. He’s not only building himself up — he’s bringing an entire program up into national NIL prominence.

KEEP READING: Top 300 Prospects — Get Your Free Printable 2025 NFL Draft Big Board

As the NIL world continues to change, keep an eye out for Fannin’s name to remain in the mix. Whether it’s more touchdowns, more sponsorships, or a leap to the NFL, he’s already proven that success at Bowling Green is about points on the board — and cash in the bank.

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LUBBOCK, Texas – The first Big 12 Regular Season title in program history was won tonight by the No. 11/12 Red Raiders on Rocky Johnson Field after taking down Arizona State 9-0 and 3-0 in a doubleheader. NiJaree Canady and Chloe Riassetto pitched phenomenally, the offense delivered when they needed to and the defense was a solid as ever.

Canady and Riassetto combined to throw 12.0 shutout innings, allowing just six hits while striking out 13 batters and issuing just four walks in what was a truly dominant performance by both pitchers in the circle.

Middle infielders Hailey Toney and Alexa Langeliers made tough plays to record crucial outs in both games and Victoria Valdez caught two runners stealing which made the middle line of Tech’s defense even tougher.

Senior Demi Elder, who has been with the program all four years, delivered one of the most important hits of the season in game one against the Sun Devils. Although Tech was in no position to lose the game, up 6-0 entering the fifth inning, Elder sent a ball over the right field fence to end the game in run-rule fashion and clinch a share of the Red Raiders first ever Big 12 title.

Sophomore Raegan Jennings delivered a clutch hit in the sixth inning of game two which gave Tech a 1-0 lead and effectively win the game. Lauren Allred, Alana Johnson and Elder all got on base with two outs before Jennings delivered an RBI single on a 2-2 pitch.

How it happened:

Game one –

After a Friday’s postponement, the Red Raiders (39-10, 18-2) had to prepare for another doubleheader at home, something they have become used to this season. NiJaree Canady got the start and collected for 20^th win of the season, becoming just the sixth pitcher in program history to do so, after throwing 4.0 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five batters. Chloe Riassetto came in relief for the final inning and delivered a perfect 11-pitch inning to close out the game.

On offense, Tech broke the game open in the third inning thanks to a double from Mihyia Davis to lead things off. Hailey Toney would single and then steal second to set up runners at second and third with no outs. A wild pitch brought in the first run of the game and a Bailey Lindemuth single into right field would make the Red Raider lead 2-0.

Still with no outs, Tech again had runners on second and third thanks to an Alexa Langliers single and another wild pitch which put Lauren Allred at the plate who would hit a double into the left field gap to drive in two mores and make it 4-0.

Arizona State (33-18, 13-10) made a pitching change following that at-bat and Alana Johnson welcomed the new arm with a home run to center field, making it 6-0 heading into the fourth inning.

After a zero in the fourth inning, Tech looked to close out the game early after a single by Allred and a double by Johnson put runners on second and third, again, this time with one out. Elder, one of just two seniors on the team, kicked off senior weekend with a bang as she crushed a ball over the right field wall to walk-off the Sun Devils and clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title.

Game two –

Arizona State threw their ace, Kenzie Brown in the second game and she was lights out through the first five innings and finishing the game with 11 strikeouts on 124 pitches. Riassetto went toe-to-toe with Brown, throwing 5.1 scoreless innings and allowing just four hits and one walk. The lefty only had three strikeouts but did an excellent job of pitching to contact and forcing weak groundouts and flyouts for a majority of the game.

Tech’s first signs of life on offense came in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with a walk, single and another walk and no outs. Brown showed why she is second in the country in strikeouts however and struck out the next three batters to leave Tech stranded.

The Sun Devils had their first offensive break through in the next half inning as they had runners on first and second with one out. Canady came in relief and after giving up a single – which put runners on first and second – she showed everyone why she was the 2024 National Player of the Year as she struck out the next two batters, both on four pitches, to get out of the jam.

Tech used its momentum from the last half inning to fuel a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth. Allred got hit with a pitch to spark some life from Tech’s dugout before Johnson passed the bat with a single into left field. Elder drew a tough full count walk to bring Raegan Jennings up with two outs and the bases loaded.

Jennings was at the plate in a position that everyone pretends to be in at one point or another, bases loaded in a tie game with two outs and two strikes which a chance to give your team the lead and accomplish something never done in program history. With all that was at stake, Jennings lined ball into left field to break the tie and bring in the eventual game-winning run.

Victoria Valdez followed with a two-RBI single to add some insurance going into the final half inning.

Canady would need no insurance, striking out two of the final three batters to win the game and prompt the presentation of the Big 12 trophy to be brought out to the team and celebrated.

UP NEXT: Tech will close its series with Arizona State tomorrow at noon.

 

Colorado superstar quarterback Shedeur Sanders was certainly one of the biggest stars going into the 2025 NFL draft. But he wasn’t drafted like one.

Expected by many to be selected in the first round on Thursday, Sanders fell all the way to the fifth round and landed with a team that many believed would pick him in the first round, the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns took him No. 144 overall. For comparison, his famous father, former NFL cornerback and Pro Football Hall of Fame selection Deion Sanders, was drafted No. 5 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 1989.

The younger Sanders’ fall to many was inexplicable. Last season he was named the Big 12 Conference offensive player of the year as he helped turn the Buffaloes back into a winning football program. He set a program record for touchdown passes on the season with 37, and his 74% completion rate was both a program and FBS record for a single season.

In just two seasons with the Buffs, he threw for 7,364 yards with 64 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He started his college career at Jackson State and put up great numbers there, too.

In the Name, Image and Likeness era, he dominated the landscape. He had one of the top NIL valuations in the country per On3Sports.com of $6.5 million. He had deals with brands like Nike, Gatorade, Beats by Dre, Google, and the 5430 Alliance. Many of those deals are likely to follow him into the NFL.

That’s good news, because his NFL salary won’t meet his NIL valuation.

The NFL uses a slotting system for rookie salaries, based on where a player is selected. For instance, his teammate, Travis Hunter, was selected No. 2 overall. The slot for that selection is expected to be $46.5 million over four seasons, including a $30 million signing bonus. The Jacksonville Jaguars, who selected Hunter, can sign him to a fifth-year option after his third season.

From there, the salary slots drop. USA TODAY published a piece on the projected salary slots for players selected in the second and third rounds of the draft, which occurred on Friday.

The No. 102 pick, the last in the third round, was projected for a four-year deal worth $5.96 million, with a projected $1.083 million signing bonus.

Sanders’ pick, No. 144 overall, is expected to get a four-year deal worth $4.6 million.

That means that Sanders’ initial NFL contract will be well below his NIL valuation, something that few expected going into the draft. That’s because the salary slots continue to drop on the third day.

Congratulations to your favorite college football team if it survived the 10-day transfer portal period without losing multiple key players to opposing teams with larger checkbooks. 

The transfer portal, which started over a week ago, might not have been as entertaining as the winter period, but we certainly saw a trend of players looking for more playing time or a lot more money. Usually, the winter period is when we see the major transactions, which is an easy way to characterize the transfer portal now. 

For the past few months, general managers across college football have been scouring tape and talking to agents while trying to decide which athletes could actually help their team within a budget. One of the most interesting parts of this period has been how the House settlement forced some teams to start writing big checks for what they see as key contributors. 

If you don’t think one of your favorite athletes was testing their coaches by “contemplating” an opportunity to enter the transfer portal, you clearly do not understand how the transfer portal works at this stage in college sports. 

Nico Iamaleava Started The Portal Period With Fireworks

This recent period started with a bang, thanks to Nico Iamaleava leaving Tennessee for what his family hopes are greener pastures at UCLA. And he’s not landing in Westwood alone, as his younger brother, Madden, will follow him from Arkansas. 

One of the most important aspects of the 2025 spring window was the number of players who entered the portal and found new homes. According to ON3, there have been more than 4,700 entries into the portal during this cycle, which is an astonishing number given the number of days it was actually open. 

Did everyone find a home? Absolutely not. While it’s fascinating to see the number of players who decided to test the waters, only half of them settled elsewhere. 

If you’re wondering why coaches detest this spring period, most of it centers around not knowing who’s going to be on your team at the end of the ordeal. 

Transfer Portal Closing Doesn’t Mean Players Have To Find A Home

Even though you might think the period closing means your team won’t add a player or two, this is only the beginning for athletes looking for a new home. 

As the portal closes, now comes the work for a number of coaches in college football. Seeing that you only have to enter your name into the portal database during the 10-day period, players can take their time finding a new school. 

“I can’t tell you how many times over the past two weeks I’ve had someone reach out to me, just to make it look like I’m interested in that certain player,” one Power-4 generl manager told OutKick. “They reach out to us, then turn around and tell the current school that they have another offer, when in reality we haven’t discussed numbers. It’s dirty out here, especially over the past two years. But now that we’ve overpaid for certain athletes, which include backups so that another school won’t poach them, the word spreads that we have money to offer. 

“This is all one big game of chess, and a lot of these ‘agents’ are playing checkers. We’re not going to fall for a trap. Do these representatives think that we don’t talk to each other? I know how much money the starting offensive lineman is making at our rival school, and it’s because I’ve spoken with someone close to the program. Sometimes, these guys are playing themselves.”

Right now, athletes are lining up official visits to schools that have piqued their interest. Players have until the summer semester starts to enroll at their new school, which means they don’t have to rush a decision. But if they are going to sign with an NIL collective for a pay raise, schools are rushing to get this done before the House settlement is approved. 

Why? Schools are working around the upcoming revenue-sharing cap by front-loading deals for players, which would keep a good chunk of their overall salary off the books and would not count toward their settlement cap. And since Judge Claudia Wilken is expected to rule in the next few weeks, there is a rush to sign players under the NIL “banner,” which is actually a pretty smart move. 

Not Every Player That Enters The Portal Will Find A Home

The unfortunate situation for a number of players entering the portal is that they will not find what they were seeking. If you don’t have a spot to land before entering, then there is a very good chance that this could become a tricky spot. Also, getting outraged at “tampering” with players is a waste of your mental space. 

If schools aren’t tampering in some form or fashion, then they aren’t doing their jobs. This is also why having a good agent to represent you is key to making the transition as smooth as possible. General managers know what they are looking for, and it’s their job to make sure the agents currently in the college football business know what positions are of need. 

While there will be plenty of athletes who have a home this time next month, the other side of the equation is not as fruitful. Many players enter the portal off very bad advice from those who advise them. Just because your buddy tells you that another school will double your pay doesn’t mean they should trust everything that’s being proclaimed. 

Now players are learning the hard way that the top-tier school wasn’t interested, but you’ve already burned a bridge by entering the portal, while trying to bargain for more money. And let’s not forget that some athletes are told that they are much better than they are, which leads to chaos once they enter their name into the portal. 

The point is that we are still dealing with a system in college athletics that is leading to some very bad decisions, along with expensive contracts. While many players are worth the amount, given the current market, some of them will be playing at a lower-tier school compared to the one they just left. 

For many players, it’s a gamble that they thought was worth taking. But many are finding out that they should’ve just taken the payday that was offered and prepared for next season. 

Either adapt, or get left behind.

That is the clear message being given to college basketball and football coaches across the country. The same can be applied to some of the so-called “lesser” sports as well.

It’s a world we couldn’t have envisioned just a few short years ago, but it’s apparent that the purpose of the “Name, Image, Likeness” policy adopted by the NCAA has gotten out of hand. Initially, the thought was, great, the athletes deserve a piece of the pie, with many colleges and universities raking in exorbitant amounts of money, while the athletes were shunned. Apparently, a free college education wasn’t enough, so as is the case in nearly every aspect of our lives these days, the answer has become money, and lots of it. When NIL originated, it was assumed by many that it would be wonderful if the athletes received some compensation for jersey sales, and they would be allowed to do commercials, autograph sessions, and the like. However, it quickly became much, much more than that.

The larger universities can afford enormous payrolls when it comes to roster-building, so that’s precisely what is occurring. It is just another example of the rich getting richer, and the primary reason that more than 2,000 collegiate basketball players entered the transfer portal. Allegiance and loyalty are terms of the past for most so-called student-athletes, who have essentially become professional athletes by going to the highest bidder.

Perhaps the governing body of college sports should change its name to the National Professional Collegiate Athletic

Association, or the NPCAA. The jury is still out on whether or not NIL and the transfer portal are ruining college sports, but there is a growing segment of observers and fans who feel that is the case.

However you feel about the changes, they’re here to stay, so if you cannot or will not adapt, which has seemingly been the case for several respected college basketball coaches in the past several years, you move on and/or retire. NIL and the portal are not going away anytime soon (or ever) and in a way, that’s truly a shame. You might say it’s just a reflection of society today, where money and greed have taken over many aspects of America, but that still doesn’t make it right, or palatable to a majority of college sports fans.

The NCAA is either powerless or gutless when it comes to making the changes necessary to reel it in, so we’re left with college sports being a mere extension of professional sports. There should at least be some guidelines to adhere to when it comes to paying athletes to play collegiately, but at the present time, it’s the Wild, Wild West, where the best of the best high school players, along with those in the portal, are merely seeking the biggest paycheck.

*****

IS THE UK BASKETBALL ROSTER SET? – It appears the University of Kentucky is adapting quite well to the new reality of spending money on building the best roster possible. Some of the experts and pundits are placing the Cats near the top of the always way too early polls for the 2025-26 basketball season, with their large payroll being one of the main reasons. There are admittedly several other reasons that players are attracted

to UK – a winning tradition, luxurious facilities, and more – but it sure doesn’t hurt to have deep pockets from various boosters and corporations in this day and age.

On paper, Kentucky looks to be deep and talented heading into preseason workouts, but assuming their ninth national championship is a foregone conclusion is foolhardy at best. The SEC will again be formidable, and there are numerous other schools out there paying big bucks for stud players. That’s not to say UK hasn’t put together an impressive group, but the challenge for head coach Mark Pope and his staff will be to get them to play as a team.

The Cats are also waiting to see if their leading scorer from last year’s team, Otega Oweh, will be back since he’s testing the NBA waters. Says here he will return; after all, he isn’t likely to be drafted, and he can make more money at UK than he would in the G-League.

*****

PERRY HEADING TO WESTERN? – One of the downsides of the transfer portal is that the handwriting may be on the wall for players who aren’t expected to see a ton of minutes.

That appears to be the primary reason former Mr. Basketball Travis Perry to announce at the last minute that he’s entering the portal and moving on from Lexington. Perry was forced into more action than he would’ve normally gotten last year due to injuries to Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson, and Kerr Kriisa, and showed he has a long way to go defensively. He’s maybe 6-foot-2 at best, and at that height, you better be quicker than quick if you want to succeed in big-time college hoops.

There has been no shortage of rumored locales where Perry will turn up in the fall, but I wouldn’t bet against him going to Western Kentucky. You have to admit that Conference USA is nowhere near the Southeastern Conference in terms of talent, and Perry could be announcing he intends to become a Hilltopper in the near future.

*****

BENGALS REACHING AGAIN – With this being banged out on the keyboard on a rainy Friday morning, we don’t know yet who the Cincinnati Bengals will select on Day 2 of the NFL Draft – those picks will be on Friday night – but we do know who they chose in Round One on Thursday.

That would be Texas A&M DE Shemar Stewart, and most NFL observers are giving a huge thumbs down on the choice. At least, the Bengals are trying to improve their woeful defense, but their recent draft history suggests Stewart will be another reach. For a suspected edge rusher, his stats as an Aggie are abysmal, and Cincy is putting a lot of pressure on new defensive coordinator Al Golden to motivate Stewart and get the underachiever to reach his supposed potential.

It will be interesting to see who the Bengals select with their five remaining picks, but that isn’t nearly enough to fix their wretched defense. The hope may remain that the team can reach the playoffs by winning most of their games 42-41.

Good luck with that.

*****

DIAZ ON WAY OUT – It is apparent that former Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Diaz will not be the team’s closer anytime soon.

Look for a trade or a demotion to occur in the near future for the 28-year-old.

Diaz, whose rapid rise earned him a spot on the All-Star team in 2023, hasn’t been the same pitcher since, and his latest adventure on the mound as especially concerning. That was Monday night, when he had trouble finding the strike zone against the Miami Marlins. Diaz also was victimized by the running game, allowing five stolen bases due to his slow delivery to the plate. He also gave up three hits, including a 3-run home run, walked a batter, and hit another in his 1 1/3 inning stint.

A change of scenery may be beneficial, and you can bet manager Terry Francona will not be sending him out in a close game anytime soon.

***** DERBY ONE WEEK AWAY – We will have more to say about the 151st Kentucky Derby next week, but I noticed several interesting names appearing in next Saturday’s Run for the Roses.

Among some of the early favorites, there is the winner of the Arkansas Derby, Sandman. I am also intrigued by Journalism, the winner of the Santa Anita Derby. (You gotta love that name if you do what I attempt to do.)

Other top picks include the Blue Grass Stakes winner, Burnham Square, ridden by last year’s winning jockey, Brian Hernandez Jr., Bob Baffert’s entry Rodriguez, the winner of the Wood Memorial Stakes, and Tiztastic, who won the Louisiana Derby.

A personal favorite will be a likely longshot, Owen Almighty. He did not have a good run in the Blue Grass, finishing sixth, but I

may just wager a dollar or two on him anyway. I feel like it’s a requirement, with that name. If you don’t already know, Owen just happens to be the name of my 10-year-old grandson.

*****

“Once you realize that everyone is in the same boat, that everyone is just as insecure and childlike as everyone else, that all these jokers in D.C. ruining our world are just greedy kids grabbing for marbles – I think that realization means you’re an adult.” – Musician-singer-songwriter Conor Oberst

*****

“There are things about some professional athletes that I cannot stand – the pretense, the egos, the pomposity, the greed.” – Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Simmons

***** “There are some things that can beat smartness and foresight. Awkwardness and stupidity can. The best swordsman in the world doesn’t need to fear the second best swordsman in the world: no, the person for him to be afraid of is some ignorant antagonist who has never had a sword in his hand before; he doesn’t do the thing he ought to do, and so the expert isn’t prepared for him.” – Mark Twain