Washington Football can take advantage of the NIL policy

Washington Football can benefit heavily from the NIL policy.

The conversation of whether student-athletes should be paid and be able to profit off of their image has been a controversial conversation since the start of the millennium.

There have been multiple instances over the past two decades of student-athletes being punished for profiting off of their image. The most notable incident was in 2005 when USC running back Reggie Bush had his Heisman Trophy win vacated. This was after his family was found to be receiving thousands of dollars worth of gifts.

In a monumental shift in NCAA rulings, prospective student-athletes and current student-athletes now have the opportunity to benefit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) starting July 1st.

Numerous players from around the country have already taken advantage of the opportunity and have signed onto a stream of endorsement deals. Two of the countries top quarterbacks, Miami’s D’Eriq King and Auburn’s Bo Nix, were two of the first student-athletes to snag deals of their own.

What does this mean for Washington football athletes?

Despite their presence as one of the top teams in the Pac-12, the media exposure of UW athletes is seemingly underrated. The players don’t have control of when they can speak to the media and if you aren’t among the top players in the country, you receive virtually zero national attention.

With the new NIL rules in place, UW athletes now have the chance to be up close and personal with fans while elevating their leadership skills through business deals.

Washington cornerback and top 2022 NFL Draft prospect, Trent McDuffie, is the first Husky to capitalize off his name, image, and likeness. McDuffie was quick to sign with Yoke Gaming and Cameo. Yoke Gaming allows fans to play video games with McDuffie at a certain cost while fans can also pay for a virtual video message by McDuffie himself through Cameo.

Competition is strong when it comes to the college football landscape. The new NIL policy will allow Washington to be able to compete with schools like Alabama and Ohio State in terms of expanding their recruiting efforts. I wouldn’t expect for too long to go by before more Washington football players jump on board the NIL train.