Analyst projects social media earnings with new rule for Clemson QB |
| - Thursday, May 28, 2020, 1:41 PM |
The NCAA is expected to pass a measure next January that will allow athletes to benefit
from third-party advertisements on social media and more areas.
For prominent QBs, that could mean a decent payday. Axios talked to Opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence for expertise on what it could mean for a few players who could be around for the 2021 season. The stark difference in potential earnings could come in name recognition, as they project a potential senior Texas QB in Sam Ehlinger making nearly a million dollars ($962K) and Clemson's DJ Uiagalelei, less than $100K ($81K) in the same timeframe. Uiagalelei is projected to be a contender for a starting role in 2021 with Trevor Lawrence a likely No. 1 NFL draft pick next year. Uiagalelei already has a substantial social media following and could have a $3,005 value per post, per Opendorse's Lawrence. "The success/name recognition factor explains why Texas' senior QB Sam Ehlinger and Clemson's incoming freshman QB D.J. Uiagalelei have such drastically different potential earnings despite the relative similarities in position, program prestige and social presence," Axios analyzed. Not factored in this equation is Clemson's long-honored team tradition to not post on social media during football season, which will surely become a hot topic again in 2021. In the early proposals of the NCAA plan, agents for specific services like social-media deals could be hired, which could possibly post items on social media for athletes in this situation.
