It’s been an eventful year of high school athletes securing endorsement deals, and Jaden Rashada has now joined the roster.
ESPN reports that the four-star quarterback prospect has signed a four-figure name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Athletes in Recruitment (AIR), a recruiting app. According to the outlet, the Pittsburg High School player is “believed to be the first high school football player to profit from endorsements,” following the recent updates to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules.
The Endorsement Deal
Under his first NIL deal, Rashada will be paid to promote the app on social media.
“It feels pretty good,” Rashada said. “Maybe it can open up more opportunities for others and people can be more aware of it. It’s a blessing to be able to make some money and promote a good brand.”
The Journey
Prior to landing the endorsement, Rashada worked with his adviser, Ethan Weinstein — who is a college junior that represents college athletes. With Weinstein’s help, the young star’s prime focus was finding a deal that wouldn’t interfere with his dedication to football and school.
“I was already handling it like a business in recruiting when I’m talking to coaches,” he said. “They’re offering me $200,000 in education, so it didn’t feel much different. It was just a few more things to learn.”
About Athletes In Recruitment
In 2020, AIR was founded by James Sackville, a former Southern Methodist University (SMU) punter. The mission behind it is to help make connecting easy when it comes to the college recruiting process. The app is a three-sided platform for student-athletes, liaisons, and college coaches.
“I’ve seen the difficulty in recruiting, especially when you’re not in the spotlight and you’re not on social media all the time,” Sackville told Forbes. “(AIR) is perfect for getting you into the game. It gives you your first contacts with coaches, and then once you get into communication with these coaches and speak with them, that can lead to better things.”
