Nike Strengthens the Most Dominant Roster in Football With Top Prep and College NIL Athlete Signings

What’s happening?
Nike is deepening the most dominant football roster across all levels of the game with the addition of top high school players along with elite college athletes from the brand’s top programs, reflecting an unparalleled commitment to supporting the next generation of rising talent.

What high school football players are joining Nike’s roster?
Nike has signed top prospects Jermaine Cobbins, Madoxx Davis, Jaxon Dollar, Quentin Hale, Elijah Haven, Peyton Houston, Myson Johnson-Cook, Juju Johnson, Neimann Lawrence, Gabriel Osborne Jr. and Jamarin Simmons to its NIL roster.

What college athletes are joining Nike’s roster?
Trinidad Chambliss (quarterback, Ole Miss), Cam Coleman (wide receiver, Texas), Jared Curtis (quarterback, Vanderbilt), Trey’Dez Green (tight end, LSU), Chris Henry Jr. (wide receiver, Ohio State), Kewan Lacy (running back, Ole Miss), Dante Moore (quarterback, Oregon) and Colin Simmons (edge, Texas) are now on Nike’s NIL roster.

How does Nike serve top football athletes?
Nike’s football roster is the strongest in the game, including Super Bowl champions and NFL All-Pros, award-winning college players, and some of the country’s top high school prospects. All receive personalized support on and off the field, giving them tools for long-term success across sport, business and culture.

Nike is adding to the most dominant football roster in the game by signing 11 of the leading high school prospects, as well as highly acclaimed college players.

The signings mark the latest in Nike’s commitment to building the youngest and fastest football roster at the center of culture and sport, spanning high school players, college athletes and elite pros.

The high school athletes, selected from among the country’s best last month during The Opening showcase at Nike’s Philip H. Knight Campus, represent the vanguard of the game — an elite cohort setting the bar for the classes of 2027 and 2028.

Meanwhile, the college athletes have proven themselves on the biggest stages in the game, with their greatest performances to come, enabled by Nike’s best-in-class NIL partnership.

“Nike’s football roster has always been defined by the athletes who are shaping where the game goes next,” says Ann Miller, EVP, Global Sports Marketing. “These signings reflect our commitment to serving the best football talent at every level with the support, innovation and partnership they need to reach their full potential on the field and away from the game.”

Joining Nike’s growing roster of high school NIL athletes are:

• Jermaine Cobbins, cornerback, Springfield, Tenn., High School
• Madoxx Davis, wide receiver, Cartersville, Ga., High School
• Jaxon Dollar, tight end, Denver, N.C. (East Lincoln High School)
• Quentin Hale, wide receiver, Corona, Calif. (Centennial High School)
• Elijah Haven, quarterback, Baton Rouge, La. (The Dunham School)
• Peyton Houston, quarterback, Shreveport, La. (Evangel Christian Academy)
• Myson Johnson-Cook, running back, East St. Louis, Ill., High School
• Juju Johnson, cornerback, Long Beach, Calif. (Polytechnic High School)
• Neimann Lawrence, quarterback, Plantation/Miami, Fla. (American Heritage High School)
• Gabriel Osborne Jr., cornerback, Mustang, Okla., High School
• Jamarin Simmons, wide receiver, Tallahassee, Fla. (Amos P. Godby High School)

Elite college athletes who have joined Nike’s NIL roster include:

• Trinidad Chambliss, quarterback, Ole Miss
• Cam Coleman, wide receiver, Texas
• Jared Curtis, quarterback, Vanderbilt
• Trey’Dez Green, tight end, LSU
• Chris Henry Jr., wide receiver, Ohio State
• Kewan Lacy, running back, Ole Miss
• Dante Moore, quarterback, Oregon
• Colin Simmons, edge, Texas

As Nike NIL partners, the high school and college signees will work alongside the brand to shape both the future of football and their careers.

Through a deep and longstanding commitment to listening to the voice of the athlete, Nike provides its NIL and pro partners with individual, personalized support, both in their performance and training and in their most important moments away from the field. From product and styling to support with media and content, Nike leverages the full weight of the brand to provide unparalleled partnership to athletes across its football roster — giving them tools for long-term success across sport, business and culture.

Nike’s NIL partnerships also extend to athlete-centered design and innovation, as well as support for athletes in their pursuit to stand for something bigger. This industry-leading approach reflects Nike’s five-decade history as the brand of athletes and underscores its continued commitment to inspiring and uplifting the next generation.

Nike signed the high school athletes following their leading performances at The Opening Finals, the best platform for prep standouts to compete against top talent from across the country. They join an elite lineage of athletes who competed in the prestigious showcase before signing Nike partnerships, including the likes of The Opening Hall of Fame Class of 2027: Nike athletes Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Kyler Murray and Ja’Marr Chase.

In signing with Nike, the incoming NIL athletes also became part of the strongest football roster in the game, which includes six active Super Bowl champions, 19 All-Pros and 28 Pro Bowl players, as well as legends such as Jerry Rice and Barry Sanders, who attended The Opening to give the athletes advice from their Hall of Fame careers.

Nike football athletes Ja’Marr Chase, Kyler Murray, Kewan Lacy, Bryce Young, Saquon Barkley, Malik Nabers, Trent McDuffie, Shedeur Sanders, Najee Harris, Jayden Daniels, Jerry Jeudy, Kendrick Bourne, Jett Washington, Derrick Henry, Keelon Russell, Jameson Williams and Tetairoa McMillan also joined the new NIL signees on stage at Nike’s Stanford Theatre to celebrate the moment.

Nike Football: College NIL Athletes

Alabama

Zabien Brown, cornerback
Ryan Coleman-Williams, wide receiver
EJ Crowell, running back
Bray Hubbard, safety
Dijon Lee Jr., defensive back
Cederian Morgan, wide receiver
Zae Pierre, edge
Keelon Russell, quarterback

Auburn

Xavier Atkins, edge
Byrum Brown, quarterback
Chas Nimrod, wide receiver
Keshaun Singleton, wide receiver

Clemson

Gideon Davidson, running back
Ashton Hampton, cornerback
Will Heldt, edge
T.J. Moore, wide receiver
Bryant Wesco Jr., wide receiver

Georgia

KJ Bolden, defensive back
Chris Cole, linebacker
Kaiden Prothro, tight end
Ellis Robinson IV, cornerback
Talyn Taylor, wide receiver
Elyiss Williams, tight end

LSU

Ty Benefield, safety
Harlem Berry, running back
Jayce Brown, wide receiver
Lamar Brown, defensive end
Caden Durham, running back
Trey’Dez Green, tight end
Husan Longstreet, quarterback
DJ Pickett, cornerback
Jordan Seaton, offensive tackle
Princewill Umanmielen, defensive end
Whit Weeks, linebacker

Ohio State

Chris Henry Jr., wide receiver
Bo Jackson, running back
Jermaine Mathews Jr., cornerback

Ole Miss

Trinidad Chambliss, quarterback
Kewan Lacy, running back

Oregon

Jordon Davison, running back
Brandon Finney Jr., cornerback
Dakorien Moore, wide receiver
Dante Moore, quarterback
Jett Washington, safety

South Carolina

Nyck Harbor, wide receiver
LaNorris Sellers, quarterback
Dylan Stewart, linebacker

SMU

Kevin Jennings, quarterback

Stanford

Nico Brown, wide receiver
Micah Ford, running back
Jay Green, safety

Syracuse

Demetres Samuel Jr., defensive back/wide receiver

Texas

Dia Bell, quarterback
Cam Coleman, wide receiver
Colin Simmons, edge
Jonah Williams, defensive back
Ryan Wingo, wide receiver

Vanderbilt

Jared Curtis, quarterback

Nike Football: Pro Athletes

Saquon Barkley, running back, Philadelphia Eagles

A.J. Brown, wide receiver, New England Patriots

Brian Burns, linebacker, New York Giants

Ja’Marr Chase, wide receiver, Cincinnati Bengals

Nico Collins, wide receiver, Houston Texans

James Cook, running back, Buffalo Bills

Jayden Daniels, quarterback, Washington Commanders

Cooper DeJean, defensive back, Philadelphia Eagles

Mike Evans, wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Sauce Gardner, cornerback, Indianapolis Colts

Najee Harris, running back, Free Agent

Justin Herbert, quarterback, Los Angeles Chargers

Derrick Henry, running back, Baltimore Ravens

Cam Heyward, defensive tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers

Marlon Humphrey, cornerback, Baltimore Ravens

Danielle Hunter, defensive end, Houston Texans

Ashton Jeanty, running back, Las Vegas Raiders

Jerry Jeudy, wide receiver, Cleveland Browns

CeeDee Lamb, wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys

Jordan Love, quarterback, Green Bay Packers

Drake Maye, quarterback, New England Patriots

Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams

Kyler Murray, quarterback, Minnesota Vikings

Malik Nabers, wide receiver, New York Giants

Bo Nix, quarterback, Denver Broncos

Chris Olave, wide receiver, New Orleans Saints

Bijan Robinson, running back, Atlanta Falcons

Cam Skattebo, running back, New York Giants

Shedeur Sanders, quarterback, Cleveland Browns

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks

Roquan Smith, linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

D’Andre Swift, running back, Chicago Bears

Kayvon Thibodeaux, linebacker, New York Giants

Jared Verse, defensive end, Cleveland Browns

Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver, Denver Broncos

Kenneth Walker III, running back, Kansas City Chiefs

Tyler Warren, tight end, Indianapolis Colts

Fred Warner, linebacker, San Francisco 49ers

Jameson Williams, wide receiver, Detroit Lions

FULL IMAGE CAPTION

The Opening: NIL and Nike Football Athletes

Front row, left to right: Ja’Marr Chase, Kyler Murray, Madoxx Davis, Neimann Lawrence, Juju Johnson, Peyton Houston, Gabriel Osborne Jr., Kewan Lacy, Bryce Young, Saquon Barkley

Second row, left to right: Malik Nabers, Jaxon Dollar, Quentin Hale, Myson Johnson-Cook, Jamarin Simmons, Elijah Haven, Jermaine Cobbins, Trent McDuffie, Shedeur Sanders

Last row, left to right: Najee Harris, Jayden Daniels, Jerry Jeudy, Kendrick Bourne, Jett Washington, Derrick Henry, Keelon Russell, Jameson Williams, Tetairoa McMillan