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.
