The 2024 college football season kicked off with a few games during Week 0, while Week 1 will feature a full schedule as teams begin their journey to reach the expanded College Football Playoff.
One team to watch closely is the USC Trojans, who lost Caleb Williams to the NFL draft and brought in D’Anton Lynn to replace Alex Grinch. Emerging stars for USC include Zachariah and Zion Branch.
Zachariah made headlines last season when he returned a kickoff and scored a receiving touchdown in the opener against San Jose State. His brother Zion, a redshirt sophomore, is poised for a breakout year after overcoming previous injuries.
On Monday, the Branch brothers made news by signing a NIL deal with Jordan, becoming the first college football players to represent the brand, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
“USC football players Zachariah and Zion Branch will become Jordan Brand’s first NIL football endorsees,” Thamel reported. “The brothers join a roster that features Dak Prescott, Deebo Samuel, and Jalen Hurts.”
This is a significant move for the USC stars, and Jordan’s entry into college football’s NIL landscape will be interesting to follow.
As Thamel noted, Jordan is already affiliated with Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, and Deebo Samuel, and is also the equipment supplier for several college programs, including the UCLA Bruins.
This partnership is a major step for Jordan in the college football NIL space, and more athletes are likely to join the Jordan brand in the near future.
