Recruiting New Era

Tennessee 5-Star QB Recruit Faizon Brandon's Mom Sues North Carolina Over NIL

Recruiting New Era

The landscape of college football recruiting has changed drastically in recent years. The introduction of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals has given student-athletes the opportunity to profit off their own name and likeness. However, the NIL era has also created a new set of challenges for both student-athletes and universities.

Case of Faizon Brandon and the University of North Carolina

One of the most recent examples of the challenges posed by the NIL era is the case of Faizon Brandon. Brandon is a 5-star quarterback recruit from Tennessee who committed to the University of North Carolina in June 2022. However, Brandon's mother, LaTonya Lewis, has since filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging that UNC violated NCAA rules by offering Brandon an NIL deal that was not available to other recruits.

The lawsuit alleges that UNC offered Brandon a $500,000 NIL deal in exchange for his commitment to the program. The lawsuit also alleges that UNC promised Brandon additional benefits, such as a car and housing, that were not available to other recruits.

UNC has denied the allegations in the lawsuit. The university has stated that it did not offer Brandon any NIL deals that were not available to other recruits. UNC has also stated that it did not promise Brandon any additional benefits that were not available to other recruits.

The lawsuit is still pending. It is unclear what the outcome of the lawsuit will be. However, the case is a reminder of the challenges that universities face in the NIL era. Universities must be careful not to violate NCAA rules when offering NIL deals to recruits.

Impact of NIL Deals on College Football Recruiting

The NIL era has had a significant impact on college football recruiting. NIL deals have given student-athletes more leverage in the recruiting process. Student-athletes can now negotiate with universities for the best NIL deal possible. This has led to some universities offering large NIL deals to top recruits.

The NIL era has also made it more difficult for universities to compete for top recruits. Universities that are not able to offer large NIL deals may be at a disadvantage in the recruiting process. This could lead to a divide between the haves and have-nots in college football.

It is still too early to say what the long-term impact of NIL deals will be on college football recruiting. However, it is clear that the NIL era has changed the landscape of recruiting forever.