Braelon Allen making the most of his NIL deals
MADISON, Wis. (BVM) — Former four-star recruit Braelon Allen didn’t receive much national attention coming out of Fond du Lac High School. Allen is now changing that narrative as he begins his second year at the University of Wisconsin.
One way Allen is changing that narrative is with his presence on social media. The 18-year-old Allen has a significant presence on Instagram, with 68,000 followers. He also has many followers on TikTok and Twitter, with 8,900 and 20,000, giving him 96,900 followers on all three platforms.
Along with his success on social media, Allen catapulted himself into the national spotlight during the 2021-22 season when he took over as Wisconsin’s starting running back. He set a Wisconsin freshman record, and most notably, he did it all when he was just 17 years old.
Wisconsin has found their RB. His name is Braelon Allen. He's only 17 too. pic.twitter.com/y6Rxw1Ubts
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) November 20, 2021
I think TV announcers noted #Badgers Braelon Allen was a 17-year-old freshman at least 1,000 times last season. Over/under on the number of times he is referred to as an 18-year-old sophomore this season? 🤷♂️
— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) March 29, 2022
Allen finished his freshman year with 1,268 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He’d cap off his freshman campaign in the Las Vegas Bowl with 29 carries and 159 yards against Arizona State.
Badgers freshman running back Braelon Allen is your Las Vegas Bowl most valuable player. He had 29 carries for 159 yards.
— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) December 31, 2021
Because of his success on and off the field, Allen captured the attention of multiple companies. And with the NIL rules in college football, Allen has taken advantage of the opportunities that have come his way. One of those opportunities is working with Iron Joc, a company specializing in athletic apparel.
Check out our new commercial that drops today featuring Wisconsin Badgers running back and Iron Joc ambassador @BraelonAllen – "ain't no such thing as you don't feel like working out!" #ironjoc #itswhatsinside #ironjocnation pic.twitter.com/prKnugaKmg
— Iron Joc Performance Gear & Apparel (@IRONJOC) August 25, 2022
New @BraelonAllen BillBoard just went up on Regent Street by the BIG Ten Pub 💪💪💪 Heisman run starts this Saturday. #ironjoctakeover #ironjocnation pic.twitter.com/lu3fI2mQu7
— Iron Joc Performance Gear & Apparel (@IRONJOC) August 30, 2022
Another company that has decided to work with Allen is Barstool Sports. The deal was announced on Aug. 12. Allen’s teammate Chimere Dike also signed an NIL deal with Barstool Sports.
NIL deal with the best running back in the country #OnWisconsin @BraelonAllen https://t.co/9RUVQH0eEv pic.twitter.com/QdB39cpt6k
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) August 12, 2022
With these deals, Allen has bolstered his value as an athlete. According to on3.com, Allen has an NIL valuation of $462,000 and a per post value of $1,400. With those marks, Allen is one of the top earners in college football. (No. 63). Alongside those deals, Allen has also teamed up with Pepsi.
As a sophomore, Allen has shown why those companies wanted to represent him this year. He’s averaged almost seven yards a carry, has six TDs and has racked up 497 rushing yards.
Braelon Allen in Week 1:
🦡14 rushes
🦡148 yards
🦡2 TDs
🦡134 yards after contact(📸: @BadgerFootball) pic.twitter.com/sr2nJzxcUf
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 4, 2022
Allen has not only shown Wisconsin he can be a star, but he has shown the nation he can be a star in America’s most popular sport. He still has yet to play most of his sophomore season, but it’d be hard to see Allen’s output on or off the football field slow down anytime soon.
