Top 5 most influential college athletes

5. Hansel Enmanuel, Northwestern State basketball 

Hansel Enmanuel is a Northwestern State freshman guard who plays basketball with one arm. Enmanuel has an estimated $1.5 million NIL valuation, ranking him at No. 9 on ON3’s market valuation list. He has one of the largest followings of any college athlete with over 4.2 million across Instagram and TikTok. Although he has yet to play his first NCAA game, his ability to capture an audience of all kinds has inked him big-time NIL deals including with Banreservas and a national commercial for Gatorade. 

The Dominican Republic native most recently made a historic move for international athletes. In October, he was granted an O-1 Visa, which is only approved for select individuals who have an extraordinary ability in the arts, sciences or athletics. It’s an unprecedented situation as Enmanuel appears to be “the first who competes at the NCAA level who has received approval for a temporary work visa for NIL-related purposes under the O-1 visa criteria.” This will no doubt open doors for future international NIL athletes. That’s influence at its best and there’s no telling what more can be accomplished as he could be a serious prospect in the NBA one day.