- Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals are huge in college sports right now, allowing athletes to get paid while they’re in school.
- While Nike’s Jordan Brand already has NIL athletes, USC’s Zachariah and Zion Branch are the first college football players for the brand.
- The Branch brothers have to wear Nike-brand apparel on the field, but Jordan Brand off the field.
The world of college sports changed drastically in 2021, when the case of the NCAA v. Alston allowed players to earn money off their name, image, and likeness. NIL deals are now commonplace in college sports, and in high school sports as well.
One of the most popular brands in the athletic world is Nike’s Jordan Brand, which, of course, was started by Nike and NBA legend Michael Jordan. Jordan Brand signed their first college football athletes to NIL deals this week, as various outlets have reported USC’s Zachariah and Zion Branch have signed to wear the Jumpman logo. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to reveal the news on Monday, August 26.
Branch Brothers Join Prescott, Samuel, Hurts Under Jordan Brand’s Football Roster
Jordan Brand, or Jumpman as you might hear it referred to as, was started in 1984 as a vehicle to sell Jordan’s basketball shoes. It has since branched out to soccer, baseball, NASCAR (where Jordan owns a team), and football. Their NFL roster features a host of big-name athletes, including Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts, Dallas’ Dak Prescott, Las Vegas’ Davante Adams, and San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel.
Jordan Brand has also gotten into the NIL game in women’s college basketball, as they signed UCLA guard Kiki Rice in 2022. But the Branch brothers from USC are the first college football athletes to wear the Jumpman logo.
Zachariah and Zion Branch are headed into their sophomore season with the Trojans, who are ranked before Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and Michigan at college football betting sites. USC is making its debut in the Big Ten this season, and needs the Branch brothers to be successful on the field.
Zion, the older of the two brothers, is a 6’2” safety who played in just five games last season, posting 22 tackles (15 solo), along with a forced fumble. However, Zion was troubled by injuries throughout the season. Zachariah is a 5’10” wide receiver who had 29 receptions for 311 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 11 games. He also added eight carries for 70 yards and a score for the Trojans.
But Zachariah was a star on special teams as he was USC’s first true freshman to make an All-American First Team, where he made it as a returner. He returned 15 punts for 309 yards and a touchdown, and 24 kickoffs for 448 yards and another score for the Trojans. As USC looks to get Zachariah more involved in the offense this season, under new starting quarterback, junior Miller Moss, he’ll definitely have a hand in their success on special teams.
USC, who is ranked 24th in the country, will play #13 LSU in Las Vegas on Sunday to kick off the season.
Can the Branch Brothers Wear Jordan Brand on the Field?
There is an interesting wrinkle to Jordan Brand’s sponsorship of the Branch brothers. Off the field, they’re fine to wear whatever Jordan Brand apparel they want. However, Nike has a larger sponsorship deal with USC as a university, that they’ll have to wear Nike-branded apparel when playing. This was revealed in a Sportico article.
The Sportico article also states that they’re allowed to wear Jordan Brand for content creation, and around the team facilities. This is just Jordan Brand getting their foot in the door in NIL and college football, and the Branch brothers won’t be the last athletes they sign.
