Many college football fans believe NIL is ruining the sport they love. In today’s age, it feels like players have no loyalty and are chasing the biggest paycheck over staying with a program and developing throughout their careers.
Despite the criticism of NIL, one of the benefits is that it allows high school athletes to immediately make money to support their families through things like brand deals. One that has taken advantage of NIL is Adidas, and the company just announced its newest class of football stars to represent the brand.
Adidas Unveils Stacked 2025 NIL Class Featuring Top Football Recruits
Adidas recently announced its 2025 NIL class, featuring six top recruits in the 2026 cycle. Each of these athletes will be featured in brand campaigns for the company throughout their final year of high school.
View this post on Instagram
The class is headlined by five-star Tyler Atkison, the No. 1 linebacker in the 2026 class, and five-star LSU commit Tristen Keys, the No.1 wide receiver in the 2026 class.
I’m blessed to continue #AtkNup with #Adidas.💯@adidasfootball @adidas @adidasUS @grayson_fb @MilesGarrettTV @On3NIL @On3Recruits @ChadSimmons_ @samspiegs @TomLoy247 @GDPsports @Mhoward38 @MensHealthMag @RecruitGeorgia@jeffsentell @Zack_Poff_MP https://t.co/jNrzB87XRi
— Tyler Atkinson (@Tyler16Atkinson) June 27, 2025
Along with Atkinson and Keys, Adidas class also features four additional top receiver recruits: five-star Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr, five-star Calvin Russell, four-star Ohio State commit Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, and four-star Texas A&M commit Madden Williams.
View this post on Instagram
It’s a star-studded high school class for Adidas and represents the ever-changing landscape of college athletics in the age of NIL.
While there are obviously downsides to the current NIL system, the fact that these young athletes can sign with a company like Adidas and earn money before they even get to college highlights how NIL can be so special and make massive impacts on these players’ lives.
Every athlete that Adidas signed to this campaign has proven themselves at a high level and are all regarded as some of the best high school football players in the country. They’ve earned the right to be able to make money off of their name, image, and likeness, and Adidas is giving them the platform to do so.
Time will tell if their college careers pan out. Still, they have at least had the opportunity to make life-changing money by signing with Adidas for their senior years and will attempt to solidify their place in college football during the 2026 season.
