Quinn Ewers, Xavier Worthy: Next NIL Celebrities?

First Round Mock’s Victoria Jonach takes a look at what a couple of Longhorns’ players Quinn Ewers and Xavier Worthy have been doing in the business world.

In 2022, there were no Longhorns selected in the draft.

In this past draft, they rebounded with five athletes selected between the first and seventh rounds.

Now, two more players from the team are making headlines with their work on and off the field, giving Texas the chance at another proper representation of its players at the draft.

20-year olds Quinn Ewers (quarterback) and Xavier Worthy (wide receiver) have proven they are a powerful athletic duo on the field. Now, they are experimenting with the world of NIL (name, image, and likeness) and are serving as the perfect partners for brand deals.

The pair’s first Epic partnership

Almost one year ago, Epic Games partnered with the two athletes to promote their popular video game, Fortnite, and its new game mode, “Zero-Build Battle Royale.”

The two created a homemade advertisement and posted it on Twitter. In the video, Ewers is seen playing Fortnite but Worthy joins him and takes over the controller. Ewers states it’s the “first thing he did when he moved in that day.” Worthy claims that his teammate has him playing the game before both athletes share their plans of informing other Longhorns about the video game.

Fansided writer, John Buhler talks about the clever nature of pairing athletes with gaming companies. Athletes play a ton of video games in their downtime, so big players from big-time brands partnering up is no surprise, he writes.

Worthy of more?

In October of last year, Worthy and Ewers announced their second partnership together, this time with Sonic Drive-In. The two even created another advertisement for the drive-in.

“Why does their blast go so hard?” Worthy tweets, sharing the TikTok the Longhorns created. In the video, the duo advertise several menu items, order their favorite menu items from Sonic’s online app, and even obsess over the restaurant’s tots by playing a game of “Tot football.”

Ewers also raves about the ice, saying, “There’s something about this ice, I used to order bags of this.”

Could these athletes have future careers in media?

After Texas’ 49-0 win against their rival, Oklahoma, Ewers’ had a plethora of new opportunities. Within days the quarterback introduced the deal with the fast food chain, plus two other new partnerships. It seems a few people watched as the freshman threw for four touchdowns and a total of 289 yards after returning from a shoulder injury.

Ewers’ other partnerships include Lucchese, Metabilia, and Vanguard Volkswagen, Wrangler, Aston Martin, and Holy Kombucha.

Worthy is also making waves.

In the same game against their rival, he caught a touchdown pass. Just the week before against West Virginia, the sophomore caught seven passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Epic Games was his first brand deal, and Sonic, was his second, making Worthy’s annual NIL value over $1 million.

Both players are raising the bar for their teammates and the other athletes entering the 2024 draft.

Fans will just have to wait and see what other brands choose to partner with the rising stars during their next season.

Even if were not to see Ewers and Worthy selected at the next draft, it is likely they will be seen again, whether in commercials or as influencers. These two players are serving as just another example of how the world of NIL is only benefitting college athletes.

Victoria Jonach is an aspiring writer and media analyst fascinated in what kinds of activities players participate in off the football field. Growing up in New Jersey, she is a New York Giants fan and attends Rutgers University, pursuing a career in Journalism and Media Studies. She writes for FirstRoundMock.com covering anticipated draft picks and their acts of volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and other interests that shape these individuals.