Quinn Ewers has demonstrated that transitioning to the NFL can be just as profitable as earning through NIL payouts, especially with his recent Panini deal coming to light.
The 22-year-old wrapped up his impressive and lucrative collegiate career with Texas by declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft after the conclusion of the 2024 season. He was eventually picked by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round with the 231st overall pick.
Despite being chosen in the final round, Ewers feels he’s landed in a “good spot.” Interestingly, he reportedly turned down a $6-million NIL deal to transfer from Texas after three seasons, opting instead for a less lucrative $4.3-million rookie contract with the Dolphins.
Had he stayed, it’s speculated that his NIL payout could have ballooned to $8 million in 2025. Still, his rookie contract is nothing to sneeze at, with Ewers set to pocket $1.075 million annually over four seasons at Hard Rock Stadium.
If he had any regrets about the money he left on the table by moving up to the NFL, his latest endorsement deal might have eased those concerns.
On Friday, Ewers announced that he inked an exclusive autograph trading card deal with Panini for his NFL trading cards. The next day, it was disclosed that the deal is valued at $3 million, according to a source with “knowledge of the arrangement”, as reported by NBC.
His decision to swap a more profitable NIL deal for a rookie NFL contract is already proving fruitful, as he’s now landed a hefty endorsement deal on top of it – the largest payday for any seventh-round draft pick in his first season.
On the field, Ewers will have to compete with starting QB Tua Tagovailoa and Zach Wilson for a regular-season roster spot. However, his Panini deal alone, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of his total on-field salary, certainly cushions the blow as he gears up for his debut season at the professional level.
The same can’t be said for former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, whose dramatic drop in the NFL Draft had an even larger impact on his potential earnings.
After departing the Buffaloes with a $6.5-million NIL valuation, the second-highest in all of college sports, Deion Sanders’ son will now kick off his NFL career with a base salary of roughly $1.15 million, having seen his potential earnings significantly slashed due to falling to the fifth round.
Had Sanders been selected with the first overall pick as some had forecasted months earlier, he could have pocketed a staggering $48 million from his rookie contract.
While his new paycheck is still a hefty sum for the average American, it’s a far cry from the millions he was projected to earn if his draft predictions had held steady. Prior to being picked 144th, Sanders was the second-highest NIL earner, trailing only Texas talent Arch Manning.
Despite being ranked as the second-best quarterback prospect after last season’s evaluations, five quarterbacks were chosen before Sanders. Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, a Heisman finalist who Sanders once outranked, was drafted by Cleveland in the third round. This pick secured Gabriel an estimated yearly salary of $1.2 million.
Cam Ward, the top overall pick in the same draft, landed a contract worth nearly $49 million with a staggering $32 million signing bonus after being selected by the Tennessee Titans. Sanders’ former Colorado teammate Travis Hunter managed to snag himself a $46.5 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
