Michigan Wolverines football inks massive 13-player NIL deal with Wolverine Boot Company

August is a significant month for the Michigan Wolverines football program. After Big Ten Media Day in late July, the Maize and Blue are currently underway with fall camp, with the season opener against East Carolina less than a month away now. At the beginning of August, 13 Michigan Wolverines inked a new NIL deal with the Wolverine Boot Company, known as the “Maize and Blue Collar Campaign.” This Wolverine x Wolverine combo, featuring Heisman contenders like Blake Corum and new freshman breakout candidates like Benjamin Hall, holds immense importance for the program in the modern era of college football.

13 Michigan Wolverines football players ink massive NIL deal with the Wolverine Boot Comapny

According to a press release from the Wolverine Boot Company earlier this month, 13 Michigan Wolverines football players have signed a new NIL deal, referred to as the “Maize and Blue Collar campaign.” As per the release, these 13 Wolverines will be featured in social media posts and more, showcasing all the attributes that their program promotes, including tenacity, grit, and determination.

“It’s a natural fit for Wolverine to partner with members of the Michigan Football program, as they share the same values, blue collar work ethic, and tenacity that the Wolverine brand was founded upon.” said Scott Schoessel, who is the VP of Global Marketing at Wolverine. “The Maize and Blue Collar Campaign is all about the importance of hard work and commitment, whether you’re battling on the 50- yard line or on the front lines of a job site.”

Following a collaboration between Wolverine and University of Michigan head football coach, Jim Harbaugh, along with several Wolverine football players, the Maize and Blue Collar Campaign was announced at the SkillsUSA Signing Day event in Bay City, MI. This event commemorated high school students as they signed letters of intent — similar to what high school football recruits do on National Signing Day — to future careers in skilled trades professions.

“Our goal is always to create NIL opportunities that match a student athlete’s personal brand and ethos,” said Jared Wangler, founder of Valiant Management Group. “Coach Harbaugh is known for championing a blue collar work ethic among his players, making Wolverine an ideal brand partner for Michigan student-athletes.”

The 13 Michigan Wolverines football players who signed with the Wolverine Boot Company are — Junior Colson, Mason Graham, Colston Loveland, incoming freshman Benjamin Hall, Donovan Edwards, Trevor Keegan, Zak Zinter, Kris Jenkins, Mike Sainristil, Mike Barrett, Cornelius Johnson, and Ladarius Henderson.

With NIL deals and more currently at the forefront of the college football world, witnessing Michigan football secure new deals of this magnitude is encouraging for the program as a whole. If Jim Harbaugh and his team want to remain competitive for Big Ten and national titles in the future, securing such deals and adapting to the changing landscape is essential, especially with companies that reflect the values that Jim Harbaugh has worked so hard to instill in Ann Arbor.

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