Highest NIL Deals 2026: Overall, Women and High School

Darian Mensah holds the highest published overall NIL valuation in the latest complete post-July 2026 ranking: $6.5 million. Basketball players Milan Momcilovic and Flory Bidunga share second place at $6 million.

That simple answer needs some context. NIL ranking pages often mix estimated market value, reported compensation, school revenue share and actual endorsement contracts. They are not interchangeable. This guide separates them and dates every table, so an old number does not masquerade as a current paycheck.

Looking for a particular list? Jump to the overall top 10, the top 10 female NIL athletes, the high-school top 10 or the explanation of how NIL valuation differs from earnings.

What the 2026 NIL rankings actually measure

Our main ranking follows On3’s overall list published on 14 July 2026. On3 says it changed its valuation method on 1 July from an estimate of endorsement potential to a deal-based contract value intended to track compensation from colleges and collectives.

That is more concrete than the old social-following model, but it is still a published valuation. It is not an audited tax return, a bank statement or necessarily the value of one signed brand contract. We preserve every tie and use the schools and roles listed in the source snapshot.

Highest overall NIL valuations in 2026

Rank	Athlete	School	Sport / position	Published value
1	Darian Mensah	Miami	Football, QB	$6.5m
T-2	Milan Momcilovic	Kentucky	Basketball, PF	$6.0m
T-2	Flory Bidunga	Louisville	Basketball, C	$6.0m
T-4	Dante Moore	Oregon	Football, QB	$5.0m
T-4	Jeremiah Smith	Ohio State	Football, WR	$5.0m
T-4	Tounde Yessoufou	St. John’s	Basketball, SF	$5.0m
T-4	Thomas Haugh	Florida	Basketball, F	$5.0m
T-4	Trinidad Chambliss	Ole Miss	Football, QB	$5.0m
T-4	Massamba Diop	Gonzaga	Basketball, C	$5.0m
T-4	Tyran Stokes	Kansas	Basketball, SF	$5.0m

Snapshot: On3’s post-methodology-change table published 14 July 2026. DIRECTV’s 22 July ranking reproduces the same top 10 and values.

1. Darian Mensah, $6.5 million

Mensah leads the overall list as Miami’s quarterback. His $6.5 million valuation is $500,000 above the next tier and makes him the only athlete in this snapshot valued above $6 million.

Quarterbacks sit at the center of roster building, but position alone does not explain the figure. The ranking reflects deal information in On3’s new model, not a formula that awards every starting quarterback the same amount. Without public contracts, it would be misleading to split the total into brand, collective and school-funded components.

T-2. Milan Momcilovic, $6 million

Momcilovic is one of two basketball players tied for second. On3 listed the Kentucky power forward at $6 million after a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 16.9 points and shot 48.7 percent from three-point range.

His position near the top is a useful correction to the idea that NIL leaderboards are simply quarterback leaderboards. A proven scorer in a national basketball program can carry considerable roster and commercial value.

T-2. Flory Bidunga, $6 million

Bidunga shares the $6 million tier as Louisville’s center. On3 cited his combination of scoring, rebounding, shot blocking and efficient finishing when it placed him alongside Momcilovic.

Big men with proven production are scarce, which can increase their value in the roster market. The published figure still should not be described as a single Louisville endorsement deal unless the underlying contract terms become public.

T-4. Dante Moore, $5 million

Moore is the first of seven athletes tied at $5 million. The Oregon quarterback returned for the 2026 season rather than entering the professional draft, giving the program an established player at the sport’s most influential position.

That decision helps explain the attention around his compensation, but the ranking does not disclose a payment schedule. It tells us where On3 placed his deal-based value on 14 July.

T-4. Jeremiah Smith, $5 million

Smith is the only wide receiver in the overall top 10. On3 noted his 87 catches, 1,243 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns for Ohio State in 2025 when describing his place in the $5 million group.

His inclusion matters because premium NIL value is not restricted to quarterbacks. Elite performance, national visibility and a recognizable role in a major program can create exceptional leverage at another position.

T-4. Tounde Yessoufou, $5 million

Yessoufou appears in the $5 million tier as a St. John’s small forward. His move into a prominent basketball environment placed him among the highest-valued athletes in the post-July table.

The figure reflects the source’s compensation-based framework. Recruiting reputation can provide context, but it is not enough on its own to turn a private agreement into verified public earnings.

T-4. Thomas Haugh, $5 million

Haugh represents Florida in the seven-way tie. He brings returning college production rather than appearing solely because of prospect status, an important distinction in a table that combines established players and new arrivals.

At $5 million, he is tied with six others. We do not reorder those athletes by followers, points or personal preference because none of those measures breaks a tie in the source valuation.

T-4. Trinidad Chambliss, $5 million

Chambliss is the third quarterback in the top 10 and is listed with Ole Miss. His inclusion reinforces the value programs place on proven options at a position that touches nearly every offensive play.

It also shows why NIL rankings need dates. Transfers, eligibility decisions and roster changes can move a quarterback’s situation, and therefore a deal-based table, quickly.

T-4. Massamba Diop, $5 million

Diop joins the group as Gonzaga’s center. Like Bidunga, he occupies a position where size and mobility are difficult to replace, although the ranking does not publish a position-specific formula.

His $5 million value belongs to the same tier as the other tied athletes. Calling him ninth would suggest a precision the source does not provide.

T-4. Tyran Stokes, $5 million

Stokes completes the overall top 10 as a Kansas small forward. He combines a major recruiting profile with the visibility of one of college basketball’s best-known programs.

Again, $5 million is a published deal-based valuation, not proof that an endorsement company transferred that amount in one payment. The distinction sounds technical, but it is the difference between a defensible ranking and a false earnings claim.

Top 10 female NIL athletes in the last complete 2026 snapshot

SportsLook was already receiving searches for the top 10 highest-paid female NIL athletes in 2026, so this refresh answers that query directly. There is one important limitation: when we checked On3’s live Women’s NIL 100 page on 2 September 2026, it showed List coming soon. The last complete 2026 snapshot available from that page was dated 28 May.

That May table used On3’s older modeled valuation, before the company moved to its deal-based method on 1 July. It remains useful as a dated record of the women’s market, but its dollar values must not be compared directly with the overall table above.

Rank	Athlete	Sport and affiliation in May snapshot	Published value
1	Flau’jae Johnson	Basketball, LSU	$1.5m
2	Kai Trump	Golf, Miami commit	$1.2m
3	NiJaree Canady	Softball, Texas Tech	$963k
4	Aaliyah Chavez	Basketball, Oklahoma commit	$755k
5	JuJu Watkins	Basketball, USC	$739k
6	Anna Frey	Tennis, North Carolina commit	$681k
7	Sydney Smith	Gymnastics, Southern Connecticut State	$614k
8	Jada Williams	Basketball, LSU commit	$412k
9	Jade Carey	Gymnastics, Oregon State	$387k
10	Deja Kelly	Basketball, Oregon	$331k

Snapshot: On3 Women’s NIL 100, 28 May 2026. Affiliations are reproduced as they appeared in that snapshot and may have changed since.

1. Flau’jae Johnson, $1.5 million

Johnson led the May women’s table at $1.5 million while listed with LSU basketball. Her position reflected the older model’s view of athlete brand value, which included public profile and commercial potential rather than only the deal-based inputs used in the July overall list.

2. Kai Trump, $1.2 million

Trump ranked second at $1.2 million and was listed as a Miami golf commit. Her placement illustrates how an athlete’s audience and visibility can produce a large modeled value before a full college competition record exists.

3. NiJaree Canady, $963,000

Canady was third at $963,000 in the May snapshot, which listed her with Texas Tech softball. Separate reporting has documented seven-figure compensation around her college move, but we do not combine differently defined figures to manufacture a new total.

4. Aaliyah Chavez, $755,000

Chavez ranked fourth at $755,000 as an Oklahoma basketball commit. Her appearance near the top shows how elite recruits can become commercially relevant before playing their first college game.

5. JuJu Watkins, $739,000

Watkins held fifth place at $739,000 while listed with USC basketball. A modeled valuation is not a complete measure of her endorsement portfolio, cultural visibility or long-term earning power, so this row should be read only within the May ranking.

6. Anna Frey, $681,000

Frey ranked sixth at $681,000 and was listed as a North Carolina tennis commit. Tennis receives less college broadcast attention than football or basketball, making her position a strong example of audience reach broadening the NIL market.

7. Sydney Smith, $614,000

Smith appeared seventh at $614,000 for Southern Connecticut State gymnastics. Her inclusion demonstrates that a large public-facing profile can matter outside the wealthiest athletic departments.

8. Jada Williams, $412,000

Williams ranked eighth at $412,000 as an LSU basketball commit in the snapshot. The figure belongs to the May model and should not be silently updated with later roster or deal information.

9. Jade Carey, $387,000

Carey was ninth at $387,000 while listed with Oregon State gymnastics. Her established competitive reputation supplied a different route to athlete visibility than the recruiting-led profiles elsewhere in the table.

10. Deja Kelly, $331,000

Kelly completed the top 10 at $331,000 while listed with Oregon basketball. Because athlete status can change, the affiliation is a record of the dated source rather than a claim about her situation today.

Women’s NIL activity is also larger than a single top-10 snapshot suggests. Associated Press reported that female-athlete participation in Learfield NIL activity rose 123 percent in 2025-26, with women’s basketball third among sports and softball also in the top five. For the wider professional picture, compare our highest-paid female athletes and highest-paid WNBA players guides.

Top 10 high-school football NIL valuations in 2026

On3’s high-school football ranking was updated 1 September 2026, making it the freshest of the three tables. All ten athletes in this snapshot are in the 2027 class. Five share sixth place at exactly $1 million.

Rank	Athlete	School	State	Class	Published value
1	Honor Fa’alave-Johnson	Cathedral Catholic	CA	2027	$2.4m
2	David Gabriel Georges	Baylor School	TN	2027	$2.0m
3	David Jacobs	Blessed Trinity Catholic	GA	2027	$1.7m
4	Joshua Dobson	William Amos Hough	NC	2027	$1.5m
5	Will Mencl	Chandler	AZ	2027	$1.2m
T-6	Danny Lang	Mater Dei	CA	2027	$1.0m
T-6	Mekai Brown	Greenwich Country Day	CT	2027	$1.0m
T-6	Cooper Hackett	Fort Gibson	OK	2027	$1.0m
T-6	Kamarui Dorsey	Hampton	GA	2027	$1.0m
T-6	Donte Wright	Long Beach Poly	CA	2027	$1.0m

Snapshot: On3 High School Football NIL ranking, updated 1 September 2026. The values do not override local eligibility rules.

1. Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, $2.4 million

Fa’alave-Johnson leads the table at $2.4 million, $400,000 above second place. On3 lists him as an athlete at Cathedral Catholic in California, a designation that reflects positional versatility rather than one fixed college role.

2. David Gabriel Georges, $2 million

Georges ranks second at $2 million. The source lists the running back with Baylor School in Tennessee, and the value represents On3’s published high-school NIL figure rather than a disclosed single-brand contract.

3. David Jacobs, $1.7 million

Jacobs is third at $1.7 million as an edge prospect at Blessed Trinity Catholic in Georgia. He sits $200,000 above fourth place in the source table.

4. Joshua Dobson, $1.5 million

Dobson ranks fourth at $1.5 million. On3 lists him as a cornerback at William Amos Hough in North Carolina.

5. Will Mencl, $1.2 million

Mencl is fifth at $1.2 million and the highest-ranked quarterback in this high-school snapshot. His school is listed as Chandler in Arizona.

T-6. Danny Lang, $1 million

Lang begins a five-player tie at $1 million. The cornerback is listed with Mater Dei in California, but the shared value gives us no evidence to rank him above the other four tied athletes.

T-6. Mekai Brown, $1 million

Brown is an edge prospect at Greenwich Country Day in Connecticut. His published value is the same $1 million as every other athlete in the T-6 group.

T-6. Cooper Hackett, $1 million

Hackett represents Fort Gibson in Oklahoma and is the only offensive tackle in this high-school top 10. Position variety does not break the tie, so he remains T-6.

T-6. Kamarui Dorsey, $1 million

Dorsey is listed as a safety at Hampton in Georgia. The source places him in the same $1 million tier as Lang, Brown, Hackett and Wright.

T-6. Donte Wright, $1 million

Wright completes the top 10 as a cornerback at Long Beach Poly in California. He is T-6, not tenth by value, because five athletes share the same figure.

High-school NIL is not one national rule

A high ranking does not mean every high-school athlete can sign any promotion without consequences. The NFHS advises athletes to check state association, school and governing-body rules because eligibility standards differ across the country.

Prospects planning to compete in NCAA Division I also have reporting responsibilities. NCAA guidance says certain third-party NIL agreements worth $600 or more, dating from 1 July 2025 or the athlete’s junior year of high school, must be reported within the applicable timeline. Families should verify the current rules before signing, posting or accepting benefits.

NIL valuation, contract value, earnings and revenue share

These four figures often appear under the same NIL money label, but they answer different questions.

Term	What it tells you	What it does not prove
Deal-based NIL valuation	A publisher’s current value based on available compensation signals	Exact cash received or the terms of every private agreement
Modeled market valuation	Estimated endorsement potential based on factors such as reach, performance and profile	A signed contract exists at that amount
Disclosed contract value	The reported value of a named agreement when reliable terms are public	Annual take-home pay if the deal is multiyear, conditional or partly non-cash
School revenue share	Direct compensation allocated by a college under the current system	Payment from an independent brand for commercial NIL activity

One athlete can have all four numbers. Combining them without dates, definitions and contract terms creates a larger-looking total, but not a more accurate one. Our broader college athlete pay guide explains how the current payment system fits together.

Why different NIL rankings disagree

The Sideline’s tracker, updated 1 September, also placed Mensah first at $6.5 million. Below him, however, its order and athlete mix differed from On3’s July list. That is not automatically an error. The two publishers describe different update schedules and estimation methods.

Rankings can diverge because they use different inputs:

• Private deal information available to one publisher but not another
• School and collective compensation signals
• Social audience and engagement
• Athletic performance and position
• Transfers, eligibility and professional decisions
• The date on which the table was captured
• Whether school revenue share is included, excluded or discussed separately

This is also why many older pages still name Arch Manning as the leader. Those articles often reflect a previous season or On3’s older endorsement-potential model. They should not be blended with the post-July 2026 table as if nothing changed.

Are these really the biggest NIL deals?

They are the highest values within the stated rankings, not a public audit of every contract in college sports. Some major agreements receive reliable reporting, but their terms are inconsistent. One headline may cover several years, another may combine collective and school-related compensation, and a third may announce a brand partnership without publishing any dollar amount.

NIL Go provides another useful reality check. Associated Press reported that, through 1 January 2026, the review system had cleared 17,321 third-party agreements worth $127.21 million and rejected 524 worth $14.94 million. Those totals show the size of the market, but they do not expose each athlete’s complete deal book.

The clean approach is to keep disclosed contracts in their own comparison and label every unknown. We will not reverse-engineer private terms just to produce a more dramatic number.

NIL tax and compliance basics

NIL money can create obligations away from the field. The IRS says cash, property and services received through NIL activity may be taxable, including income for which an athlete does not receive a Form 1099 or W-2.

Athletes should keep contracts, payment records, expense receipts and the value of non-cash benefits. This article explains ranking data, not individual tax or legal advice. A qualified professional can apply the rules to a particular athlete, state and business structure.

How SportsLook checked this ranking

We reviewed the current Google results and separated SERP evidence from factual evidence. Ranking pages helped establish the expected questions and formats; On3 supplied the three published datasets; NCAA, NFHS and IRS guidance supplied the compliance facts; and Associated Press reporting supplied market context.

Our editorial rules for this page are straightforward:

1. Use one defined source and snapshot for each table.
2. Preserve ties instead of forcing a false order.
3. State when a method changed or a live list is incomplete.
4. Never call valuation audited earnings.
5. Recheck changeable affiliations and values before a substantive update.
6. Keep women’s, high-school and overall rankings separate when their methods differ.

We will review all three source pages monthly and sooner after a methodology change, a republished women’s list or a ranked athlete’s move out of the relevant level. The wider SportsLook earnings hub contains comparable salary and compensation guides, including our highest-paid NHL players ranking.

For now, the most accurate answer is still the shortest one: Darian Mensah leads the post-July 2026 overall NIL table at a published $6.5 million valuation. The women and high-school lists add useful context, but their different dates and methods mean they are not a single combined leaderboard.