Michigan running back, Blake Corum has signed a NIL (name, image, and likeness) deal. This comes after the NCAA rule change which allows players to eventually get paid from external activities. These include sponsors, merchandise etc. This will allow for Corum to release NFTs, which he hopes to do. Corum is releasing his collection in collaboration with Draftly.
Michigan’s Blake Corum signed a NIL deal, allowing him to release NFTs.
About Blake Corum and the NFT Collection
Blake Corum is a running back for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He’s a sophomore in college and is 21-years-old. In high school, he was a USA Today all American and this year he was in the Third-team All-Big Ten. In the 2021 season, which ended on their New Years’ Eve loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, Corum scored 11 touchdowns and ran 952 yards.
Blake Corum is set to release an NFT collection in collaboration with Draftly, in an interview with Yahoo!, he stated: “Honestly, I didn’t really know too much about it. I heard about it. I believe some NBA players had some NFTs that went for some big bucks. But I’m not even going to say I still know a ton about it, but I know a little more than I did. But it’s the new wave. It’s the new thing. It’s up and coming. I wouldn’t say everyone knows about it, but more people are starting to know about it. And so when they reached out to me, I was like, of course, I’m really excited to create an NFT. It’s really just up from here.”
Blake Corum also mentioned that he doesn’t personally own any NFTs yet, but mentioned that a few of his friends own some and he’s eager to purchase some in the near future.
He joins his Michigan teammate, quarterback Cade McNamara, who signed a crypto deal in 2021, although through a different kind of contract with a different company.
About Draftly
Draftly is a platform that allows for previously unpaid college athletes to take advantage of NIL deals by releasing NFT collections. The company was founded in 2020 by Nick DeNuzzo in New York. Their main goal is to drive engagement between college players and their fans and build digital sports communities. Currently, they have deals with college athletes in Football alongside Blake Corum, as well as Basketball. You can see the NFTs they have for sale within both sports on their marketplace.
