COLUMBIA, Mo. — Williams Nwaneri is incredibly laid back for a young man about to hit it big. As the highest-profile benefactor of the nation’s highest-profile name, image and likeness law, the five-star senior edge rusher from Lee’s Summit North knows exactly what’s next.
“Prom is May 4, so this weekend,” Nwaneri told CBS Sports.
That’s not only a refreshing perspective of an 18-year-old high school senior but also a glimpse into a ground-breaking future. Nwareni can expect an NIL payout any day now. Not that he is going to break the bank, though one valuation of his NIL worth comes in at approximately $250,000. No, the most eye-opening aspect is that he’ll still be in high school.
In August 2023, Missouri passed a first-of-its-kind law allowing high schoolers to earn NIL benefits once they’ve signed with a school. The law applies only to Missouri residents. But in a state that typically produces only single-digit blue-chippers in any given year (Texas had 57 four-stars or better in the Class of 2024), keeping the best at home can make a program.
“We’re leading the country in this space,” Missouri Rep. Kurtis Gregory (R), who helped write the law, told reporters when it was signed.
Now, it’s a case of carrying that statement through on the field.
These are heady times for Missouri. The program won 11 games last season for the first time since 2014 and defeated Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Had the expanded College Football Playoff field been in place, the Tigers would have met Oregon in a first-round game based on last year’s final CFP Rankings.
“For me, it’s a chance to create a competitive advantage,” said Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, the 2023 SEC Coach of the Year. “You can either embrace it or hate it. I’m going to choose…
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