Exercising NIL rights, Ga. Tech athletes pitching underwear, T-shirts, more
Georgia Tech wide receiver Marquez Ezzard won’t be able to retire off of his newfound status as a brand ambassador for an underwear company. But, hey – free designer underwear.
“They’re good underwear,” the Georgia Tech wide receiver told the AJC of the PSD product line. “They’re comfortable. I like the fit. You can wear them with anything.”
In the first days that Yellow Jackets athletes – and NCAA athletes everywhere – have been able to be compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness, Ezzard and others have seized upon opportunities with companies to get additional return on their status as college athletes. Ezzard, who has toiled this summer with the hopes of a breakout season this fall, has a reasoned perspective on this new era.
“It’s a great opportunity for us athletes,” he said. “I feel like with NIL, it’s a good thing, and it’s a bad thing. Some people get unfocused and in the midst of it, but for me, I’m focused on the bigger picture – getting to the NFL and doing what I love to do.”
Ezzard, from Stockbridge High, said that he has had “a lot of people” reaching out to him for potential deals, but that he has let his parents take care of them so that he can focus on football and school. (“Math is giving me a hard time right now,” he said.)
Tech athletes have worked a variety of endorsement routes since July 1, when all NCAA athletes were cleared to receive compensation for their NIL rights. Football players Miles Brooks, Tariq Carpenter and Kenyatta Watson and basketball player Dallan Coleman have deals with Yoke, a video-game app that enables fans to play video games against athletes. Safety Juanyeh Thomas, Coleman and Watson have joined Ezzard in aligning themselves with PSD, described as affordable designer underwear. Dozens of college athletes, mostly football players, have taken to Instagram since July 1 to announce their new endorsement deals with the underwear maker, which also counts Hawks star Trae Young as a more prominent pitchman.