Kentucky Wildcats NIL valuations
116 athletes · SEC · estimated ranges as of August 2026
Kentucky has restructured for the revenue-sharing era more aggressively than almost any program. In April 2025 it became the first major athletic department to reorganize as a limited liability company, Champions Blue LLC, a holding structure designed to pursue new revenue and manage direct payments to athletes, and it extended its multimedia-rights deal with JMI Sports to help bring NIL operations in-house. Men's basketball remains the flagship and historically commands the largest share of Kentucky's NIL resources, though football spending has grown in the SEC arms race. House settlement payments are subject to the standard cap, roughly $20.5 million department-wide in the first year with annual increases, and third-party deals continue alongside the school's new corporate machinery.
| Athlete | Position | Class | 2026 role | Est. range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayden Quaintance | Forward | $1.6M to $2.5M | ||
| Kenny Minchey | Quarterback | Junior | Star / headline name | $1.6M to $2.5M |
| Lance Heard | Offensive Lineman | Senior | Star / headline name | $1.6M to $2.5M |
| Denzel Aberdeen | Guard | $1.3M to $2M | ||
| CJ Baxter | Running Back | Junior | Star / headline name | $800K to $1.3M |
| Tavion Gadson | Defensive Lineman | Junior | Projected starter | $720K to $1.1M |
| Ty Bryant | Safety | Senior | Star / headline name | $640K to $1M |
| Nic Anderson | Wide Receiver | Senior | Star / headline name | $400K to $625K |
| Coleton Price | Offensive Lineman | Senior | Projected starter | $400K to $625K |
| Otega Oweh | Guard | $308K to $481K | ||
| Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace | Edge Rusher | Senior | Projected starter | $136K to $213K |
| DJ Miller | Wide Receiver | Sophomore | Projected starter | $132K to $206K |
| Aaron Gates | Cornerback | Junior | Projected starter | $128K to $200K |
| Hasaan Sykes | Cornerback | Junior | Projected starter | $128K to $200K |
| Kenny Darby | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Projected starter | $124K to $194K |
| Antonio O'Berry | Edge Rusher | Senior | Projected starter | $120K to $188K |
| Terhyon Nichols | Cornerback | Junior | Projected starter | $120K to $188K |
| Elijah "Bo" Barnes | Linebacker | Redshirt freshman | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| Jordan Castell | Safety | Senior | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| Jamarrion Harkless | Defensive Lineman | Junior | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| Tegra Tshabola | Offensive Lineman | Senior | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| Willie Rodriguez | Tight End | Junior | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| Brennen Ward | Quarterback | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $112K to $175K |
| Jovantae Barnes | Running Back | Graduate | Projected starter | $108K to $169K |
| Olaus Alinen | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Projected starter | $108K to $169K |
| Matt Ponatoski | Quarterback | Freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $104K to $163K |
| Grant Godfrey | Linebacker | Junior | Projected starter | $104K to $163K |
| Mark Robinson | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Projected starter | $92K to $144K |
| Adam Zouagui | Kicker | Senior | Projected starter | $58K to $90K |
| Shane Carr | Wide Receiver | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $57K to $89K |
| Hardley Gilmore IV | Wide Receiver | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $56K to $88K |
| Thomas O'Hara | Punter | Junior | Projected starter | $55K to $86K |
| Sam Greene | Edge Rusher | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $54K to $85K |
| Ja'Kayden Ferguson | Wide Receiver | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $54K to $85K |
| Tyler Thomas | Edge Rusher | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $54K to $84K |
| Cedric "CJ" Works | Edge Rusher | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $53K to $83K |
| Jaden Smith | Cornerback | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $50K to $79K |
| JacQai Long | Quarterback | Sophomore | Roster depth | $49K to $76K |
| Grant Grayton | Cornerback | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $49K to $76K |
| Lorenzo Cowan | Edge Rusher | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $48K to $75K |
| Jason Patterson | Running Back | Redshirt sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $48K to $75K |
| Cole Marszalek | Long Snapper | Junior | Projected starter | $48K to $75K |
| Mikkel Skinner | Tight End | Redshirt freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $46K to $73K |
| Jaden Williams | Defensive Lineman | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $46K to $73K |
| Henry Boyer | Tight End | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $46K to $71K |
| Martels Carter Jr. | Running Back | Redshirt freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $44K to $69K |
| Kevis Thomas | Cornerback | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $44K to $69K |
| Nasir Addison | Cornerback | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $44K to $69K |
| Cameron Jones | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $44K to $69K |
| Dyllon Williams | Safety | Redshirt freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $43K to $68K |
| Aba Selm | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $43K to $68K |
| Callum Wither | Quarterback | Graduate | Roster depth | $42K to $66K |
| Ahmad Breaux | Defensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $42K to $65K |
| Jordan Knox | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $42K to $65K |
| Rob Fogler | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $41K to $64K |
| Malachi Wood | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $41K to $64K |
| Kalen Edwards | Defensive Lineman | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $41K to $64K |
| Dominic Wiseman | Defensive Lineman | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $40K to $63K |
| Tavion Wallace | Linebacker | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $39K to $61K |
| Elijah Brown | Tight End | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $39K to $61K |
| Antwan Smith | Linebacker | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $38K to $60K |
| Jesse Anderson III | Safety | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $38K to $59K |
| Max Anderson | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $35K to $55K |
| Denairius Gray | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $23K to $36K |
| Ashton Cozart | Wide Receiver | Junior | Roster depth | $23K to $36K |
| Davis McCray | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $23K to $36K |
| Xavier Daisy | Wide Receiver | Junior | Roster depth | $22K to $35K |
| Tyler Wright | Cornerback | Freshman | Roster depth | $22K to $35K |
| Brock Coffman | Wide Receiver | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $22K to $34K |
| Mark Manfred III | Cornerback | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $22K to $34K |
| Brian Robinson | Edge Rusher | Sophomore | Roster depth | $21K to $33K |
| Isaiah McMillian | Cornerback | Freshman | Roster depth | $20K to $31K |
| Wilson Berry | Punter | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $20K to $31K |
| Lincoln Watkins | Tight End | Freshman | Roster depth | $19K to $30K |
| Ahmir Smith | Running Back | Sophomore | Roster depth | $19K to $30K |
| Prince Jean | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $19K to $30K |
| Jordan Colbert | Running Back | Junior | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Devin Smith | Linebacker | Sophomore | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Ben Duncum | Edge Rusher | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Andre Clarke Jr. | Cornerback | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Justyn Hartley | Linebacker | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Tovani Mizell | Running Back | Redshirt sophomore | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Delvecchio Alston II | Running Back | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Demarcus Gardner | Cornerback | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Sam Brown III | Safety | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Justin Kattus | Tight End | Redshirt sophomore | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Cameron Miller Jr. | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Nic (Happy) Smith | Defensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Kyle Mixon | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Hank Timon | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Carson Cruver | Quarterback | Junior | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| Quintavion Norman | Linebacker | Redshirt sophomore | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| Jermiel Atkins | Offensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| Spencer Radnoti | Long Snapper | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $16K to $25K |
| Braxton Urquhart | Safety | Junior | Roster depth | $16K to $24K |
| Cyrus Reyes | Safety | Junior | Roster depth | $16K to $24K |
| Jason Ekperuoh | Offensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $24K |
| Alexander DiMartino | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Roster depth | $16K to $24K |
| Jay Clark | Offensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $24K |
| Kendall (Nelson) Tambling | Quarterback | Freshman | Roster depth | $15K to $23K |
| Spencer Leadbetter | Wide Receiver | Senior | Roster depth | $8K to $13K |
| Saxton Howard | Wide Receiver | Sophomore | Roster depth | $8K to $13K |
| Ben Reeves | Edge Rusher | Sophomore | Roster depth | $8K to $13K |
| Rico Crowder | Wide Receiver | Redshirt sophomore | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Isaiah Jackson | Running Back | Freshman | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Andrew Weber | Defensive Back | Junior | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Cash Harney | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Andrew Purcell | Safety | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $6K to $10K |
| Mason Howard | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $6K to $10K |
| Ben Myers | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $6K to $10K |
| Tino Merlo | Offensive Lineman | Senior | Roster depth | $6K to $10K |
| Hayes Johnson | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Roster depth | $6K to $9K |
| Ryan Meeker | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $6K to $9K |
| Matthew Obermeier | Kicker | Freshman | Roster depth | $4K to $6K |
| Jacob Kauwe | Kicker | Sophomore | Roster depth | $4K to $6K |
| Jack Wheeler | Long Snapper | Freshman | Roster depth | $3K to $5K |
The exact estimate and breakdown for each athlete are free on their page with an email.
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