College football is back, and Jordan Brand has just made a splashy name, image and likeness (NIL) signing.
On Monday, the brand announced it has signed brothers Zion and Zachariah Branch — who both play for USC — to NIL deals. The signing, according to Jordan Brand, makes them Nike Inc.’s first NIL football athletes.
Zion Branch, a redshirt sophomore, plays safety for USC. Zachariah Branch, a sophomore, is a wide receiver and return specialist. The brothers are from Las Vegas and played football at Bishop Gorman High School prior to joining USC.
Jordan Brand isn’t foreign to big time NIL signings. For instance, it signed rising basketball star Kiki Rice, who plays for UCLA, in October 2022. And Jordan Brand’s first high school NIL signing was Kiyomi McMiller. The high school hooper, who signed with the brand in February 2023, joined Jordan Brand basketball field rep for women’s sport marketing Jasmine Jordan for the cover of FN’s March 2023 print issue.
Other notable athlete signings from Jordan Brand in 2024 include NFL Stars Maxx Crosby and Puka Nacua, who joined the brand in April, and LSU guard Mikaylah Williams, who signed a NIL deal in March.
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
