Will Howard and the Ohio State Buckeyes capped off a dominant 2024 season by clinching the College Football Playoff National Championship. Finishing with a 14-2 record, the Buckeyes triumphed over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with a 34-23 victory. In the wake of Ohio State national title win, Howard took to social media to announce a new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal with Raising Cane. The popular fast-food chain shared the news, celebrating Howard national title MVP award alongside defensive captain Jack Sawyer, who also appeared in the promotional campaign.
While Howard exact NIL valuation is not publicly disclosed on On3 Sports site, he has secured several deals with prominent companies, including EA Sports, Ricart Automotive, ONIT Athlete, Grippo Chips, and JLab.
Ohio State top NIL earner is wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who boasts a valuation of $4 million, reflecting a $300,000 increase after the national championship, according to On3.
Howard joined Ohio State as a transfer prior to the 2024 season after spending four years at Kansas State. In his debut year with the Buckeyes, Howard delivered stellar performances, throwing for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns with a completion rate of 73.1%. In the national title game, he threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns, completing 81.0% of his passes to secure the victory over Notre Dame.
