Springfield’s Jermaine Cobbins, 16, youngest ever to sign Nike football deal | Report
Springfield junior defensive back Jermaine Cobbins is the youngest football player ever to sign an endorsement deal with Nike, according to a report.
Cobbins, a 16-year-old five-star prospect, is among 11 high school players Nike announced on July 16 as having signed NIL deals and one of just three juniors.
ESPN’s Eli Lederman reported that Cobbins, who is being represented by Tzvi Grossman of Royalty Management Group, is Nike’s youngest football signee.
“Nike’s football roster has always been defined by the athletes who are shaping where the game goes next,” Nike executive vice president of global sports marketing Ann Miller said in a release. “These signings reflect our commitment to serving the best football talent at every level with the support, innovation and partnership they need to reach their full potential on the field and away from the game.”
The TSSAA began permitting NIL payments, under certain parameters, for Tennessee high school athletes in 2022. Past five-star football recruits who capitalized with significant deals are quarterbacks Jared Curtis (Nashville Christian/Vanderbilt) and George MacIntyre (Brentwood Academy/Tennessee), who both had Leaf Trading Card agreements, among others.
