The Red Flags You Can’t Ignore in the NIL Era
Learn the red flags of NIL deals and how to protect student-athlete mental health during this high-pressure chapter.
What Parents and ADs Can’t Afford to Ignore in the NIL Era
There’s a lot of excitement around NIL and rightfully so. For the first time, student-athletes can legally earn money off their talent, their hustle, and their personal brand.
But beneath the headlines and highlight reels, there’s a quieter reality most families and athletic directors aren’t talking about enough:
The pressure is real and it’s growing.
We’re watching high school and college athletes try to balance it all: training, school, recruiting, content creation, contract negotiation, personal branding, mental health... all while still being kids.
And it’s not just about saying yes to brand deals. It’s about knowing which offers to say yes to, how to protect your image, what to do when a contract feels off, and how to handle the emotional weight of being “on” all the time.
As a parent or athletic director, your job used to be about keeping athletes safe, eligible, and focused. Now? You’re also their first line of defense in an entirely new business arena.
The Red Flags You Can’t Ignore
If you're not familiar with the inner workings of NIL, it can feel overwhelming. But you don’t have to know everything to know when something feels off.
As someone who built and led the influencer division at a major ad agency, I’ve seen what good brand partnerships look like, and what can quietly turn exploitative. I’ve reviewed hundreds of contracts, negotiated directly with brands like eBay, YouTube, Lexus, Google, AT&T, Coca-Cola, and helped creators (some just teenagers) protect their value.
Here are a few warning signs I urge families and athletic departments to watch for:
Fast-moving contracts with little explanation
If a brand or agency is pressuring your athlete to sign quickly, without walking through the terms or giving them time to review with someone they trust, that’s a monster red flag.
Deals that ask for too much, too soon
Some offers demand multiple posts, appearances, or exclusivity in exchange for very little value. If the workload outweighs the benefit, the deal isn’t worth it. There is power in saying no.
No conversation around values or long-term goals
Your athlete’s brand should reflect who they are, not just what’s trending. If a brand doesn’t align with their identity, it’s okay to walk away.
Coaches or staff pushing a specific deal
If anyone is incentivizing or pressuring an athlete to work with a specific company or collective without transparency, take a step back and ask why. The last thing you want to do is be in compliance violation.
The bottom line: if it feels rushed, vague, or transactional, it probably is. Athletes deserve better, and they need people around them who are willing to ask the hard questions.
The Hidden Mental Health Toll
It’s easy to focus on the opportunities NIL creates. What we don’t talk about enough is the invisible cost of the anxiety, burnout, and identity confusion that can creep in.
Many student-athletes today are quietly struggling. Here’s why:
They’re afraid to mess up. Every post, comment, or missed deliverable feels like a career-ending move.
They don’t know who to trust. When money’s involved, everyone suddenly has advice. Not all of it is good.
They’re exhausted. Between workouts, class, meets, games, and content, there’s often no time left to just be.
They’re unsure who they are outside of their sport. NIL puts a spotlight on their identity often before they’ve figured it out for themselves.
If your athlete seems more anxious, withdrawn, irritable, or overwhelmed please check in with them. These aren’t just growing pains. They might be quietly drowning in pressure they don’t know how to articulate.
How Parents and ADs Can Offer Real Support
You don’t have to be an expert in NIL law to be a protective, empowering presence. Here’s what makes a difference:
Normalize conversations about mental health. It’s okay to admit this is a lot. Remind them that asking for help is a strength.
Teach them to pause. A thoughtful “let me think about it” is powerful. Not every opportunity is urgent.
Vet opportunities together. Bring in a trusted third party if needed, like a mentor, lawyer, or NIL consultant. You’re not expected to know it all.
Focus on values, not virality. Reinforce that their character will always matter more than a follower count.
Protect their identity. Remind them: You are a person first, not just a brand.
Final Thoughts
This era of NIL can be exciting, empowering, and life-changing, with the right guardrails. But without trusted guidance, many athletes will sign things they shouldn’t, perform under stress they can’t sustain, and lose pieces of themselves trying to keep up.
At NextGen Legacy NIL, we’re here to be that steady hand offering athletes and families the tools, education, and perspective to make confident decisions and build something real.
This isn’t about fear. It’s about awareness. And when we know what to look for, we’re better positioned to protect, guide, and uplift this next generation of leaders on and off the field.
It’s More Than Just a Game: Helping Student-Athletes Navigate the Weight of NIL
It all begins with an idea.
Let’s be honest: student-athletes today aren’t just juggling academics and athletics. They’re juggling life at a level most adults would struggle to manage.
They’re expected to perform in the classroom like full-time students. Train like professionals. Maintain their mental health. Figure out their future. Learn how to navigate a social life. And now, thanks to this NIL ear, they’re also expected to be CEOs of their own brand, financial planners, brand strategists, content creators, understand and negotiate contracts, and do all of this before they can legally rent a car.
It’s a lot.
And while NIL has opened doors for student-athletes, it’s also introduced new complexities that many families, school, and athletes weren’t prepared for.
That’s exactly why I started NextGen Legacy NIL. I saw the gap. And I couldn’t ignore it.
What Student-Athletes Are Really Carrying
Behind every highlight reel, viral clip, or sponsorship post, there’s a young person trying figure out:
How to build a brand that feels authentic and real
How to manage time, school, sport, and a social life
What they should charge (or if they’re being taken advantage of)
How to plan for life after they retire from their sport
And truthfully? Most of them, and their families, are doing their best to figure it out as they go.
I believe they deserve better.
Who We Are And Why It Matters
I built NextGen Legacy NIL not as an agency or talent management company, but as a resource. A guide. A bridge between the athlete they are today and the leader they’re becoming tomorrow.
As a former Division I athlete myself, I know the pressure. I know what it’s like to carry your identity, your goals, and your future on your back before you’ve even figure out who you are.
But I also know the power of the right support.
Now, I’m a parent, a brand strategist, and an entrepreneur. And I care deeply about helping the next generation of athletes build something that lasts.
Whether it’s one-on-one coaching, workshops with schools, ore speaking directly to families, everything we do is rooted in clarity, confidence, and compassion.
Because NIL shouldn’t be about the now. It should be about building a legacy.
For the Few Who Go Pro and the Many Who Don’t
While some student-athletes may turn this chapter into a professional career, the vast majority will not. But what they can carry forward are the skills: how to negotiate, how to brand themselves, how to show, how to lead.
That’s what we’re here to teach.
We’re not here to sell dreams, but to build futures.
What’s Next
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing blogs, resources, and real world strategies to help you, where you’re an athlete, a parent, or an athletic director, make informed and empowering decisions.
In the meantime, if this resonates, reach out. You don’t have to navigate this alone. We’re here to tackle this with you.