Arch Manning is currently not only the most sought-after player in college football, but he is also attracting lucrative NIL deals left, right and center. After starting the year with a prestigious partnership with Red Bull USA, the Texas star, whose NIL valuation is a whopping $6.5 million, has now inked a deal with one of the fastest-growing lifestyle brands in the game: Vuori.
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The 19-year-old Texas Longhorns star’s partnership with a $5.5 billion California-based athleisure brand marks his first fashion deal. As things stand, it’s a major NIL move and another sign that Arch is shaping up to be the new face of not only college football but also college branding.
But what makes this partnership special is the fact that Vuori is a brand Manning believes in, just as the Joe Kudla-owned brand believes in him. “It just made sense for me,” Arch said of the deal, calling from Austin, where he’s now QB1 heading into what could be a breakout season.
“I’m not a huge fashion guy,” Manning said. “If you saw me dressed, you’d probably understand. But what I liked about Vuori is it’s not trying to be loud. It’s focused, reliable, and feels authentic, just like how, pretty much, I try to be. I think that’s what stood out to me, and that’s what I liked about it. It wasn’t over-the-top by any means.”
Considering Arch Manning is mostly seen on his social media wearing low-key and effortless fabric, it’s no surprise that he fits the kind of vibe Vuori is known for.
A glimpse of this was seen in the brand’s latest campaign announcing the partnership, where Arch is shown rocking their Kore Short and Strato Tech Tee at a local Austin high school stadium while doing basic passing drills.
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Vuori is the latest billion-dollar brand to join Arch’s growing NIL portfolio. After inking his first multi-year NIL deal with sports trading card giants Panini America in 2023, the Texas Longhorns star announced his appearance in EA Sports’ CFB 25 video game a year later.
Four months later, Arch Manning went on to ink a deal with Red Bull, marking his first big splash in the energy drink industry. And just a few days before the Vuori announcement, he was seen in an Uber commercial with grandpa Archie Manning.
With the athleisure brand being the 5th company in his portfolio, it’s not a surprise that, at $6.5 million, Manning is the highest-valued college athlete in the country today.
For now, Arch’s next challenge is to bring Texas back to national prominence and live up to the high standards that come with his last name.
