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A pair of Sunshine State wide receiver prospects wasted no time capitalizing on new legislation surrounding Florida high school NIL policies. On the same day the FHSAA passed bylaw changes to allow NIL, the duo signed a major brand deal with American Eagle.
While that’s certainly good news for the pass catchers (and their bank accounts), it could also be a positive sign for the future of the Ohio State football program.
Jaime Ffrench and Vernell Brown are the receivers that inked those partnerships, both of whom land among the nation’s Top 50 recruits in the 2025 cycle.
Top 2025 recruits Jaime Ffrench and Vernell Brown are making NIL history in Florida.
The pair of wide receivers inked NIL deals with American Eagle, according to a post on X from their 7-on-7 program South Florida Express. The move comes Tuesday, hours after the Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors passed sweeping bylaw changes to allow name, image and likeness activities for its student-athletes without forfeiting the ability to play high school sports.
That deal is significant for a number of reasons.
First, the receivers become the first major high school prospects in the state of Florida to land NIL brand deals. Second, Ohio State ties to the American Eagle brand could influence the duo’s college recruitment.
With name, image, and likeness becoming a major recruiting tool, the company’s ties and history with the Buckeyes might prove beneficial.
While CEO Jay Schottenstein has a degree from Indiana, he’s a prominent Ohio State donor.
The Schottensteins support many local organizations, including the Columbus Museum of Art, the United Way of Central Ohio, and Ohio State University. In 2008, the Schottensteins endowed the biennial Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Prize in Cardiovascular Sciences at Ohio State University, an esteemed award given to outstanding medical and research professionals in the field.
He’s reportedly endowed $2M to the university’s heart health research cause while the Buckeyes’ home basketball arena is named after Jay’s father, Jerome.
According to On3, American Eagle has negotiated with a number of current Ohio State players, including TreVeyon Henderson, Denzel Burke, and Jeremiah Smith.
Could that influence impact Jaime Ffrench and Vernell Brown? It seems possible!
While Ffrench is currently eyeing programs like LSU and Texas, he does have three ‘crystal ball’ predictions from 24/7 Sports experts to commit to the Buckeyes.
Meanwhile, Ohio State is believed to be the clear-cut leader to land Brown’s services.
Those American Eagle deals can’t hurt their chances!
It will be interesting to see how the recruitments play out for the Florida based prospects given their recent NIL partnerships. With the new legislation being passed, this could soon become the new norm in the Sunshine State.