CELSIUS signs 6 college football stars to NIL deals
If CELSIUS were a college football team, they would be a favorite to win it all.
The energy drink company announced on Monday that they signed six Heisman hopefuls to NIL deals, known as the "ESSENTIAL Six": Travis Hunter, Jalen Milroe, Donovan Edwards, Emeka Egbuka, Dillon Gabriel, and DJ Uiagalelei are now a part of one family.
"It’s going to be an exciting year for me, and I’m excited to be a part of the new campaign they got going on," two-way Colorado star Hunter, likely a top-10 pick next year, said in a recent interview with FOX Business - this marks his third season partnering with the company.
"When you’re playing football, you play for a long period of time. I look at the grand scheme of things when it comes to maximizing my potential, as far as putting things in my body." Milroe, Alabama's quarterback, added.
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"First and foremost, amazing people to work with. So genuine, so down to earth, and it was really just a great opportunity for me to partner with such a great brand, be represented by them, hearing about the athletes they’re covering, as well, around college football, it’s a huge group to be a part of, so kind of hard to pass up," the Ohio State receiver in Egbuka told us.
One of Edwards' former Michigan teammates, Blake Corum, had an NIL deal with CELSIUS when he was a part of the national championship winning team, so it was an easy decision for his fellow running back.
"Blake had did it last year, which I knew that he enjoyed the partnership. So, doing my due diligence with my representatives talking to me, it was a perfect fit. I’m glad that I’m a part of the team," Edwards said.
Each standard can of CELSIUS has 200mg of caffeine and zero sugar, making it the perfect go-to for football players. Additionally, while it is quite common to be used right before a workout, most of the guys tend to use it plenty off the field.
"With the type of schedule I have as a college football player, you have class, you have workouts 24/7, you have practice, you have to be locked in for early AM meetings," Egbuka says. "So, it kind of gets me a jump start on the day, be able to take advantage of my mornings – that’s really the way I use it."
Gabriel, now Oregon's quarterback, echoed Egbuka's sentiments.
"With football, there’s a lot of long days, a bunch of meetings, and days that are physically taxing. But when you have something you can rely on that gives you that extra boost to maximize your time, with meetings, practice, whatever it may be, that’s how I’ve used it. It’s been a huge help, and you do need that to stay focused and keep going," he said.
Milroe also uses it as an essential morning coffee. "I like to drink one before meetings so that I can absorb all the information," he says.
"What other way to stay awake than the crack of a CELSIUS energy drink," added Edwards.
Hunter, playing in the mountain time zone, often has 10 a.m. games. "When we have a morning game, it’s good for me to drink it," he says.
Outside the college rankings, CELSIUS also has Jake Paul, Noah Lyles and Dustin Poirier on its roster.
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