Sonic has expanded its NIL footprint in college football, signing its first group of athletes on Monday, August 18. The five stars from the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies will join Sonic’s growing roster of brand ambassadors, with the group taking part in a unique acting session led by Terry Crews.
The session, billed as the “Terry Crews School of Acting for Athletes,” featured Safety Michael Taaffe, Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo and defensive end Colin Simmons, alongside Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and running back Rueben Owens. Crews, a former NFL player turned actor known for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Everybody Hates Chris, led the lesson and quipped, “Endorsements mean you actually have to be good on camera. That’s where I come in. Who’s ready to emote?”
During the workshop, the five athletes worked through five acting drills: vocal warmups, vulnerability, technique, bite and smile, and emotion. At the end of the session, each participant received a certificate and a Crews-inspired turtleneck. The group finished on a light note, with Reed named the best actor and Wingo the least impressive in the session.
On3 has pegged NIL valuations for Wingo and Simmons at about $1.5 million each, while Taaffe, Reed, and Owens’ NIL values have not been publicly disclosed.
The cross-state collaboration isn’t just about training; it tees up a high-profile on-field showdown. Texas A&M will travel to Austin to face the Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on the Thanksgiving weekend, a game that fans are already buzzing about in anticipation of Sonic’s promotional push. Ticket demand is reflected in premium prices, with nosebleed seats listed around $600 on SeatGeek.
This move highlights how NIL deals are increasingly blending sports, entertainment, and media, giving student-athletes additional branding opportunities while offering brands like Sonic fresh, character-driven campaigns. It also signals that top programs from both sides of the Red River rivalry are becoming hotbeds for innovative marketing partnerships that extend beyond traditional endorsements.
In addition to the on-screen appeal, such collaborations can help players develop marketable personas and media-ready skills that translate to a broader range of promotional opportunities, from commercials to social media campaigns.
Summary note: Sonic’s inaugural NIL class demonstrates the evolving landscape where college football talent can leverage off-field activities—like acting training—into tangible branding benefits, while fans get additional content and engagement tied to game-day promotions.
If you’d like, I can add a brief explainer on NIL trends in college athletics or draft a short post-game recap to pair with this story. Positive note: this kind of cross-promotional training can help athletes build professional skills that extend beyond the football field, creating win-wins for players, schools, and sponsors.