Trae Taylor is already giving Nebraska something it can sell, and he hasn’t played a down for the Huskers yet.
The 5-star quarterback commit has become more than just a big recruiting win. He’s a peer recruiter, a signal that Nebraska can still land elite talent, and now a high school player with real commercial pull. The latest proof came earlier this week, when Pete Nakos of On3 reported that Taylor partnered with Derby Watch Supply, making him the first high school athlete to land that kind of deal with the company.
That puts the soon-to-be Millard South senior in rare company. Taylor is now the only high schooler tied to the luxury watch brand, and the partnership is centered on promoting the new Rolex Datejust.
On Derby Watch Supply’s website, watches in that collection range from $6,000 to more than $36,000. As of now, it’s believed that only one other player in high school or college has a similar arrangement: Miami’s Darian Mensah.
For Nebraska, that matters. Taylor has not enrolled yet, but he’s already building a profile that makes the Huskers look like a destination for major prospects. The deal adds another layer to what’s becoming a very loud recruiting pitch.
And this isn’t even Taylor’s first NIL agreement. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior already has partnerships with Adidas, Overtime, Subway, Hershey, Gregg Young Chevrolet, and several smaller deals he’s continued to stack on top of that list.
His Adidas connection stands out for Nebraska, too, since the quarterback is now tied to the same sportswear company the Huskers work with. It’s also the first deal of this type signed by a player before he’s officially on NU’s roster. Other current and former Huskers who have signed NIL agreements with Adidas include Dylan Raiola, Harper Murray, and Lexi Rodriguez.
All of it adds up to a striking number: Taylor is estimated to be worth more than $1 million in NIL money before he’s even become a college athlete. That’s a win for Taylor, obviously. But it’s also a useful talking point for Nebraska, which can point to the value he’s already built as proof of what the program can attract.
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