Oregon State QB and WR join Nike's Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program amid Pac-12 breakout season
Nike and Oregon State announced that quarterback Braden Atkinson and wide receiver Jesse Legree have been added to Nike's Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program, a portfolio designed to connect leading college athletes with the brand. The announcement also included an extension of the existing partnership between Nike and Oregon State. Atkinson, who transferred from Mercer before the 2026 season, leads the FBS in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, while Legree tops the FBS in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Legree had previously announced at a late-October press conference that he would return to Oregon State for the 2027 season.
Blue Ribbon Elite represents a broad portfolio of athletes across disciplines, reimagining the NIL space by providing leading athletes and universities an unmatched level of collaboration
Why it matters
For brands: Nike's Blue Ribbon Elite program signals a strategy of embedding the brand directly into high-visibility college athletes through university partnerships.
For athletes: College football players can see how top on-field performance in a breakout season can attract major brand NIL deals at the program level.
For collectives: Program-level NIL deals tied to apparel partners represent a growing model that collectives should monitor as they structure their own athlete agreements.
Read the full story at On3 NIL
Sources
- On3 NIL · Daniel Hager: Oregon State's Jesse Legree, Braden Atkinson join Nike's Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program
- Yahoo Sports college football: Oregon State's Jesse Legree, Braden Atkinson join Nike's Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program