GREENSBORO, N.C. — The No. 1 ranked quarterback in the Class of 2026 — Grimsley star Faizon Brandon — is suing the North Carolina State Board of Education over its ban of endorsement deals for student athletes at public high schools.
The complaint was filed Friday in Wake County Superior Court by Rolanda Brandon on behalf of her son, who is still a minor. It states that Brandon "was approached by a prominent national trading card company and presented with an opportunity to provide a certain volume of signed memorabilia prior to his high school graduation."
Additionally, the complaint suggests that the cost of turning down the trading card deal is "potentially millions of dollars that Brandon has no guarantee of ever recouping."
Brandon told 247Sports/CBS Sports on Monday that he believes the potential for NIL earnings has a chance not only to help him, but many other student-athletes across the state.
The complaint alleges that the State Board of Education exceeded its authority under state law to "regulate" the use of name, image and likeness (NIL) by public school athletes. Back in May 2023, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association passed guidelines that would have allowed student-athletes to begin marketing their name, image and likeness starting in July. The NCHSAA lost the ability to enact those changes after Senate Bill 452 stripped the athletic association of many of its powers — and instead gave the responsibility of creating NIL guidelines to the Board of Elections.
Ultimately, on June 6, the BOE voted to prohibit all public school student-athletes from signing deals for the use of their name, image and likeness in exchange for compensation.
Brandon committed to Tennessee on August 3rd. According to website On3, Tennessee has one of the top NIL programs in the country for college football, with an average of $120k being paid out to each player for the 2024 season.
We reached out to the Grimsley football team to get in contact with the Brandon family. Head coach Darryl Brown said that the family has been told not to talk to the media, per their lawyer's request.
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