Nebraska Cornhuskers freshman wide receiver Decoldest Crawford isn’t wasting any time getting paid off his name. Decoldest, in maybe an obvious partnership, is the new spokesperson for SOS Heating & Cooling, an HVAC company located in Omaha. It’s all in the name ,right?
“If anyone knows which HVAC company is the coldest in Nebraska, it’s him!” SOS wrote in a social media post. “You’ll be seeing a lot more of him soon.”
Now this is how you NIL.
Signing Decoldest Crawford to an HVAC deal is just smart business. pic.twitter.com/6QHf7kKva1
— Joe Kinsey (@JoeKinseyexp) July 28, 2022
Given the recent heat wave that has swept most of the country, couldn’t you see SOS with a commercial asking who has de-coldest AC? See? It works …
This might be the first NIL partnership with an air conditioning company, but the deal is part of a trend of a large number of smaller, local businesses that have heavily invested in NIL, including local car dealerships and restaurant chains.
Crawford, a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, is a three-star prospect who was ranked among the top 20 players in Louisiana and the top 80 receivers in the country. At 6 feet and 180 pounds, he’s the “twitchiest” of the three incoming freshmen, according to associate head coach and wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph.
“He moved to the slot when he got to Nebraska after studying and planning to be a Z and X,” Joseph said. “[We] needed more depth at that position and Crawford is running really good routes and picking it up fast.”
Crawford is only a freshman, so it’s possible he develops into a surefire pro prospect. But that’s no guarantee. He’s playing a dangerous sport for free, and while a multi-million dollar shoe and apparel contract aren’t likely, this deal with SOS is exactly why allowing college athletes to profit off NIL deals is a good thing.
If local fans in Omaha and the surrounding area start seeing Crawford’s face on TV and ads routinely it will increase his visibility. He makes a couple funny commercials, and people will be inclined to buy his “Essential” merchandise on his Fan Arch page. We’re not talking millions, but maybe tens of thousands?
If he plays decently or even well? More local and regional businesses will want him affiliated with their brands and selling their wares. Looks like a win-win situation.
Crawford originally committed to his home state LSU Tigers but reopened his recruitment and landed with the Cornhuskers.
“We didn’t expect to be in a situation like this, but the second we saw that Decoldest was signing with Nebraska the light bulb went off immediately,” Jake Wasikowski, in charge of sales and public relations for SOS, told OutKick. “We said we have to get this guy to be the spokesperson for us and so far it’s going really well.
“He has a really unique name and we want to capitalize on it with him and hopefully he grows into that role of doing really well on the field. We’re willing to take a chance on him.”
With a name like Decoldest, he had better do something, right? Just think, if he’s successful, how many other parents will think of creative names for their potential athlete children?