Source: Travis Hunter does not have NIL deal in place with Barstool Sports

Khari Thompson, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Jackson State football's star signee Travis Hunter does not have an NIL deal in place with Barstool Sports, a person close to the Jackson State football program told the Clarion Ledger on Wednesday.

Hunter, a five-star defensive back and the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, signed with the Tigers on Wednesday in one of the most stunning signing-day flips in history. Hunter had been committed to Florida State before spurning the Power Five program for the FCS.

Shortly after the announcement, speculation began to swirl about an NIL deal between Hunter and Barstool Sports — which hosts a podcast called 21st and Prime with JSU coach Deion Sanders.

The JSU source, speaking to the Clarion Ledger on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter, called the speculation "unequivocally not true" after a tweet from a fake account parodying ESPN reporter Adam Schefter stated Hunter had reached a $1.5 million deal with Barstool.

Under Georgia law, Hunter is unable to profit on NIL unless he is enrolled in college.

NIL rules still lack clarity and vary on a state-to-state basis, but the guiding principle is NIL deals must involve a student-athlete and a third-party — which means a school can't broker the deal — and athletes are not permitted to receive payments or kickbacks for choosing one school over another, according to the Boston Globe.

Just this week, it was announced the NCAA is looking into the Miami (Fla.) and BYU programs for possible violations.

Hunter, as the No. 1 recruit in the nation, should receive extensive NIL sponsorship interest when he arrives in Mississippi, and it's possible Barstool could end up being among his suitors whenever that time arrives.

In July, Missouri's Elijah Young became the first college player to enter an NIL agreement as a "Barstool Athlete."

Under Mississippi law, student-athletes must be 18 to enter an NIL deal.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Travis Hunter does not have NIL deal with Barstool Sports, source says