C.J. Stroud helping future Ohio State football players with big NIL donation

By Nathan Baird,
COLUMBUS, Ohio — One of the first Ohio State football stars to benefit in a big way from name, image and likeness income apparently decided to quickly pay it forward.
THE Foundation, a non-profit NIL collective supporting OSU athletes, announced Stroud made a donation at the organization’s platinum level. According to the collective’s website, that requires a donation of $50,000-$100,000.
That the first known donation of its kind from a former Buckeye. Stroud is the front-runner to be named NFL Rookie of the Year after throwing for over 4,000 yards and leading the Houston Texans to the second round of the AFC playoffs.
Ohio State’s NIL efforts were a factor in why the program was able to retain several players with NFL opportunities, as well as bring in several impact players via transfer. By NCAA rule, teams are not allowed to discuss specific NIL income with unsigned players. Ohio State’s objective has been to create a robust operation through both non-profit and for-profit enterprises and demonstrate through its current athletes what income is available to prospective players.
THE Foundation is also holding a funding drive through its website at thefoundationohio.com. Through 11 p.m. Tuesday, the collective’s board will match all donations. (Stroud’s donation did not come in as part of that drive.)