Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston have yet to play a down in the NFL, but to NFL Players Inc., an arm of the NFL Players Association, they are already two of the league's 10 most marketable rising stars.
The "Rising 50" list projects which NFL players are poised to generate the highest sales figures for licensed merchandise. Mariota and Winston are the only two players in the top 10 -- Mariota at No. 3 and Winston at No. 8 -- who aren't yet in the league. Topping the list is the New York Giants' Odell Beckham, Jr., whose merchandise sales figure to soar this offseason after a spectacular rookie season in one of the NFL's biggest markets.
"NFLPI's depth of knowledge about NFL players provides our business partners with some valuable sales and marketing insights, and the Rising 50 list is designed to be a unique resource they can use to plan for the upcoming season," said incoming NFLPI President Ahmad Nassar. "We believe the list will stir up some healthy debate while becoming a useful tool for evaluation going forward."
There is little doubt that Mariota and Winston will be instant attractions for two NFL fan bases, but whether or not they play, and play effectively, will go a long way to determine what kind of merchandising sales they generate next season. Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manzielupended that logic last year, topping the NFL in jersey sales in mid-summer, prior to the start of his rookie season.
But Manziel was an exception largely because he didn't need the NFL to build a brand for himself, garnering immense popularity at the college level. Play on the field ultimately drives such things for every NFL player. And given Manziel's struggles as a rookie, it's worth noting that he is nowhere to be found on the "Rising 50" list this year.
Other 2015 draft prospects on the list include Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper (No. 23), Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon (No. 31) and Georgia running back Todd Gurley (No. 46).
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