When Jamier Brown pledged his commitment to Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes in November 2024, he likely didn’t anticipate the whirlwind of controversy that would follow. Regarded as one of the top high school prospects in the nation, Brown naturally wanted to capitalize on his rising profile through NIL deals. But there was one major hurdle. Ohio is among six states that still prohibit high school athletes from profiting off NIL opportunities. Determined to challenge that rule, Brown’s mother took matters into her own hands, filing a lawsuit to secure her son’s right to benefit from his talent.

On October 21, Pete Thamel tweeted, “Update: Jamier Brown won a Temporary Restraining Order yesterday for both he and high school athletes in the 818 schools in Ohio to benefit their NIL. Also, Brown signed a trading card deal with Leaf today. OHSAA will hold emergency vote on the issue soon.” So, indeed a good news for Brown. 

The original tweet was from October 14, as Thamel wrote, “NEWS: Jamier Brown, the country’s No. 2 prospect in Class of ’27, is the centerpiece of a lawsuit filed in Ohio seeking injunctive relief to be able to benefit from his NIL while in high school. Ohio is one of six states that prohibit high school NIL.”

His fight to allow high school athletes in Ohio to profit from NIL has been approved for now. As per the reports, a Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge, Jaiza Page, issued a temporary restraining order ruling in favor of Brown. The OSU commit sued the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) last week. According to his attorney Luke Fedlam, Brown’s case hits all the marks for a TRO—success probable, irreparable damage looming, potential harm to others, and the public interest at stake.

“The court does find that granting this will allow for expanded opportunities for high school students and youth across the state of Ohio, and there are benefits in that,” Page said. Fighting this case so far, Brown has already been running late. He has missed out on opportunities worth $100,000. After getting the green signal from the court, Brown did not have to wait for long as he signed a deal with Leaf, the trading cards giant.

In the wake of the 45-day TRO, OHSAA executive director Doug Ute revealed an emergency NIL vote for schools, with dates to be set when the Board convenes October 23-one vote per school, cast by the principal. Meanwhile, not to forget, Brown’s fight is not just for himself. 

The reason behind Jamier Brown’s desperation to win the lawsuit

As per MaxPreps, Brown is ranked in the top 3 in Greater Western Ohio for 1 stat. So far this season, the 6’0” Wayne Varsity star has racked up 61 yards, 4 receptions, and 30.5 receiving yards per game in the two games he has played. He is a five-star recruit who might be the next great Ohio State receiver once he gets to campus. So, Brown is likely to become the NIL magnet.

However, the struggle is not only for him, as even his family is not spared. As Brown’s attorney pointed out, “I think Jamier’s family is similar to a lot of families that recognize that there are significant opportunities to elevate their name, image and likeness. He’d be able to help his family while still focusing on school and competing and playing sports in high school at the highest level.” Most of the high school athletes do not come from privileged backgrounds. 

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So, it often gets difficult for them to pursue their football passions. We have seen Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar going through the same struggle. While Brown has fought the NIL battle, when Aguilar was playing at Freedom High School, spending $100 per week on long train rides felt heavy on Joey’s pockets. So, he even considered going to firefighter school. But his dad, Jose, made a sacrifice of going broke to ensure that Aguilar continues with his football dreams. 

Here, too, Jamier Brown’s mother, Jasmine, stood by her son and filed a lawsuit in Franklin County. In an interview with Thamel, Brown had shared his wish to pay back his mom for the efforts she had put in his upbringing. “My family is getting by. But being able to use NIL would take some weight off my mom and me by helping cover things like tutoring, training, and travel, which help me grow as both a student and a football player,” shared the Wayne High School star. Now, will Brown stay loyal to Ohio State amid the NIL frenzy, or hitch his wagon elsewhere?