Long before LSU running back Harlem Berry was headlining recruiting boards across the country, he was just a kid in Louisiana hustling $2 chocolate bars out of a cardboard box to keep his football dreams alive. Today, he’s inked a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal with World’s Finest Chocolate, the very brand he used to sell door-to-door. 

The partnership is the brand’s first NIL offering and has been signed as part of their “Let Them Reign” campaign. It features Berry and UCLA wide receiver Leland Smith to highlight how youth fundraising builds real-world grit, teamwork, and entrepreneurial mindset.

“When I sold World’s Finest Chocolate in middle school to help pay for football, I never imagined I’d one day partner with the same brand as a college athlete,” Berry said, according to Grant Chachere of TigerBait.com. “At the time, I was just trying to do whatever I could to play the sport I love. World’s Finest Chocolate isn’t just helping schools raise money, it’s helping kids believe in themselves, stay committed to their goals, and create experiences that can shape the rest of their lives.” 

For Berry, this isn’t just another corporate sponsor, this is his turn to inspire the next generation of middle schoolers.

“I hope my journey reminds kids that the effort they put in today can help open the door to the opportunities they’re dreaming about tomorrow,” Berry said in the press release.

Beyond the financial benefit,  Berry credits the experience for instilling an entrepreneurial mindset that stuck with him all the way to Baton Rouge.

That discipline carried over off the field as well, earning him a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll as a freshman. But his real breakout came on the gridiron down the stretch. After playing a limited role early in the 2025 season, Berry hit his stride in the second half, finishing his rookie year with 491 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 104 carries, averaging a solid 4.7 yards per pop as he took over a larger share of LSU’s backfield.

After proving he could handle the SEC spotlight as a true freshman, Berry heads into the 2026 campaign as one of the most heavily hyped running backs in the country.

Lane Kiffin loves how Harlem Berry is developing

Despite a stellar finish to his freshman campaign, head coach Lane Kiffin isn’t just handing Berry the keys to the offense. The LSU backfield is a crowded room this fall, and Kiffin has made it abundantly clear that recruiting hype and past production won’t automatically buy starting reps.

“I think he [Berry] started to run the ball more physically,” Kiffin said after practice on Monday, according to Tripp Buhler of Sports Illustrated. “He had a good long touchdown run Saturday. So, I’m very excited about where he can get to.”

Heading into the offseason, Berry looked like the natural heir apparent after taking over as the starter for the final six games of last year. But Kiffin thrives on competition, and he’s kept the race for the top spot wide open. Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones has been turning heads throughout camp, pushing Berry to compete for playing time, and proving that nothing is guaranteed in Baton Rouge.

“I think we gotta remember Harlem’s young, you know, when he got here one year and coming from a smaller league before that. And so there’s some transition in that, and everybody nowadays just expects everybody to be an impact player immediately,” Kiffin said.

Harlem Berry’s story is proof that the grind you put in early pays off down the road. But with the 2026 season opener against Clemson right around the corner, the off-field story takes a backseat. It’s time for Berry to put his foot on the gas and show the country why he’s ready to own the SEC stage.