Last October, Wayne High School WR Jamier Brown, who pledged to Ryan Day and Ohio State, sued the Ohio High School Athletic Association in October to challenge its NIL ban. The suit was filed by his mother, Jasmine Brown, acting as his guardian. According to the complaint, he had NIL earning potential north of $100,000 per year. A judge granted him a temporary restraining order, letting him profit while the case played out. But Ohio lawmakers didn’t wait long to respond to the ripple effects of high school NIL.

On February 3, state representatives Adam Bird and Mike Odioso introduced House Bill 661, a proposal that would ban middle and high school athletes in Ohio from earning money off their NIL. It directly targets the change the OHSAA made in November, when it voted to allow NIL for all secondary school athletes after months of pressure and Jamier Brown’s very public lawsuit.

Bird was blunt about the intent. At a press conference, he framed school sports as something closer to an educational supplement than a marketplace. 

“We believe that co-curricular activities should be about learning health and fitness,” he said. “It should be about social connection. It should be about discipline, work ethic, character development, leadership and communication skills.”

Jamier Brown’s pressure worked initially. In November, the OHSAA reversed course and officially allowed NIL for middle and high school athletes statewide. Ohio became the 45th state to do so. But only five states reached that point through legislative action, which Odioso has repeatedly argued is the “proper” route. This bill is meant to take that authority back.

Jamier Brown’s lawsuit argued the OHSAA’s blanket ban unfairly singled out Ohio athletes, suppressing economic liberty and limiting free expression in the NIL space. He told ESPN he didn’t want Ohio kids to feel forced to leave the state just to access opportunities already available elsewhere. Ohio, at the time, was one of just six holdouts. He said it was about fairness for the next group. 

House Bill 661 is scheduled for its first hearing Wednesday morning before the House Education Committee. Bird and Odioso both sit on it as Ryan Day and the Buckeyes await the verdict.

Why Jamier Brown still matters to Ryan Day 

Jamier Brown is one of the crown jewels of the 2027 recruiting class for Ohio State. The 5-star WR committed early, in November 2024, and has been viewed internally as a foundational piece of the class. The 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 1 WR and No. 6 overall player nationally. Despite the NIL fight and outside attention, his recruitment hasn’t drifted much. Other programs remain involved but he has stayed consistent publicly. He did pause, though, when longtime WR coach Brian Hartline left for USF. 

During the month Ohio State didn’t have a receivers coach, Ryan Day became Jamier Brown’s primary point of contact. They spoke regularly, more than he ever had before. The Buckeyes eventually hired former LSU WR coach Cortez Hankton, who is expected to be in contact with Brown. What stood out more was the peer involvement. Jeremiah Smith reached out to talk things through. He also stays active in a group chat with other 2027 commits, including QB Brady Edmunds and OLs Kellen Wymer and Mason Wilt. 

Jamier Brown said he still feels “in a good spot” with Ohio State and hopes to return to campus in January. He was at nearly every home game this past season. Others will keep trying but as long as Ryan Day is in Columbus, it’s hard to ignore how closely the NIL, courts, and lawmaker situation is tied to one of his most important future players.