Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Vols and Brian Kelly and LSU have had a tough time wading through the rough waters of NIL. Thanks to their former quarterbacks, Nico Iamaleava and Bryce Underwood. In this case, Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks are quite lucky. His players have passed the test of loyalty with an A+ when it came to staying committed to the program, even when programs tried to poach them with fat NIL checks.

As reported by LaNorris Sellers’ father, Beamer’s quarterback was offered $8 million over two years to leave the Gamecocks. On the other hand, Gamecocks EDGE rusher Dylan Stewart, who has already picked up the 2027 NFL Draft buzz, also turned down NIL offers to be loyal to South Carolina. Here comes another big NIL story in Beamer’s camp. The hero is none other than their wide receiver, Nyck Harbor, and he is reigning in the world of NIL. 

Just like Sellers and Stewart, Harbor, too, has been the hot topic of conversation in the NFL front. Todd McShay even sees him going off the shelves as early as the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. But the pro league discussions can wait. For now, Harbor endeavors to rage the NIL world. And along with winning riches, Beamer’s wide receiver is also winning hearts. On July 31, On3 NIL reported, “South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor hosted a Community Day over the weekend and donated $10K of his own NIL earnings back to the Archbishop Carroll athletic department.”

Last season, the 6-5, 235-pounder spread his talents on the field, posting a career high 26 catches for 376 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2024. Before this season hits, he might have wanted to show his gratitude to the place that shaped him. That’s his alma mater, Archbishop Carroll High School. The rising junior hosted the Nyck Harbor Community Day over the weekend. Harbor holds a NIL valuation of $369,000, as per On3. While Beamer’s wide receiver might have gained fame as a football player, back in high school, he was a football and track star.

Harbor ran a 10.38-second 100-meter time and a 21.36-second 200-meter time as a sophomore in high school, and had Olympic hopes. But being committed to Beamer’s South Carolina, he is fully concentrating on football and has opted to skip the indoor and outdoor track season this year. And Beamer can’t be prouder. “I think he realized that he did a lot of good things in track last year, but missing spring practice — I don’t want to say it set him back, but it was more of a challenge to be ready for the season. I think he just wanted to really focus on football, not that track is over, but right now, that’s where his focus is, just football,” said the Gamecocks head coach. Meanwhile, Harbor has already been listed as an ‘X factor’ in the South Carolina camp.

Nyck Harbor, a must-keep weapon for Shane Beamer’s Playoff hunt

Before committing to Beamer’s squad, Harbor’s NIL valuation was stagnant at $63,000. Post his commitment in February 2023, the wide receiver and the then-five-star prospect signed an NIL deal with Champ Sports. And immediately, his valuation witnessed a sharp rise to $356,000. Post this, there has been no stopping for Harbor on the NIL track. He signed deals with Ovation for Men Sport, Park Ave, Beats by Dre, TruSport, EA Sports, and so on and so forth. But something special happened in 2025.

At the beginning of this year, Harbor decided to solidify his commitment to Beamer’s program. He signed a NIL deal with the Garnet Trust, the university’s official NIL collective. After all, in no way, the head coach could afford to lose Harbor, who ranked second on the team behind tight end Joshua Simon. The Garnet Trust’s investment in Harbor reflects the growing importance of NIL agreements in retaining top talent. Somehow, Beamer knew that he needed to keep his wide receiver locked in. 

Last season, the Gamecocks improved to nine wins. So, in 2025, fans are expecting Shane Beamer and Co. to punch a playoff ticket. While LaNorris Sellers is believed to be the frontrunner, another player could be a key component for the Gamecocks in 2025. ESPN released a list of Gamecocks’ potential X factor for the upcoming season. That’s where Nyck Harbor, who is returning for the third season in Columbia, found himself a spot. “No player on South Carolina’s roster looks the part quite like Harbor. He’s 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, built like DK Metcalf, and is an absolute rocket,” the ESPN report read. With gratitude fueling his game, Harbor’s poised to dominate in 2025 and make his alma mater proud all over again.