NFL Players Inc., the marketing and licensing arm of the NFL Players Association, recently unveiled its first-ever “Rising 50” list of future top-selling stars.
Geared toward sponsors, licensees, retailers and future partners, the list is aimed at identifying the next crop of NFL players poised to break out and rank among the top sellers of licensed merchandise. This inaugural list covers the 2014 season and is highlighted by popular veterans, emerging young stars and highly touted college players, such as former Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota, entering the upcoming NFL Draft.
In addition to on-field performance during the 2014 season, the NFLPI Rising 50 list takes into account Fantasy league popularity, early demand from current partners and licensees, and new faces in strong markets as factors for sales popularity. Players must not have appeared in previous NFLPI “Top 50 Player Sales” lists, and the Rising 50 will be updated only once annually.
The top 15 players on the Rising 50 are:
- Odell Beckham Jr.
- Le’Veon Bell
- Marcus Mariota
- Antonio Brown
- T.Y. Hilton
- Jeremy Hill
- Mike Evans
- Jameis Winston
- Randall Cobb
- Kelvin Benjamin
- Emmanuel Sanders
- Alshon Jeffery
- DeAndre Hopkins
- Julius Thomas
- Golden Tate
To see the entire Rising 50 list, visit nflpa.com. — J.L.