NFLPA Forecasts Next Group Of Top-Selling Players On New “Rising Stars” List
Newest lineup of breakout retail stars puts spotlight on an exciting group of rookies and veterans
NFLPA PROJECTS NEXT GROUP OF TOP-SELLING PLAYERS ON ANNUAL “RISING STARS” LIST
– Newest lineup of breakout retail stars puts spotlight on an exciting group of rookies and veterans –
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2019 – QB Kyler Murray, DE Nick Bosa, QB Dwayne Haskins and QB Lamar Jackson are projected as top-selling performers on the annual NFLPA Rising Stars list, it was announced today by the NFL Players Association, via its marketing and licensing arm, NFL Players Inc. The yearly list aims to identify the next crop of players poised to have an instant impact on consumer sales and ultimately rank among top sellers of all officially licensed, player-identified merchandise for NFLPA sponsors, licensees, and retailers. To be considered, players must not have appeared on any previous quarterly or year-end NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales List.
As fans buy merchandise featuring this year’s newest players, Murray, the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals, leads 10 rookies tabbed by the NFLPA to finish among future retail powerhouses. Bosa (drafted second overall by the San Francisco 49ers), Haskins (selected 15th by the Washington Redskins), RB Josh Jacobs (selected 24th by the Oakland Raiders) and WR Marquise Brown (selected 25th by the Baltimore Ravens) round out the top five rookies predicted to have high impact at retail.
The sports retail business thrives on top performing players, and the NFLPA Rising Stars expects popular veterans continuing to drive that trend. Jackson, Denver Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay, Green Bay Packers WR Davante Adams, Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett and New England Patriots RB Sony Michel rank as five bright young veterans to watch.
“Each season, players have a chance to break out on the field and, as a result, become leaders in player retail sales,” said Steve Scebelo, NFLPA vice president of licensing and business development. “With so many talented athletes who have incredibly diverse personalities and passionate fan bases, we are always pleased to see when these predictions are borne out – and just as pleased to have additional players break through and show their retail might.”
This year’s NFLPA Rising Stars list will provide partners with a valuable resource for planning licensed product lines, evaluating potential brand ambassadors, launching social media campaigns, developing new player-centric content and creating marketing and promotion strategies for the upcoming season.
Each of the Rising Stars’ category rankings is developed by evaluating factors including draft position, on-field performance, fantasy football popularity, early demand from NFLPA sponsors for content and marketing, product submissions from more than 70 NFLPA licensees, and the strength of a player’s team market.
The reveal of NFLPA Rising Stars follows the recent announcement of the Year-End NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales leaders, which featured 10 players from last year’s Rising Stars. Among them was Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes II, who was the third-ranked veteran on last year’s list of Rising Stars before jumping to No. 5 on the year-end players sales list.
At the first major business event of the spring, the upcoming NFLPA Rookie Premiere (May 16-18 in Los Angeles) will provide NFLPA sponsors and licensees access to 40 top rookies—including many from the Rising Stars list—as they learn about developing their brand and jumpstarting their endorsement careers.
2019 NFLPA Rising Stars List
Rookies:
- Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
- Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers
- Dwayne Haskins, QB, Washington Redskins
- Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland Raiders
- Marquise Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens
- D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
- T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions
- N’Keal Harry, WR, New England Patriots
- Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
- Mecole Hardman Jr., WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Veterans:
- Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
- Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver Broncos
- Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers
- Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
- Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots
- Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons
- Josh Rosen, QB, Miami Dolphins
- Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
- George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
- Derrius Guice, RB, Washington Redskins
About the NFL Players Association
The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through 2020.
About NFL Players Inc.
NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing arm of the NFLPA, connects businesses to the power of NFL players. NFL Players Inc. creates customized business solutions for partners, through licensing, marketing strategy and player activations. For more information, please visit nflpa.com/players.