College football players equipped with fresh NIL money are dropping up to $80,000 on their high school proms

For Xavier Payne, Dakorien Moore, Marcus Jennings and Mark Bowman, prom night wasn’t just a chance to connect with friends and celebrate the end of their high school careers. It was also a chance to spend some of the money they earned as highly-touted university football recruits.

With six-figure Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation packages deposited into their accounts, these athletes had a bit more money to spend on their proms than the typical high school graduate. And boy, did they spend!

‘I’m going to do it big’

Payne, an offensive lineman who’s committed to the University of Colorado, returned to Jones High in Florida for his prom, and he did so in style.

Arriving in a $180,000 Mercedes, Payne stepped out wearing a $2,500 custom suit, a $40,000 vintage Cartier watch and a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes that cost $1,100. While he may not own all of these items, Payne estimates he spent around $10,000 on his big night.

“I just decided, I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it right and I’m going to do it big,” Payne told the Wall Street Journal.

Moore, a five-star wide receiver who’s committed to the University of Oregon, went even bigger, spending upwards of $80,000 on his prom. His spending included an event planner ($12,000), Louis Vuitton shoes ($2,000), a catered lunch for 100 friends and family, and a chauffeured ride to prom in a Bentley.

“It was just our night for that one night,” Moore told the WSJ. “We definitely took advantage of that.” Moneywise reached out to Moore for comment but didn’t hear back in time for publication.

Jennings, a linebacker who’s committed to the University of Pittsburgh, spent roughly $30,000 on his prom and the bulk of that cost was sitting on his wrist. Sporting a vintage Royal Oak Audemars Piguet watch, which costs $25,000, Jennings completed his prom fit with a $770 custom suit and $900 Prada shoes.

And then there’s Bowman, a freshman tight end for the University of Southern California. Bowman arrived at his prom in a 2017 Lamborghini Huracán, stepping out in Gucci loafers that cost $1,000.

The Lamborghini was loaned to him by a family friend, while the Gucci loafers were a graduation gift from his mother. Bowman, who is careful with his spending, got a suit from LA’s fashion district for just $100.

“With football turning into more of a business, it’s nice for him to go back to a high school event and just get to dance and have a great time with his friends,” Bowman’s mother, Heather, told the WSJ.

What is Name, Image and Likeness?

NCAA college athletes weren’t always allowed to earn money for their athletic prowess. That changed in 2021, when the NCAA initiated a rule that allows college athletes to financially benefit from their name, image and likeness, or NIL.

“It [NIL] refers to a person’s legal right to control how their image is used, including commercially,” Sara Coello reported for ESPN.

“In college, student-athletes have long been prohibited from making deals to profit from their fame, so they forfeited their NIL rights by signing on with college sports teams. A combination of NCAA rule changes and state laws restored NIL rights to college athletes, and they’ve been making sponsorship deals ever since.”