Five-star wide receiver commit Vernell Brown III from Florida has signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Panini America for autographed trading cards and memorabilia, the company announced Thursday.
Brown will be featured in Panini’s collegiate product line, including autographed cards and memorabilia, and will take part in Panini’s marketing initiatives, according to their press release. He joins other standout players like Alabama QB Jalen Milroe, Texas QBs Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola, Ohio State QB Julian Sayin, and USC WR Zachariah Branch, who also have exclusive deals with Panini.
“VB3 is on his way to becoming a key player at the college level and a great fit for our products and programs,” said Jason Howarth, Senior VP of Marketing and Athlete Relations at Panini America.
Brown, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound wide receiver from Jones High School in Orlando, is ranked No. 39 overall, No. 6 among wide receivers, and No. 4 in Florida by 247Sports. On the 247Sports Composite, he’s ranked No. 27 overall, No. 6 among wide receivers, and No. 5 in Florida, earning five-star status.
In 2023, Brown recorded 70 catches for 1,363 yards and 10 touchdowns. So far in 2024, he has 51 receptions for 664 yards and four touchdowns.
Andrew Ivins, 247Sports’ director of scouting, praised Brown as a “dynamic athlete” with elite quickness, a knack for creating separation, and the potential to be a game-changer at the college level, especially as a slot receiver and return specialist.
Brown’s Panini partnership is part of the company’s push into NIL deals. Panini also launched “Panini College,” a platform allowing athletes from partner universities to have their own Panini trading cards. Initially, the platform featured athletes from Ohio State, Nebraska, and Texas, with plans to expand further.
Brown expressed his excitement about partnering with Panini, saying it fulfilled a childhood dream of having his own trading card.
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