Avery Johnson has become the face of the Kansas State program this offseason.
The former four-star prospect played in eight games as a true freshman in 2023. His first true start came in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against NC State, earning MVP honors en route to leading the Wildcats to a 28-19 victory.
The quarterback threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 71 yards and another score. Johnson also was an honorable mention for Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, closing out the season throwing for five touchdowns and rushing for seven.
With Will Howard now off to Ohio State, it is Johnson’s offense. He played a crucial role in landing childhood friend and Colorado transfer running back Dylan Edwards. With plenty of notoriety among the K-State fanbase and college football landscape, Avery Johnson is now capitalizing on his NIL.
The sophomore released new merchandise on Wednesday, including new branded T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts and sweatshirts. Prices start at $42.99. The apparel features Johnson’s logo, photos of the quarterback and some illustrations. Athlete-driven merchandise has become a go-to for top names in college football, an easy way to monetize their stardom without having to take too much time out of daily schedules.
Avery Johnson will be working with a new offensive coordinator this fall following Collin Klein’s departure to Texas A&M. K-State coach Chris Klieman opted to promote Conor Riley and hire Matt Wells to fill the void.
“We have added some stuff,” Johnson said in April. “We’ve taken some stuff out, trying to simplify it and find stuff that we’re really good at and really pound that stuff. We also want to find the stuff that we didn’t run so much and that we weren’t so good at and take that out of the playbook. We just want to be excellent at a lot of things.”
Johnson will have Edwards as a trusted tailback in the backfield but also an option in the passing game. Edwards grabbed 36 catches for 299 yards and four touchdowns as a true freshman with Colorado.
Avery Johnson’s growing NIL platform
Johnson is repped by Equity Sports. The Maize (Kansas) High native was K-State’s top-ranked recruit in the 2023 class. He previously inked an endorsement deal with Robbins Motor Company, one of the top dealerships in Manhattan. As part of the agreement, he received the keys to a “Smoke Show” colored Dodge Charger to drive around the Little Apple.
The second-year quarterback has also emerged as a name to watch in the Heisman race. He was ranked in the top 10 of updated lines for the 2024 Heisman, clocking in with +3000 odds. With a rising national profile and a strong start to the 2024 season, Johnson will be well positioned to cash in on his NIL.
The quarterback has amassed roughly 87,000 social media followers. He’s worked extensively with the K-State NIL collective Wildcat NIL and has opted into EA Sports College Football 25.
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