Jaxson Dart hopes to soar up draft boards during his senior year at Ole Miss. Either way, the Rebels star will be flying high.
The 20-year-old Ole Miss quarterback reached a historic Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal on Tuesday that marks a watershed moment for college sports.
Dart’s new NIL deal is with Nicholas Air, a private jet company. The deal’s terms will allow Dart access to private jets when he needs to travel, and it marks the first-ever deal between such a luxury travel company and a college athlete.
It’s easy to understand why Nicholas Air went after Dart. The former USC recruit was highly touted entering college and succeeded with the Trojans before transferring to join Lane Kiffin’s Rebels. Last season, he completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 3,354 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just five interceptions while adding 389 yards and eight scores on the ground.
Dart will look to build on his junior-year success and establish himself as a high-end NFL prospect in 2024. He will do so while hoping to lead Ole Miss to a top-tier season in the suddenly open SEC West.
Whether or not Dart succeeds, he will do so with the backing of Nichols Air. Here’s what to know about his deal with the company.
TROCCHI: Grading the 14 new Power 4 hires for the 2024 college football season
Jaxson Dart NIL deal
Dart’s NIL deal with Nicholas Air was announced on Tuesday in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“Proud to partner with Jaxson Dart, the nation’s first college athlete to be aligned with an international private aviation company,” the company wrote.
Proud to partner with Jaxson Dart, the nation’s first college athlete to be aligned with an international private aviation company. Welcome to our team, @JaxsonDart!✈️
•#NICHOLASAIR #YourJetIsReady #SteelJet pic.twitter.com/4VwwqBRn2U— NICHOLAS AIR (@NICHOLASAIR) February 27, 2024
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Dart will have access to Nicholas Air’s planes as part of the deal, as Darren Rovell of The Action Network reports.
“[The] endorsement provides Dart hours to Nicholas Air’s fleet of jets for travel, training and philanthropy,” he wrote.
So, Dart will be able to fly in style — and with minimal wait times — as he navigates his senior season at Ole Miss.
BENDER: Why expanding the CFP from 12 to 14 teams so quickly was a mistake
What is Nicholas Air?
Nicholas Air is “an international private aviation company” that provides its clients with private jet services across the United States and around the world. The company operates at more than 9,000 airports across the country, owns its entire fleet of airships, and employs its own pilots.
The company emphasizes “unparalleled safety, reliability, flexibility and convenience” to its members and strives to provide guests with “an exceptional level of quality and service, on the ground and in the air.”
Nicholas Air was founded in 1997 by Nicholas Correnti and was focused in Arkansas and North Carolina. It started as a one-plane operation, with Correnti serving in a variety of roles throughout the company, but it has since grown to a nationwide business.
Former Giants quarterback Eli Manning and PGA Tour golfer Daniel Berger are among athletes who have provided positive testimonials for the company. Dart will now be Nicholas Air’s latest foray into the world of sports as they partner with the 20-year-old for his senior season at Ole Miss.
