Fiverr is looking to help college football players grow their personal brands in the wake of changes to the name, image and likeness rules. 

The online freelance marketplace introduced a new mentorship program that pairs college athletes with NFL players of the same alma mater to help them learn how to make money through endorsements, sponsorships and appearance fees. 

Fiverr will also offer up members of its network to support the athlete’s brand-building, depending on what services are needed. This effort is the latest push by the brand to broaden its freelance offerings after making a series of recent acquisitions. 

The program’s first collaboration will be between Kayvon Thibodeaux, a defensive end at the University of Oregon, and Arik Armstead, a defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers and former Duck. The two created video content for their social media that promotes the partnership, as well as gives Thibodeaux’s brand early exposure to large audiences. Armstead and Fiverr freelancers will also help Thibodeaux with website design and search engine optimization for his charity, The Jream Foundation. Two more collaborations will be announced early next year.

Brands have become eager to forge partnerships with college athletes since the NCAA adopted the NIL rule earlier this summer. While talent and name recognition are important factors, a strong personal brand could make athletes even more attractive and help them to stand out against the crowd. Thibodeaux’s ties to philanthropy, for example, may serve as a marketable asset in future branded partnerships.

The rise of collegiate athlete influencers has also emerged out of the NIL ruling. Competitors from basketball to gymnastics have accumulated large followings on social media, and brands wanting to get in on the action have started paying them to post about their products and services. As NIL partnerships become more popular, college athletes could significantly boost the creator economy.

Fiverr’s mentorship program specifically targets college football, which is proving to be the first big marketing test for NIL. Brands including Denny’s, Dr. Pepper and United Airlines have pounced on players across the country, and for good reason: College football receives far and away the most viewership of any NCAA sport.