USC Legend Keyshawn Johnson Predicts Eight-Figure NIL Rate for Himself

Throughout his illustrious career on the football field and across media, Keyshawn Johnson remains one of the most outspoken voice in sports. Had he played at USC during the NIL era, he would surely be one of the top earners in the country.

The former Trojan All-American and eventual No. 1 NFL Draft selection recently dove deep on the current landscape and his own potential NIL earnings with New England Patriots' Hall of Farmer Julian Edelman.

Appearing on Edelman's "Games with Names" podcast, Johnson shared new insights from his time in the NFL and talked about his college experience at USC. Wearing a Trojans sweatshirt, the Super Bowl champion also gave his perspective on the transfer portal and predicted what his NIL value would have been, had it been legal during his day.

"Based on what these Arch Manning's are getting, I was probably a $10 million a year guy," Johnson declared.

Manning - one of the most highly regarded earners in NIL today - has partnerships with the likes of Red Bull, Vuori, Uber, and Panini, among others. His value should raise even higher as he is set to start for Texas next season, taking over for now-Miami Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers.

When asked if he would leave USC for NIL opportunities at another school, Johnson was emphatic that he would stay in Los Angeles, alluding to compensation outside of NIL, which wasn't legal in his day.

"Oh I'm staying at USC," he said. "The reason is because we can pay. I'm a loyal person, I'm not a bounce-around guy. I'm not going to leave because someone is offering me $4 million versus $2.5. I'm not going to jump around and run.”