A North Carolina judge ruled Tuesday that public school athletes in the state can profit from NIL. The ruling stems from the lawsuit the mother of Class of 2026 Tennessee five-star quarterback commit Faizon Brandon brought against the North Carolina Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction. Currently 39 states – through laws or local athletic associations – allow athletes to participate in NIL deals without forfeiting the ability to play high school sports. North Carolina remains one of the 11 that does not allow high schoolers to capitalize on NIL. That will now change.