King of NIL
 
Rayquan “Rabbit” Smith, a native of Richmond, Virginia, is a graduate running back at Virginia State University, a historically black college and university (HBCU) in Ettrick, Virginia, who is best known as the King of NIL. Smith is a pioneer in the name, image, and likeness space (NIL) and was the first HBCU male athlete to sign with the storied athletic apparel brand Eastbay and a professional hockey team, the Norfolk Admirals. His accolades include the HBCU Male Athlete of the Year in 2021 and the 2022 Hustler Award from the NIL Summit. In 2022, he was named “ the most sponsored athlete of 2022 with 58 deals” by Sponsor United. Smith, known for high energy and explosive plays, brought that same energy to the NIL space and secured 85 NIL deals across, most notably Eastbay, Coach, and Spikeball. Smith, a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, lettered in football and track during his first three years while getting his undergraduate degree in mass communications at Norfolk State University. In his fourth and final season for the Spartans, he focused solely on the decathlon and his ever-expanding role as the “King of NIL.” When he is not training or signing deals, Smith enjoys bowling, and his current high score is 252. Smith is passionate about helping people and wants to become an educator and NIL consultant to create change for his fellow HBCU and NCAA athletes.