BY
DAN CANOVA
OCTOBER 4, 2022
Mitchell Agude
Miami defensive lineman Mitchell Agude is no stranger to NIL.
Agude recently caught up with The NIL Deal and spoke about his name, image and likeness deals and partnerships, as well as his near-death experience as a young boy.
Through four games this college football season, Agude has eight tackles and a half sack for the Hurricanes. With that said, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound senior is looking to take his game to the next level and get Miami (2-2) back to its winning ways after recently suffering back-to-back losses to Texas A&M and Middle Tennessee.
Here is the full Q&A with Agude, who is represented by Rosenhaus Sports:
The NIL Deal: How has NIL helped you so far? And what has your experience been like?
Agude: “It’s been great. Money-wise, I’ve been financially free. I’m able to take care of my family in certain ways. I can’t help with all of the bills, but if my mom needs anything, I’m actually able to help out. Before, she was the one sending me money and giving me her last dollars. Now I’m able to help her out… Products I’m getting are helpful for my recovery. Just being able to get NIL deals to be a better football player is really good. I’m not paying for it, but NIL is providing me resources that I would have never had before. Or I wouldn’t have even thought of.”
The NIL Deal: What companies do you have deals with? How did they come to fruition?
Agude: “I got an NIL deal with LifeWallet. That was when I first got to Miami. And Rosenhaus, my agency, they were able to communicate to other companies, and reach out and talk to them about me. They just bring different companies and products to my attention, and I’m able to decide if I want to do it or not. With LifeWallet, we do commercials, we repost, we do a bunch of social media posts and post pictures and do interviews. They use us to promote their app.
“I have an NIL deal with ClearCover, Crocs, and I have one with Snapchat as well.”
RELATED: Miami Hurricane stars Tyler Van Dyke, Destiny Harden ink NIL deals with The Dan Le Batard Show
The NIL Deal: If you could partner with any brand, who would it be and why?
Agude: “I don’t have a specific brand that I’d partner with, but I think anything recovery wise. Or anything that is going to help me with my game. Anything that’s going to help me with my future to get to the NFL. Whatever is going to help me be the best version of myself and what I’m doing, those are the NIL deals that I like doing. I don’t like the fancy and flashy stuff. I just want stuff that’s going to help me be the best version of myself. And that’s what I’m working towards.”
The NIL Deal: Favorite apparel line?
Agude: “Probably Nike.”
The NIL Deal: How do you see NIL benefiting you and others moving forward?
Agude: “It makes high school sports way more serious. You can get more NIL deals being a better player by the time you get to college. You could’ve been a five-star athlete and not get any reward for it. Now that NIL is here, I think student-athletes are going to take it way more seriously because they know in a couple of years, their lives can change in college sports. College football is going to be semi-pro. It’s really helping me be free, mentally and physically, where I’m able to buy stuff to take care of me or stuff that I want. And I’m also able to not worry about my family going broke.”
The NIL Deal: How has your family been throughout this entire process?
Agude: “I feel like I have the biggest support staff. I’m the baby of the family. I was able to see what to do and what not to do with all of my other siblings. My parents were just always supportive and they always guided me with what’s wrong and what’s right. They always told me to take everything as a blessing. Everything that I have right now, I thank God. I’m getting these NIL deals not just for me, but for my family. This is a step to help my future. I want to build generational wealth, not just to help me, but to help my whole family. It’s a process.”
The NIL Deal: Talk to me about your near-death experience and how it shaped you into who you are today?
Agude: “The crazy thing about that whole situation, when I went to the skate park. All I remember is having the skateboard in my hand and looking at other kids riding. And I looked down at the ramp, and then I just remembered coming back home from the hospital. The first day we came back from the hospital, we went to McDonald’s, and nothing tasted right because my taste buds were off for like a month. When I hit my head, I was in a coma for like three days. The doctors were telling my parents that I would be a vegetable my whole life, and I wouldn’t be able to have physical activity at all. So three days later, my mom brought our family pastor and they were praying over me. And I miraculously woke up. They started doing tests on me. I had blood in my head, and I was hemorrhaging at first, but when they tested it again, it was gone. Everything was back to normal. Right when I got consciousness, I was able to go home because I was completely fine.
“I really thank God for my life everyday. Because every moment I have really is a blessing. Sometimes it shocks me when I’m at practice or at a game, and I’m looking up and thinking that I really wouldn’t be here or I would still be in a hospital bed. I take every day as a blessing. And I take one day at a time.”
