Elite 2027 QB Peyton Houston becomes first high school player to land NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards

Peyton Houston, a standout high school quarterback from the class of 2027, has made history by securing a significant NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards. This landmark agreement marks the first time a high school athlete has landed such a lucrative arrangement with the company.

On Thursday, Houston, a rising sophomore from Louisiana, signed a multi-year exclusive trading card deal.

The Institute For Athletes and Lionheart Sports Agency handled the negotiation. On May 15, Houston made history as the first high school student-athlete to sign an exclusive NIL agreement with IFA.

He sealed his first major NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards a week later.

"I'm grateful to God to have a platform that I can use to not only impact myself, but my entire team and community," Houston said. "It's a blessing to work with one of the top card brands in Leaf and I cannot wait to continue to grow with them in the future."

The initial trading card that will be the first for Houston is set to drop in a couple of weeks. He joins Julian Lewis, a five-star quarterback, and George MacIntyre, rated four stars, both expected to graduate in 2025.

The company has also inked deals with former five-star Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, former five-star Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, and former USC Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams.

Banking on Peyton Houston: Leaf Trading Cards' bold strategy

Leaf Trading Cards, led by president Josh Pankow, has adopted a forward-thinking approach. It aims to secure exclusive deals with top high school quarterbacks in anticipation of its future success.

"We're really trying to lock up the next generation of stars that are all the high school kids," Pankow said.

The strategy revolves around making strategic yet speculative investments in promising young quarterbacks before they ascend to NFL stardom.

Leaf is betting on the allure of potential by offering autographed cards, such as Houston's expected $70 price tag. It hopes that if players like Houston achieve the status of Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, these cards could skyrocket in value.

Howard Skall, IFA's senior vice president of athlete marketing, emphasized the role of quarterbacks in driving the trading card market. Skall highlighted the symbiotic relationship between the rising trend of NIL and the keen interest in partnering with top high school prospects like Houston:

"With the trend of NIL and the trickle down, not only through college but trying to look at top high school prospects, they were looking at the opportunity to partner with someone they saw an extreme amount of upside on the field and the opportunity to partner with a really great young man and great family excited them."

As an unranked 2027 prospect, Houston has already garnered offers from several prominent colleges. These include Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Louisiana Tech, Purdue, Texas A&M, Grambling State, Houston, TCU, Mississippi State, Marshall, Arkansas, Pittsburgh, SMU, and Colorado.