Cars, golf clubs, Chipotle: How Indy-area high school football stars would spend NIL check

IndyStar gathered 45 of Central Indiana's top high school football player ahead of the 2024 season, which kicks off Friday. IndyStar's preps Insider Kyle Neddenriep asked each a few questions to get to better know the players. You saw some of that in our preseason Super Teams .

Here's more. We asked each played: "What would you buy with your first NIL (name, image, likeness) check?"

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LB Ife Adeoba, Pike: “(I’d spend it) on my mom and then invest the rest. I’d make sure my mom is straight, then invest it to everything else. (After that) I’m getting a (Jeep Grand Cherokee) Trackhawk. I’m getting a nice car for myself, you know? Then get the brothers in the family right and we’re all good.”

DB Mason Alexander, Hamilton Southeastern: “It’s either going to be for my sister or my mom. I just know it’s going to be one of them. I’m not even looking to spend it on myself. I’m looking to help my mom with it. I would either help her with her business because she’s a real estate agent. … or if I wanted to get her something, I’d probably get her like a diamond necklace.”

WR Gabe Aramboles, Westfield: “I’m going to go get something to eat and take my family out for sure. I love me a little Chipotle. It’s a little expensive but I love Chipotle. But when it comes to my family, whatever they are feeling.”

DL Enoch Atewogbola, Avon: “Probably Yeezy slides. I like Yeezy slides a lot. And probably just more sweatpants.”

RB Jalen Bonds, Cathedral: “I’m probably going to save it. I’ll honestly say I’m going to ask my mom what I should get and then if it all works out, I’d probably get like a car or something.”

TE Aiden Brewer, Noblesville: “I’m probably going to save most of it, to be honest. But if I’m being completely honest, probably some kind of food. Maybe treat myself nice and go to Ruth’s Chris or somewhere nice. But probably save most of that money.”

RB Joliba Brogan, Mt. Vernon: “Definitely a car. I gotta get a Tesla. This gas is a little too high, I’m not going to lie.”

DL Tyrone Burrus, Warren Central: “Definitely something for my mom. I just gotta give back to my family, especially my mom. She birthed me and everything, she was there for me. Freshman year I was thinking about quitting football and she was there like, ‘No, don’t do that. Stick to it.’ Just gotta give it back to her. I’d probably buy her a comfy house … just give her everything she ever needed so she could live there the rest of her days — not to call her older.”

WR Davion Chandler, Lawrence Central: “I know one thing I’ve got on my checklist when I get my NIL is I want to donate back to my school for sure. And I want to invest my money, too. (After that) I might just buy a car. Buy my dream car.”

WR Taylor Clark, Brebeuf Jesuit: “How big is this check? I’m going to get my dream car – a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I’ve always wanted one of those.”

QB Anthony Coellner, Carmel: “I’ll definitely be investing. I’ll put it into stocks and have my dad take care of it and help me out through that.”

QB Devin Craig, Lapel: “Either (putting it toward) my dog (a 4-year-old golden retriever) or just save it and not spend it.”

TE Nizyi Davis, Lawrence Central: “I’d probably give the money to my parents or something because I’ll be in college, and I’ll be good – I won’t need it. (The second check) I might get some jewelry. Or a Cybertruck or something.”

TE Harrison Forestal, Bishop Chatard: “I always put half (of my earned money) in savings and I’m not a big spender so I’ll pay for gas for the week and then I might go pay for dinner, but I don’t really spend money on anything. Maybe an Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirt. I’m not a big spender.”

QB Dallas Freeman, Greenfield-Central: “I’m a big shoe guy so probably a pair of shoes or two. I’m probably going to get some Jordans or some (Nike Dunks) or something like that.”

QB Maverick Geske, Brebeuf Jesuit: “Depends how big it is but a big one I might have to go with a new car … I’d probably go with a truck.”

OL Cameron Gorin, Hamilton Southeastern: “Honestly, I’ll probably just go save it or invest it or something. Probably give it to my pops so he can do something with it. He might put it into his houses and renovate them or something. But he also might invest it for me.”

WR JonAnthony Hall, Fishers: “That’s a good one. Probably food. I always like going out, even though (Stanford) will probably provide a whole bunch of food that’s where the majority of money goes anyways.”

OL Cameron Herron, Warren Central: “I think I’d splurge a little bit and buy some clothes. I might buy a chain, I don’t know.”

WR Eugene Hilton, Zionsville: “I might buy my brother and sister something that they want. Maybe like a new baseball bat or something.”

WR Bevin Holubar, Center Grove: “I might invest it. Spend it a little bit and save some of it. Probably a car (first purchase). Or some new golf clubs.”

OL Avery Huggins, Westfield: “I’d say probably a Blackstone. I like cooking. On my Instagram I’m posting stuff about Blackstone all the time. (I’m cooking) smash burgers, Philly cheesesteaks, breakfast scrambles, pretty much anything. Tacos.”

DL Mason Keifer, Brownsburg: “Can’t lie I’ll be 18 then so I’m taking that (money) down to the Legion to play a little poker hand and play some blackjack or something with them. Just some nice little father-son bonding. … we play (poker) every so often. It’s fun.”

RB Jeremiah Lee, Beech Grove: “I would probably get a car and just save the rest. Whatever else money I get working a job, if I do get a job on campus. I’m not going to lie; I’d probably stunt a little bit and get like a new Cadillac. The new Escalade. Me and my dad both love ‘em.

RB Izayveon Moore, Lawrence North: “I would probably give back to my school, buy a car, get my mom and dad some money, grandma.”

LB Israel Oladipupo, Noblesville: “Depending on how much it is I’ll probably save like half of it. Some of it will go to my parents, some of it — like a quarter of it — I’ll keep to myself. Some to my trainer and, you know, keep some for spare change and get something to eat. It’s always Chick-fil-A for me. Probably go to Chick-fil-A and that would be it. I don’t spend too much.”

OL Evan Parker, Carmel: “I’d probably say paying off my parents. All the food I’ve eaten and stuff like that. Most of it is going to go in my savings account and investing for sure. I want to be smart with my money.”

DB Max Phenicie, Zionsville: “I’d say the smart answer would be to save it, but I think buying a new truck would be cool. The Ford Raptor, I see those all the time and think those are cool. I do have a Nissan truck. It’s not quite as big as a Ford Raptor, but I’ve seen them on the streets, and they are pretty cool.”

OL/TE Ozzy Pollard, Carmel: “I did just get my first car, so I’d probably be putting money towards that. I got a new engine but I’m trying to fix it up real nice. It’s a 1971 Travelall. It’s lifted, new tires, new rims. It’s really nice. I would like to know a little bit more about cars but it’s not really a hobby yet.”

QB Bo Polston, Decatur Central: “Probably (money going toward) a car. Probably a nice one, like a Porsche or something.”

RB Alijah Price, Ben Davis: “If I don’t already have a car, I’d probably buy a car. Camaro. I like Camaros.”

DL Damien Shanklin, Warren Central: “Honestly, I’d probably invest it. Save it. I’m not big on the money part. I know when I made my decision, I didn’t really look into the NIL part. That’s a tough question. I don’t know. I’d probably buy some pendant chain or something … nothing fancy.”

DB Jerome Smith, Lawrence North: “Honestly, I think I’ll invest my money because my future self will love me. So, I’m going to just invest my money.”

RB Darrell Taylor, Crispus Attucks: “My savings.”

DL Michael Thacker, New Palestine: “Probably a decent car. A better car. A nice car. Something to get me from point A to point B. Probably a Nissan … or a Hellcat.”

QB Nevan Tutterow, Franklin Central: “I love all-black cars so probably like an all-black Mustang with tinted windows and metallic black everything. I like Batman so I want to be like Batman.”

RB Slate Valentine, Whiteland: “Probably something for my family but for sure pickleball. Some type of way toward pickleball because that always keeps me active. Mostly toward family or shoes, too. We have a (pickleball) court at our house so we’re always out there playing all the time. Or we go to Freedom Park (in Greenwood). They just got new courts. But we’re always playing pickleball.”

K Ashton Vogel, Decatur Central: "Definitely some golf clubs. I’m a big golfer. I’d probably get the Qi10 Driver and maybe like a magical putter. I suck at putting so I need something.”

LB Mikeah Webster, Westfield: “I’d probably get some cheap Zach Bryan tickets to one of his concerts. I’d probably just head to Chipotle and get me a bowl.”

QB Chandler Weston, Hamilton Southeastern: “I’m definitely going to invest that money and maybe buy something for my mom or my dad. My mom is always talking about a 2024 jeep or something like that. I don’t know what my dad would want. Probably some sort of instrument because he plays music.”

DL Isaiah White, Ben Davis: “Probably (something for) my parents. They made a lot of sacrifices to help me throughout my journey. So, I’ll probably donate that to them. With my second one, probably get some clothes. Nothing too crazy.”

QB Jackson Willis, Lutheran: “I really like cars a lot. Probably not the best investment as a college kid, especially given all those freedoms and what not. But a car would be nice. And then if I knew I could help my parents out in any way. I’d like to do that too. Probably a Corvette (for a car). My grandpa’s got two of them so it kind of came down to me I guess.”

DB Jimmie Winbush Jr., Carmel: "I’d say a ‘Game Ready’ (hot and cold compression therapy), so I can stay healthy and not get injured and recover better.”

DB/WR Mark Zackery IV, Ben Davis: “My dad is probably going to make me invest it. An investment property or making it go up in stocks — probably something like that. I’d probably buy like a wellness center where you can rehab your body.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Cars, golf clubs, Chipotle: How Indy-area high school football stars would spend NIL check