Kentucky Gym Fosters Relationships With HS Student-Athletes Through Unique NIL Deals

A Kentucky fitness gym has partnered with a handful of student-athletes from local high schools on a unique NIL deal. 

According to WCPO, EJ Walker of Lloyd Memorial High School, along with Cooper High School's 2025 tight end Austin Alexander and Covington Catholic 2024 tight end Willie Rodriguez, a University of Kentucky signee, have NIL deals with Newport-based Nevels Fitness Agency.

"All this NIL stuff is pretty new obviously and it's done a lot for me and my family," Rodriguez said. "It's really a great opportunity and I think it's helping overall me and Nevels and everything. I think it's a great combination."

It was just this past summer that the Kentucky High School Athletic Association approved a measure that allows high school student-athletes to participate in NIL deals. 

"My job here is not to just get you bigger, faster, stronger, more explosive and a better athlete but it's also to put you in the best situation that I can to make you be successful and achieve your dreams," said Nevels Fitness Agency owner Jordan Nevels, a 2005 Highlands graduate.

Walker said he's built a strong relationship with Nevels while working on the partnership. 

"We built a relationship with Jordan and he's like family to us," Walker said. "It just means a lot to do this with him."

Nevels said that personal relationship with the athletes he's signed was important to him. 

"Most NIL deals are companies that are just looking for highly-rated kids that can market their products," Nevels, who helped to lead the Bluebirds to the 2004 Class 3A football state title.

"They don't know the kid. They don't know anything about them. They just know he's a three, four, or five-star (recruit). Here we're actually developing the kids. We train them. We help you get to be a four or five-star and then we're able to give you an NIL deal at the same time."

The athletes promote Nevels Fitness facilities on social media, as well as the gym's branded protein powder. Nevels hopes the NIL deals are about more than just the present moment, as his brother Kris Nevels, an attorney, may potentially represent athletes at the pro level. 

"We help them grow to be a three, four, five-star," Jordan Nevels said. "They go onto college. They're blessed. They do well. Then they go to the major leagues but we can represent them as well as their agency. We can be their representation. So now you're not bringing in an outsider that you don't know. You're bringing somebody that you've grown with. You've been with them for four, five, six, seven years. You're family."