Ohio State wide receiver commit Jamier Brown is the centerpiece of a lawsuit filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to allow him to profit from NIL while at Wayne High School.
The complaint, obtained by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, names Brown’s mother, Jasmine, as the plaintiff and the Ohio High School Athletic Association as the defendant. The OHSAA prohibits athletes from profiting from their name, image and likeness, but the lawsuit seeks to allow Brown — who has earning power of over $100,000 per year, according to the complaint — to collect benefits.
“OHSAA’s blanket ban not only singles out Ohio’s high school student athletes for unequal treatment, but it is also unlawfully suppresses their economic liberties, freedom of expression, and restrains competition in the NIL marketplace,” the complaint states.
In response to Brown’s lawsuit, OHSAA plans to make an announcement on Wednesday or Thursday regarding a potential emergency referendum vote related to NIL, according to WCPO’s Mike Dyer.
According to Thamel, the lawsuit does not specify an amount above $100,000 that Brown could earn if allowed to profit from his NIL. However, it mentions trading card deals as an example of an income source available to Brown. The deals would also create “significant non-monetary benefits,” the complaint states, that include enhanced reputation and networking connections.
"What pushed me was knowing that allowing NIL for high school athletes in Ohio could be a game changer for a lot of kids like me," Brown told ESPN. "My family is getting by, but being able to use NIL would take some weight off my mom and me by helping cover things like tutoring, training and travel, which help me grow as both a student and a football player."
Brown, the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 6 overall prospect in the 2027 class, told ESPN he wants Ohio athletes to have opportunities similar to those of high school athletes across the United States, without having to leave the state to experience them. For example, Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr., the No. 2 wide receiver and No. 18 overall prospect in the 2026 class, once attended Withrow High School in Cincinnati but transferred to Mater Dei in Santa Ana, California, where he can benefit from NIL, including an Adidas ad with LSU commit Tristen Keys.
"It's about creating fairness and giving us the chance to use our name, image and likeness in positive ways while staying focused on school," Brown told ESPN. "If this helps make things a little easier for the next group coming up, then it's worth it."
Brown also shared that his pride in being an Ohioan was part of his motivation for filing the lawsuit.
"Being able to compete where you're from matters," he said. "Ohio is home, and I take pride in that, so my focus is staying here and doing my part to help make things better."
