DILLON GABRIEL & JALIL FAROOQ SIGN NIL DEALS WITH EVOSHIELD

CHICAGO, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EvoShield^®, the leading manufacturer of high-performance athletic protective gear, has signed Division I college football quarterback Dillon Gabriel and wide receiver Jalil Farooq, both of the University of Oklahoma, to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endorsement agreements. This is the first NIL deal for EvoShield as it further establishes its presence in football. EvoShield worked closely with Gabriel and Farooq's agency, Malka Sports, to complete the deal. 

Gabriel, a senior transfer from UCF, was the 2018 Gatorade High School Player of the Year in his home state of Hawaii. Farooq, a sophomore who appeared in eight games as a freshman, was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school in the Washington, D.C., area.  

EvoShield carefully evaluated collegiate student-athletes to identify the right ambassadors to align with in the football space. The brand is thrilled to partner with Gabriel and Farooq to spread the message of protection to more players. 

"We're very proud to announce our partnership with Dillon Gabriel and Jalil Farooq, who will be endorsing our EvoShield Rib Shirt throughout the 2022 college football season," said EvoShield Global Director of Marketing Jennette Rauch. "They perfectly embody our 'Always All-In' mantra that drives the EvoShield brand. We can't wait to see what they do on the field this season." 

The EvoShield Rib Shirt is a compression shirt featuring two Gel-to-Shell™ Technology shields designed to deflect hard hits and protect the torso. Gel-to-Shell Technology is a proprietary and innovative material that starts flexible out of the package and hardens in a matter of minutes to provide players with a comfortable custom fit and the ultimate protection against injuries to the ribs and back. 

Gabriel, who is eager to return to the field in 2022, has consistently worn the EvoShield Rib Shirt since taking several hard hits to his torso during his freshman year.  

"It's my go-to every game day and something that is a necessity. The EvoShield Rib Shirt allows me to be super fluent and functional," Gabriel said. "Normal flak jackets and rib cages are very limiting, but EvoShield is molded to my body, and I can just move. It's very functional, efficient and protective. I never have to worry about getting hit in the ribs." 

Like Gabriel, Farooq says the EvoShield Rib Shirt gives him confidence. It's a product and brand he believes in.  

"I like the EvoShield Rib Shirt because of the compression it offers," Farooq said. "Working with EvoShield has been the perfect NIL introduction for me because I was able to partner with a brand whose values align with mine. Protection, safety, comfort, swag. EvoShield is essential." 

The EvoShield Rib Shirt is worn by a growing number of professional, collegiate and high school football players. EvoShield makes proprietary Gel-to-Shell Technology protective gear for use across many sports and is the leading protective gear provider in baseball and softball, serving as the Official Protective Gear of Major League Baseball.^® 

NOTE: Additional images available on request.

EvoShield is a leading sports protective brand that elite athletes look to for ultimate protection and comfort. EvoShield protects more than 300 professional and collegiate programs across baseball, softball, lacrosse, football, hockey and other sports, and serves as the Official Protective Gear of Major League Baseball®. The brand's proprietary Gel-To-Shell™ technology has created a new standard in protective gear, making bulky and restrictive foam or plastic padding a thing of the past. EvoShield's form-fitting, breathable shields enable free athletic movements while maintaining strong protection. EvoShield is part of the Wilson Sporting Goods family of brands. Wilson is based in Chicago, IL. For more information, please visit evoshield.com. 

Founded in 2012, MALKA is a category leader and innovator in the fastest-growing digital media and content sectors across entertainment, sports, live streaming and brand storytelling. The sports industry is changing, and athletes hold more influence than ever. This dynamic amplifies the need for an agency partner built for the new media landscape. MALKA Sports' hybrid model of sports agency and creative content studio allows athletes to leverage the full power of that influence. In addition to talent representation and marketing, MALKA produces feature-length documentaries and more than 30 video-first podcasts including "All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson," "Mike Tyson's Hot Boxin'," "Dine N' Bash with Sebastian Joseph-Day" and "Double Coverage with the McCourty Twins." 

SOURCE EvoShield