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Houston Five Star Plus+ QB signee Keisean Henderson inks NIL deal with Panini America

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz02/03/26NickSchultz_7

As he gets ready for his first season at Houston, Keisean Henderson has landed a notable NIL deal. The Five Star Plus+ quarterback signee inked a partnership with Panini America, the company announced Tuesday.

Henderson will be featured in Panini’s line of college trading card products, as well as marketing activations with the company. He joins a star-studded roster of NIL athletes, including Texas quarterback Arch Manning, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, among others.

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Henderson signed with the Cougars as the No. 2 overall player and No. 1-ranked quarterback prospect from the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. One of the top risers from the class, he was also the MVP of the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl as a junior.

“Partnering with Panini is a great opportunity for me,” Henderson said in a statement. “Seeing what they’ve done in the NIL space and with other athletes is very exciting, and I can’t wait to see my first Panini trading cards.”

Keisean Henderson preparing for freshman season

Keisean Henderson put together an impressive senior season at Spring (TX) Legacy SSS to close out his high school career, completing 74.5% of his passes for 3,880 yards and 45 touchdowns, to six interceptions. All told, he threw for nearly 9,000 yards to go with 98 touchdowns during his four years with the Titans.

Off the field, Henderson has also built a strong profile. He has a $1 million On3 NIL Valuation, which put him at No. 8 in the high school NIL rankings.

“We are excited to welcome Keisean to the Panini America family, he is both a dynamic player on the field and it has been fun to get to know him off the field, we look forward to working with and supporting him as he transitions to the collegiate level at the University of Houston,” said Jason Howarth, Panini America senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations, in a statement. “We think fans will really enjoy the trading cards we have planned for Keisean.”

Henderson enrolled early at Houston, meaning he will be going through spring practice with the Cougars. UH is coming off a 10-3 record in 2025, including a 6-3 mark in Big 12 play. Willie Fritz’s group also reloaded in the transfer portal this offseason. Houston has the No. 7-ranked class this cycle, according to the On3 Team Transfer Portal Rankings, with 17 additions.