Dieunerst Collin is unlikely a reputation you’ve gotten ever heard however if you happen to’ve been on the web, there isn’t any doubt you’ve seen his face.
In 2013, a video on the now-defunct platform Vine, an unlikely star was born.
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Standing in line at US fried rooster outlet Popeyes, a random stranger requested if he was Lil TerRio, who was a Vine sensation in his personal proper.
However Collin was only a random child and acted precisely the way you’d anticipate if you happen to had been a child and somebody began asking if you happen to had been somebody you weren’t — going shy and giving a nervous side-eye.
It’s been a decade for the reason that video went viral on a platform that was shut down in 2016, however Collin has thrived.
Up to now decade, he’s grow to be an American soccer star, profitable state title in highschool for the East Orange Campus Excessive Faculty in New Jersey in addition to being named a County and Division First Crew All-Convention member, in addition to an All-State Second Teamer.
At 6 foot one (185cm) and 330 kilos (149kg) Collin is an offensive lineman in his freshman yr at Lake Erie Faculty, a division II program.
Removed from hiding from his brush with fame, Collin steered into it when movie, TV and podcast producer Jim Weber got here throughout his profile.
Weber tweeted: “The @Popeyes meme child @CollinDieunerst is now a freshman offensive lineman at Division II Lake Erie Faculty and if this man doesn’t have an NIL deal by tomorrow, the Louisiana kitchen wants to scrub home on higher administration.”
(Notice: Popeyes full identify is Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc.)
The tweet kicked off a motion to try to get the Popeyes child a reputation, picture, likeness (NIL) cope with the quick meals joint as Collin posted: “Popeyes, I JUST WANNA TALK.”
Incomes cash on this vogue was beforehand outlawed on account of outdated NCAA guidelines designed to maintain faculty sport as amateur-level competitors, however a rest of the principles noticed faculty athletes in a position to money in on their faculty sports activities careers.
Louisiana State College gymnast Olivia Dunne is among the massive winners from the principles, and was valued at $2.3m on On3 Sports’ ‘Proprietary NIL Valuation Metric’ late final yr.
However others akin to basketballer Anthony Leal made sufficient cash to repay his sister’s scholar loans.
So it may very well be nice for Collin if Popeyes — or one other quick meals fried rooster rival — come on board.
Collin, who now has 61.8k followers on Instagram, now has loads of individuals who have hit Popeyes up for him, together with his faculty.
Buffalo Wild Wings additionally acquired in on the motion, commenting “@popeyes do it for the vine.”
Popeyes have additionally clearly saved an eye fixed on Collin through the years, commenting after he gained his state title in December 2021 and Collin did a video the place he stated he “may go get some rooster”.
Popeyes replied: “The look you make once you knew you had been going to win, and get Popeyes after!”
Collin is hoping for a profession as a sports activities analyst and is finding out sports activities administration, minoring in comic research, he revealed in his Lake Erie bio.
