Spring-Ford’s Matt Zollers garners more attention after NIL deals. But his focus remains the same.

For Spring-Ford quarterback Matt Zollers, it seems to be business as usual with one interesting caveat.

Business, for Pennsylvania’s top-rated passer, has been booming.

Zollers is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound rising senior who’s committed to Missouri. The five-star recruit, according to on3.com, recently signed multiple name, image, and likeness deals.

“It feels pretty cool, obviously, because not many kids get to experience this,” Zollers said in a phone interview. “It’s almost surreal because I never expected this to happen.”

This week perhaps will be more familiar as Zollers competes in the Los Angeles area at the prestigious Elite 11 finals, the invite-only showcase featuring 20 of the best senior quarterback prospects from around the country.

Some of Zollers’ competition this week will come from NIL “teammates.”

Julian Lewis of Carrollton High School in Georgia and George MacIntyre of Brentwood Academy in Tennessee are five-star quarterbacks heading to Southern Cal and Tennessee, respectively, and also were scheduled to compete in the Elite 11 finals. MacIntyre, however, withdrew due to stitches in the index finger of his throwing hand that have yet to be removed.

According to his parents, Zollers’ first NIL deal was struck with Leaf Trading Cards, which, according to on3.com, also reportedly brokered deals with Lewis and MacIntyre, among others.

The PIAA is one of at least 37 state associations that allow high school athletes to benefit from NIL deals with some exceptions.

For example, member schools and anyone affiliated with the school cannot assist athletes in securing deals. Also, athletes cannot wear a school uniform or mention the PIAA or a member school in conjunction with NIL agreements.

Earlier this month, Zollers announced a deal with Westwood Home Services, a local handyman service that provided him with a Dodge Challenger.

According to Zollers’ agent, Joe Gazza of Aurum Sports, the agreement, in part, was struck “in exchange for commercial appearances and social media collaborations.”

» READ MORE: Spring-Ford quarterback Matt Zollers kept his cool and his recruiting took off

Terms of Zollers’ trading-card deal were not made public, and his parents say they aren’t sure if and when there could be a Matt Zollers trading card in circulation.

What they do know, however, is where they would like his focus to remain.

“We’re trying to let Matt play football [while we] try to deal with some of the other things and not distract [him],” said Zollers’ father, Pete.

“I know there’s been a lot of publicity around this,” he said. “The car, the NIL is huge right now because it’s such a timing thing, but we’re trying to just insulate him from much of it so he can just focus on playing football. Obviously, the extra things that come with it are awesome, but, again, it all comes down to one thing, and that’s just playing football.”

To that end, Zollers has been throwing three to five days a week in addition to daily weightlifting sessions, team workouts, and individual workouts, all designed to prepare him for the future.

» READ MORE: Spring-Ford quarterback Matt Zollers signs unique NIL deal with Westwood Home Services

The Elite 11 finals likely will do the same.

According to CBSSports, the Elite 11 finals or regionals have hosted 27 of the NFL’s 32 starting quarterbacks from last season, 16 of the last 17 Heisman Trophy winners, and the last 13 QBs drafted No. 1 overall.

Zollers’ experience in Manhattan Beach, Calif., also likely would be a good springboard into a senior season in which he is poised to be an even bigger target for opponents than before. As a junior, Zollers threw for a school-record 2,917 yards, added 37 touchdowns, and led the Rams to the District 1 Class 6A quarterfinals.

“I think he’s prepared,” Pete Zollers said. “He’s been doing that for a long time.”

Zollers has always been an athletic standout who has played against older competition, first as a pitcher in baseball before starring as a quarterback.

Perhaps that’s why he has grown accustomed to being a target for foes looking to enhance their reputations by besting him.

“It’s definitely always been harder because you’re obviously playing against better competition and kids who are older, bigger, and stronger than you,” Zollers said. “It’s always been a challenge. It’s never been easy.”

In some ways the same might be true of handling the world of NIL. As a family, though, the Zollers appear to be taking the good with the bad.

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“Maybe a little more publicity than we thought,” Pete Zollers said, “but there are a lot of people with positive and negative comments, which is always the case.”

Zollers’ mother, Beth, added that the NIL deals have been independent of Missouri. She also added that her family keeps everything in perspective.

“Our main focus is to have Matt just concentrate on his development with football and as a parent just to make sure he’s reminded to be safe,” she said. “I know there’s been a lot of comments about the car and how it’s a lot for a high school player, etc. We’re constantly on him about being extra careful and all of that because that’s our main priority.”