BOCA RATON — This is how NIL was meant to be.

Not relying on a sugar daddy like John Ruiz, who has pumped millions of dollars into recruiting athletes for the University of Miami, and whose company now is being investigated by the feds.

Not a collective promising a stud quarterback $13.8 million over four years before its money men have second thoughts, resulting in that quarterback being released from his scholarship. Now Jaden Rashada is starting at Arizona State and not the University of Florida.

Not a recruiting inducement or a pay-for-play scheme, among the many unintended consequences of name, image and likeness legislation.

What is happening at Florida Atlantic University is NIL in the ideal world. How it was intended. A reputable company knocking on doors of local businesses to line up deals for local athletes.

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"Our athletes have real value to local businesses," FAU Athletic Director Brian White said. "The idea behind real NIL, the idea behind corporate sponsorship, corporate marketing with our athletes, it's exciting to me."

FAU is partnering with TheLinkU, a company dedicated to helping college athletes leverage their brand and connect with local businesses. It will contact local and national businesses, facilitate deals that best fit the Owls' teams and athletes, make sure promises are being kept from both sides, and provide the athletes with financial guidance.

The program is called "NIL in Paradise," sticking with FAU's "Winning in Paradise" theme.

"After spending some time around here, it's not just something they talk about, it's something they practice daily," said Austin Elrod, TheLinkU president.

"Where FAU is positioned, what the sports have done and their potential, and their geographic location, that's attractive to national brands."

Elrod's team is working with the athletic department to make sure it is in compliance with NCAA rules and regulations.

Elrod, a former University of Houston quarterback, first worked with FAU officials at the Final Four in Houston. He helped facilitate a $70,000 NIL deal between Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, founder of Houston-based Gallery Furniture, and FAU's basketball team. McIngvale is a Houston supporter and embraced FAU's underdog story after the Cougars were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.

After dealing with FAU in Houston, Elrod called it a "natural connection" for his company. Now, he has hired Dante Cousart and Griffin Kinney to work businesses in the community and line up deals for FAU athletes.

Cousart is an FAU and Dwyer High School graduate who played wide receiver for the Owls. Kinney played basketball at Appalachian State.

Elrod's company has signed more than $1.3 million in deals for Houston athletes. It lined up more than $100,000 in deals at FAU in the early stages, including basketball star Nick Boyd signing with Darfoor Law Firm in Fort Lauderdale. Kweku Darfoor, a 2005 FAU graduate, is the founder and managing shareholder of Darfoor Law Firm.

Elrod said the highest-profile athletes at FAU will earn more than $100,000 and many deals are being discussed.

"We've tried since the day the season ended to pull back the curtain and open up our program for people to get to know and see our players and gain exposure," basketball coach Dusty May said. "And they've done a great job of capitalizing.

"We're excited we'll have boots on the ground to help our players."

Football coach Tom Herman is a proponent of NIL. "I think it was long overdue," he said. And he believes a program like NIL in Paradise is necessary for FAU, especially since moving to the AAC, a more competitive conference.

"We have opportunities in place for our athletes, but we understand to be competitive in our conference and within our state and in the country … this was the logical next step," Herman said. "People working full time, all day, every day. Their job is our student-athletes. Their job is to promote and facilitate opportunities for our student-athletes.

"That's what we want to provide, as many opportunities and resources we can to our student-athletes to be competitive in today's national recruiting landscape."

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: The NIL program at FAU the way it was intended