CAA Sports dominates NFL Draft's first round, sets new single agency record with 12 picks

CAA Sports toppled the four-year reign of Athletes First and set a new record of 12 picks in the first round of the NFL Draft in Detroit, surpassing their own mark previously set in 2018 for most first round picks by a single agency (11). No agencies touted the Bears’ No. 1 pick of USC QB Caleb Williams, whose representation team was led by his father, Carl Williams. Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 4) was also repped by his father, Football HOFer Marvin Harrison, marking two top five picks managed by parents.

WME Sports and Athletes First tied for second-most first round picks at four each while Excel Football and Wasserman each saw two. CAA also snagged the most top five picks -- North Carolina QB Drake Maye (No. 3) to the Patriots and Notre Dame OT Joe Alt (No. 5) to the Chargers -- and the most top ten with mock draft “stunner” Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8) to the Falcons. CAA’s dominance this year hearkens back to the storied virtual draft of 2020 that saw Athletes First dethrone them after their own four-year stint of leading overall first round picks. There were 11 agencies involved in the first round, as opposed to 23 in last year's draft. CAA's Patrick Collins represented five players, the most of every other agent in the first round.

There were 23 schools represented in the first round, with LSU, Alabama and Washington tied for most picks at three each, followed by Texas, Georgia and Penn State tied with two each. QBs swept the top three spots with Williams (Bears), LSU’s Jayden Daniels (Commanders), who was repped by Ron Butler of Agency1 Athlete Management Group, and Maye (Patriots).