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Max Tuerk tore his ACL in early October. He is still projected as a second- or third-round pick.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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University of Southern California center Max Tuerk has signed with an agent, the second highly ranked football player to give up his college eligibility after suffering a season-ending knee injury this fall.
Tuerk, a senior, signed with Athletes First agents Brian Murphy and Joe Panos in late October. His decision follows that of UCLA linebacker and running back Myles Jack, who signed with Octagon agent John Thornton in mid-October.
Football experts said they could not remember one, let alone two, college players signing with agents so early in the process. But they were divided about whether it was a trend.
Some noted that few players who suffer season-ending injuries are ranked high enough to sign with an agent. Others said, however, that more players will do it, drawn by the opportunity to rehabilitate and prepare for the draft at the high-level facilities where agents can provide access.
“Once I knew my college season was over, I really wanted to get my surgery done and start preparing for the opportunity to play in the NFL,” Tuerk wrote in an email. Tuerk suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in USC’s loss to the University of Washington on Oct. 8.
CBS Sports senior draft analyst Rob Rang said he had Tuerk ranked as a late first-round or early second-round pick before his injury. Depending on Tuerk’s recovery, he could now be a second- or third-round pick, Rang said.
Rang had never heard of two high-ranked college football players choosing agents so early. “But given that they are both injured, I suppose it makes some sense. That much faster to get real advice, regarding rehab, training for workouts, etc.,” Rang wrote in a text.
Panos, an NFL guard for seven seasons before becoming an agent, said he didn’t pay much attention to draft predictions at this time of year. “But I have a lot of experience with offensive line clients, and Max is a first-rate talent who can play center, guard or tackle in the NFL. This injury doesn’t change this at all.”
Tuerk’s other agent, Murphy, wouldn’t say whether Tuerk would be ready for the NFL combine in February. “We don’t have any specific timeline expectations other than he will be completely healthy and ready to contribute for his new team at the beginning of the 2017 season,” Murphy said.
Tuerk is rehabbing and training at Athletes First’s training facility with trainer Ryan Capretta, who helped another client, Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, recover from an ACL injury that he suffered in January playing for Texas A&M in a bowl game.
“I do think that we will see more and more players choosing agents under these unfortunate circumstances for a myriad of reasons, but it really is a personal decision and each player has to decide what is best for them,” Murphy said.
Like Jack, Tuerk and his family interviewed agents from multiple agencies before making his selection.
“We felt very comfortable with Joe and Murph, we loved their training facility and many of my former teammates raved about being part of the Athletes First family,” Tuerk said. “So I just made the decision, and it’s been awesome.”
Jeff “Hawk” Hawkins, director of football operations at the University of Oregon, said that some Ducks players who are out for the season have been courted by agents, but that none have signed. Agents are allowed to talk to players but cannot give them anything of value as an inducement to sign.
“I think the jury is still out whether or not there is a trend,” Hawkins said. Many will be watching Jack and Tuerk to see whether signing with an agent early helps them, he said.
“We won’t know until we see how these current scenarios pan out,” Hawkins said. “I think not.”
