The following is an excerpt from Pete Williams’ book “The Draft — A Year Inside the NFL’s Search for Talent.” The book follows a handful of NFL hopefuls and agents through the 2004 college football season and predraft process, culminating with the 2005 draft. Williams is a contributor for SportsBusiness Journal and is the author or co-author of six books. This excerpt focuses on Atlanta agent Todd France.Like his competitors, [Todd] France did not know for sure which players would sign with him. In four and a half years as an NFLPA-certified contract adviser, he had learned not to consider a client his own until the signature was on the dotted line.
Nat Dorsey reminded him of that. In the fall of 2003, Dorsey was a promising junior offensive tackle at Georgia Tech considering going pro early. France thought he had him, at least until he signed with SFX agent Ben Dogra.
Dorsey should have stayed in school. He failed to impress NFL scouts prior to the draft and lasted until midway through the fourth round, when the Minnesota Vikings took him. He received a signing bonus of $308,000. Combined with his 2004 salary of $230,000, he generated just $16,140 in commissions for Dogra and SFX Sports, which paid more than that for pre-combine training and lodging in Arizona.
The draft is funny that way. A player rated high by scouts and the media in the fall can see his stock plunge by April, even without an injury, arrest or failed drug test. Sometimes, as in the case of Nat Dorsey, scouts get scared when a kid’s motivation and drive do not match the level of raw talent.
It still was a good draft for France. With the seventh pick in the second round, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected linebacker Daryl Smith, Dorsey’s Georgia Tech teammate, and France negotiated a signing bonus of $1,872,000. Later in the round, the Denver Broncos drafted Darius Watts, a wide receiver from Marshall University. He received a signing bonus of $1,265,000. Along with their 2004 salaries, France would earn commissions of $107,910.
