Editor’s note: This story is revised from the print edition.
Lagardère Sports NFL agent
Joel Segal, who has represented multiple first-round picks for 11 years in a row, may be poised to do it again. He has as many as four projected first-rounders this year, including Michigan defensive end
Taco Charlton.
“Taco has the rare combination of size, speed and pure athleticism to be an elite pass rusher at the next level,” said Segal, who was promoted last May from running the football division to head of team sports for Lagardère but who continues to sign and represent NFL players.
Charlton was at No. 8 on ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s mock draft last week. Kiper had three other Lagardère players going in the first round: Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis (No. 13), Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey (No. 21) and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey (No. 29).
Prognosticating first-round draft picks is an inexact science, and opinions often differ. CBS Sports draft analyst Rob Rang has three of Lagardère Sports’ players — Charlton, Humphrey and McCaffery — as first-rounders. Another CBS Sports draft analyst, Will Brinson, has those three and Florida defensive tackle Caleb Brantley, another Lagardère client, in the first round.
Segal represents the players with two other agents, Chafie Fields and Greg Barnett, his longtime partners.
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Michigan’s Taco Charlton, a Lagardère client, will continue his pursuit of QBs in the NFL.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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In addition to those players, Lagardère Sports also signed Temple offensive lineman Dion Dawkins, Virginia Tech tight end Bucky Hodges, LSU linebacker Kendell Beckwith, Western Michigan offensive lineman Taylor Moton, Ohio State wide receiver Noah Brown, Louisville linebacker Keith Kelsey Jr. and St. Francis defensive back Lorenzo Jerome.
Looking out over the strength of the draft class by position, Segal said, “This year’s draft is especially deep at cornerback and running back.”
Lagardère Sports also represents several players who may be top free agents: Los Angeles Rams defensive back Trumaine Johnson, Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson, and Arizona Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson and linebacker Kevin Minter. Lagardère also represents Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short, who was given a franchise tag by the club.
> OCTAGON’S CLASS: Octagon has signed three prospects for the NFL draft, including UCLA defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes.
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UCLA’s Eddie Vanderdoes, an Octagon signee, returned from injury for the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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Octagon agent
Jeremy Newberry is representing Vanderdoes, a former first-team freshman All-American, who has battled injuries but got healthy enough to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in late January.
Newberry also signed West Virginia wide receiver Daikiel Shorts and San Diego State linebacker Calvin Munson.
> HEARING SET IN MMA MATTER: A federal court in Los Angeles has set a hearing for later this month on a motion by Bellator MMA to quash or modify subpoenas it was served by the UFC to produce, among other things, athlete contracts without redaction.
It is part of the discovery process in the lawsuit in a Nevada federal court filed by a group of former UFC fighters who are suing the UFC, alleging it violates antitrust laws. The fighters did not sue Bellator, but the UFC apparently is seeking the contracts of its competitor as part of the discovery process.
Bellator has offered to give the UFC the names of all its MMA athletes under contract, as well as to provide “exemplar contracts, with monetary terms, for each type of athlete,” according to court papers filed by attorneys for Bellator.
But the “UFC refused to accept exemplar contracts and has insisted that Bellator produce not only all athlete contracts, without redaction, but also the documents comprising the negotiation history for the contracts,” said Philip Kelly, an attorney with the law firm of Kendall Brill & Kelly, which is representing Bellator, in a declaration filed with the court.
The UFC did not comment and had not filed its legal response by the middle of last week.
A hearing is set for March 29 before federal Magistrate Judge Rozella Oliver.
> CAA SIGNS JOY TAYLOR: Creative Artists Agency has signed Fox Sports 1 broadcaster Joy Taylor for representation.
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LAWRENCE
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TAYLOR
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Broadcasting agent
Matt Kramer will lead a team of agents representing Taylor, who is co-host and moderator of the Fox Sports 1 morning show “Skip & Shannon: Undisputed.” She was formerly represented by
WME.
> WASSERMAN SIGNS LAWRENCE: Wasserman has signed ESPN legal analyst Adrienne Lawrence. Broadcasting and coaches agent Debbie Spander is representing her. She was formerly without representation.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
