In a draft expected to be especially deep at the positions of running back and quarterback, veteran NFL agent Leigh Steinberg has signed several, including USC running back Ronald Jones II and University of Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson.
Steinberg Sports and Entertainment also has signed Marshall quarterback Chase Litton, Texas Tech quarterback Nic Shimonek, Toledo quarterback Logan Woodside, North Texas running back Jeffery Wilson and University of Texas, El Paso, linebacker Alvin Jones.
Steinberg and agent Chris Cabott are representing the players.
Jones rushed for 1,550 yards, put up another 187 yards receiving and scored 19 touchdowns as a junior at USC.
“Ronald exploded this year,” Steinberg said. “He is very dynamic. He has big-play speed. He is durable, he has good vision. He is an every-down back and he can catch the ball. And he should be seen with the other first-round running backs in the draft.”
NFL Draft Scout has Jones listed in the top five at the running back position in this draft, behind Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, LSU’s Derrius Guice and Georgia’s Nick Chubb, all of whom could go in the first round. “He is not as big as the others, but is faster,” Rob Rang, senior draft analyst for NFL Draft Scout, said of Jones.
Rang sees both Ferguson and Litton as late-round selections.
Rang said Ferguson had “outstanding production,” but the Tigers play a spread offense, not a pro-style offense, which could hurt him. “Ferguson is a streaky passer who, when hot, can deliver strikes to all levels of the field.”
Alabama WR Calvin Ridley and USC RB Ronald Jones II (below) each project as an NFL first-round draft pick.getty images
getty images
Steinberg also represents Paxton Lynch, another quarterback out of Memphis, who was taken in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft, and Patrick Mahomes, a Texas Tech quarterback who was a surprise first-round pick last year by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Steinberg has represented multiple first-round picks and multiple first-round quarterbacks and says he expects his class of NFL draft prospects to rise above projections. “The key to a quarterback being drafted high is a couple of teams falling in love with him,” Steinberg said. “The scouting process, the combine, scouting day, individual scouting meetings make that happen.”
SPORTSTRUST’S DRAFT CLASS: SportsTrust Advisors has signed a strong NFL draft class headed by Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley, a potential top-10 pick, and highly rated Georgia running back Chubb. Ben Setas represents Ridley, and Pat Dye Jr. represents Chubb.
SportsTrust also signed West Virginia running back Justin Crawford, North Carolina cornerback M.J. Stewart, Georgia Tech guard Shamire DeVine, Florida State defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, Clemson guard Taylor Hearn, TCU tackle Joseph Noteboom and South Carolina cornerback Jamarcus King. The agency also signed cornerback Anthony Averett, wide receiver Robert Foster and linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton out of Alabama, and defensive tackle Christian LaCouture and center Will Clapp out of LSU.
Setas, Dye and Bill Johnson are representing the players.
WASSERMAN SIGNS NFL DRAFT CLASS: Wasserman has signed UCLA linebacker Kenny Young and Missouri defensive end Marcell Frazier for representation on and off the field.
Wasserman NFL agents Will Wilson and Richard Irvin are representing the players.
Wasserman is known for its large NBA and MLB player representation practices, but entered the NFL player business when the agency represented Andrew Luck, the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Wasserman’s other NFL player clients include Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo, 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, Chargers punter Drew Kaser and Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood.
A3 SIGNS NFL DRAFT CLASS: Allegiant Athletic Agency has signed several players for representation in the NFL draft, including Alabama safety Ronnie Harrison, a projected first-round pick.
A3 has also signed Auburn safety Tray Matthews, Tennessee cornerback Rashaan Gaulden, Tennessee safety Evan Berry and Tennessee outside linebacker Elliott Berry. Evan and Elliott Berry are the younger twin brothers of Chiefs safety Eric Berry.
Agents Chad Speck and Isaac Conner are representing the players.
YOUNG MONEY SIGNING NFL VETS: The football division of Lil Wayne’s Young Money APAA has signed four veteran NFL players in the last several weeks, including New York Giants defensive tackle Jay Bromley, who will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
Young Money APAA has also signed Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed, Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd and Raiders safety Erik Harris.
NFL agents Andy Simms, Cody Recchion, Nicole Lynn and Ken Sarnoff are representing the players. As previously reported, Lil Wayne entered the NFL agent business by acquiring PlayersRep, an agency founded by Simms and Wesley Spencer.
Reed was formerly represented by South Florida Sports. Boyd was represented by Elevate Sports Management. Harris was represented by Gil Scott Sports Management.
Bromley was formerly represented by Alan Herman, founder of Sportstars, who said he recruited Bromley when he had few agents interested in him. Herman said Bromley had a draft grade of seventh round or free agent, but he trained him at EXOS and got him an invite to the East-West all-star game. Bromley ended up being drafted in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft.
“It’s disappointing to me that after four years that he would be attracted to an agency that is more known for entertainment than someone like Sportstars,” Herman said. “But sometimes things like that happen.”
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
