Yesterday, I reported on Jeff Sperbeck’s 2012 NFL Draft Class at The NOVO Agency.  Sperbeck has signed RB LaMichael James from Oregon and WR Nick Toon from Wisconsin.  Toon is being co-represented by Ralph Cindrich.

Cindrich is a member of the Texas and Pennsylvania bar.  He was a 1972 5th round NFL draft choice and played professional football with the Houston Oilers and the New England Patriots for four years from 1972 to 1975.  He also played collegiately at the University of Pittsburgh where he was a two-sport All-American and All-East in football (1969, 1971) and wresting (Eastern Champion, 4th NCAA, 1969).  Cindrich started representing players in 1977, and still represents NFL players to this day.

Other than Toon, Cindrich is representing WR/Special Teams player TJ Borcky of Colorado State and LB Andrew Sweat of THE Ohio State University.  Toon is the highest rated player of the three, but Cindrich is likely representing all three players in large part based on his ties to their family members.  These days, Cindrich seems to be doing more teaching, lawyering, and tweeting than agenting.  I wish him the best with his three new clients.

Catching Up With Ralph Cindrich’s 2012 NFL Draft Class from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

When Brian Overstreet of E Overstreet Sports Management signed Dre Kirkpatrick, he must have been counting his blessings.  Kirkpatrick has been recognized as one of (if not the) best cornerbacks in the country.  Kirkpatrick, who declared for the 2012 NFL Draft after his Junior season at Alabama, is constantly mentioned in the same breath as LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne (who is represented by Bus Cook and may be the first cornerback off the Board).

Anyway, Overstreet had no idea that he would be dealing with legal issues surrounding his cornerback client in the month of February.  On January 17, 2012, Kirkpatrick was arrested for possession of marijuana.  Kirkpatrick claimed that he was not involved in the purchase of the marijuana and did not even know that pot was being purchased when his friend, Christopher Airreun Rogers, picked up the order.

Luckily for Kirkpatrick and Overstreet, Kirkpatrick will not be prosecuted on the possession of marijuana charge.  I doubt that the matter will affect Kirkpatrick’s Draft stock.

Brian Overstreet Is Over Dre Kirkpatrick’s Marijuana Possession Arrest from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Still a “boutique agency,” The NOVO Agency is not locking up commitments from a large number of NFL Draft prospects, but the two gentlemen who have signed with Sperbeck are highly coveted individuals.  Thus far, The NOVO Agency has signed LaMichael James and Nick Toon.

LaMichael James is a running back from Oregon.  While his height (5’9) may temporarily serve to be a disadvantage, he is one of the better backs in the Draft.  He redshirted in 2008, won Freshman of the Year in the Pac-10 in 2009, earned the Doak Walker Award in 2010, and is leaving Oregon after a strong 2011 (with lots of honors).

Nick Toon is a wide receiver from Wisconsin.  His father also played at Wisconsin and was a Hall of Famer.  Size (6’2 220lbs) is not a problem for this player.  Longtime agent Ralph Cindrich will assist Sperbeck with the representation of Toon, who is considered one of the ten best receivers in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Jeff Sperbeck Of The NOVO Agency Signs LaMichael James & Nick Toon from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Around this time last year, it looked like Joe Flanagan and his DePere, Wisconsin based company, BTI Sports Advisors was going to be representing a #1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.  The player who was supposed to be taken high was Da’Quan Bowers, a defensive end from Clemson.  By the time that the NFL Draft took place, Bowers’ draft stock slipped quite a bit and he was not selected until the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scooped him up with the #51 overall pick.

Once again, BTI Sports Advisors has a chance at representing a first round pick.  The agency is hoping that their new client, Wisconsin center Peter Konz will improve his draft stock instead of go the way of Bowers from last year.  Konz is already listed as the #1 player at his position and #21 player overall in the 2012 NFL Draft (according to NFLDraftScout.com).

BTI Sports Advisors Signs Top NFL Draft Center Peter Konz from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Oakland Raiders defensive end Lamarr Houston was selected by the team in the second round (#44 overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft.  Houston, who used to play for the Texas Longhorns, had a solid second season in the NFL, gathering 51 combined tackles, 1 sack, 3 pass deflections, and even an interception.  Tackles were up compared to 2010, but sacks decreased by 5.  The numbers were good enough for Drew Rosenhaus to pay attention.

Houston recently switched from Jordan Woy of Willis & Woy Sports Group to Rosenhaus Sports Representation.  Last September, Woy was on the other side of an On To The Next One, when he signed defensive back Jordan Pugh of the Carolina Panthers, who had previously been represented by Garriet M. Blair of GMB Sports and Entertainment, LLC.

On To The Next One: Lamarr Houston from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Former LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson was selected #5 overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft.  In the 2012 NFL Draft, another LSU cornerback may be off the board within the first five picks.  Peterson was represented by a lesser known agent named Patrick Lawlor of Galaxy Sports.  This year’s star cornerback from LSU, Morris Claiborne, is represented by a man who is oft recognized for being the agent of Brett Favre – Bus Cook.

Representing athletes from the southeast is nothing new for Cook.  Last year, his name was on the Standard Representation Agreement for six players selected in the Draft (four from Mississippi State, one from Ole Miss, and Cam Newton – #1 overall pick from Auburn).

Claiborne will not be the first overall pick in 2012 and likely won’t be the second pick either, but there is a strong possibility that he is the first cornerback taken in the Draft.  He is leaving LSU a year early, but not before earning All-American honors and the Jim Thorpe Award, which is awarded to the top defensive back in college football.

Top 2012 NFL Draft Cornerback Morris Claiborne Signs With Bus Cook from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Yesterday, I mistakenly listed former Alabama linebacker Don’t’a Hightower as a client of Athletes First.  The post has since been corrected.  Hightower has chosen an agent, but his selection was actually Pat Dye, Jr. of SportsTrust Advisors.  SportsTrust Advisors is the agency that Jimmy Sexton recently left in favor of joining up with the football division at Creative Artists Agency (CAA).  Earlier today, I announced that Sexton and CAA signed Heisman Trophy finalist Trent Richardson.

NFLDraftScout.com currently lists Hightower as the 2nd best player in the Draft at his position and the 30th best player overall.  He is a former 1st team SEC and 1st team All-American.  Hightower had the most tackles on Alabama’s defense in 2011, with a total of 85.

Alabama Linebacker Dont’a Hightower Is A SportsTrust Advisors Client from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

I already reported on Sexton’s signing of Memphis Defensive Tackle Dontari Poe.   The NFL’s College Advisory Committee, provided Poe his Draft grade (2nd round) prior to Poe signing with Sexton and entering his name into the 2012 NFL Draft.

More recently, Sexton signed former Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy Finalist, Trent Richardson.  I will let the video below do all the talking.

Heisman Finalist Trent Richardson Signs With Jimmy Sexton (CAA) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Octagon Football represents 6 players who were selected in the 2011 NFL Draft.  Those players range from Cameron Jordan (defensive end selected #24 overall by the New Orleans Saints) to Stephen Schilling (offensive lineman selected #201 overall by the San Diego Chargers).

Every year, Octagon Football represents a number of players who drafted, and Octagon is able to retain its standing as one of the most prominent football agencies in America.  2012 will undoubtedly bring Octagon a host of new NFL players, as many of the following names who are Octagon clients will be called between rounds 1-7 of this year’s Draft.

• Courtney Upshaw – outside linebacker – Alabama – NFLDraftScout: 2 (position), 21 (overall)
• Whitney Mercilus – defensive end – Illinois – NFLDraftScout: 2 (position), 31 (overall)
• Brandon Weeden - quarterback – Oklahoma State – NFLDraftscout: 6 (position), 82 (overall)
• Michael Egnew - tight end – Missouri – NFLDraftScout: 4 (position), 98 (overall)
• Jamell Fleming - cornerback – Oklahoma – NFLDraftScout: 19 (position), 141 (overall)
• Mychal Kendricks - inside linebacker – California – NFLDraftScout: 7 (position), 155 (overall)
• Marc Tyler - running back – Southern California – NFLDraftScout: 20 (position), 202 (overall)
• Kyle Wilber - outside linebacker - Wake Forest – NFLDraftScout: 21 (position), 207 (overall)
• Marvin Jones – wide receiver – California – NFLDraftScout: 28 (position), 228 (overall)
• Joe Looney – offensive guard – Wake Forest – NFLDraftScout: 16 (position), 305 (overall)
• Peyton Thompson – cornerback – San Jose State – likely undrafted

Congratulations to Mike Sullivan, Doug Hendrickson, CJ Laboy, Andy Ross, and the others on the Octagon Football team for what seems to be a very impressive 2012 NFL Draft class.

Catching Up With Octagon’s 2012 NFL Draft Class from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

If three years have passed since a college football player’s high school class graduated, he is officially eligible to declare for the NFL Draft.  Typically, that rule provides redshirt Sophomores and true Juniors the opportunity to leave school early and test their luck with NFL teams.

Players who are interested in declaring for the NFL prior to the culmination of their Senior seasons must express their intent to enter the NFL Draft prior to January 15 of each calendar year.  Thereafter, those players who have soft-declared have a 3-day window (until January 18) to decide whether they will remain eligible to be selected in the forthcoming NFL Draft or remove their names from the pool.  Importantly, if an underclassman hires as agent, that player will forfeit his remaining eligibility to play college football whether or not the player withdraws his name from the NFL Draft pool.

Today being January 17, there is a large group of underclassmen who have soft-declared for the 2012 NFL Draft, and who have roughly 24 hours to change their minds.  There are currently 61 underclassmen who believe that they are prepared to make the jump to the NFL.  While players such as Justin Blackmon, Robert Griffin III, and Andrew Luck are sure to be very high picks in the 2012 NFL Draft, there are many players listed who may not be selected at all.  They have taken risks (hopefully calculated risks with the advice of knowledgeable and caring advisors) to forfeit their remaining eligibility in favor of the perceived riches waiting for them in the NFL.  Further, they have hopefully utilized the NFL’s College Advisory Committee, and submitted their information to get their current draft grades.

61 Underclassmen Soft-Declare For 2012 NFL Draft from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules