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David Canter Locks Up Utah

The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing lists twenty-six athlete agents that have registered with the state since it started implementing registration requirements.  Eighteen of those twenty-six agents have had their Utah licenses expire, leaving only eight agents with the legal right to confront Utah student athletes about representation.  David Canter, an agent in my backyard of South Florida, is the only registered agent based in Florida, and seems to be having a lot of success being one of eight agents registered in Utah.

Canter has already signed DE Paul Kruger, CB Sean Smith, QB Brian Johnson, RB Darrell Mack and WR Freddie Brown.  It sure says a lot about Canter to be able to sign four players from the same school that happen to play far away from his headquarters.  NFL Draft Scout project all of Canter’s senior Utah clients (Mack and Brown) to end up as non-drafted free agents, but with that being said, I am sure that Canter is looking long term on those two.  Locking up four guys from Utah in this draft should give him great access to future Utes stars as long as he does a good job with those that he will represent in this year’s class.

And then there’s Paul Kruger, who should headline Canter’s class.  He is only a redshirt sophomore, but has declared for the draft and projects to be a first day draft pick.  Sean Smith (junior) also has a chance at being a day one pick.  If both guys end up going first round, DEC Management is sure to gain some great press in Utah papers as well as down in SoFla.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

One reply on “David Canter Locks Up Utah”

Not sure when this article posted, but there are now 42 active agents licensed in Utah. Not sure how much was due to your article (I’m sure somewhat) compared with the increased scrutiny by states and universities…probably a bit of both.

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