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North Carolina DT Quinton Coples Signs With Allegiant Athletic Agency

Congratulations are in order for Chad Speck and Thomas Sims of Allegiant Athletic Agency (a3).  The agents have recently signed University of North Carolina Chapel-Hill defensive tackle Quinton Coples, who is likely to be a first round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft.  a3 has experienced nice success in its football and basketball divisions over the past three years, focusing much of its effort on recruiting eastern seaboard players particularly in the state of Tennessee.  Coples isn’t a Tennessean, but he is close enough in nearby North Carolina.

a3 had five clients selected in the 2011 NFL Draft.  Their highest drafted client was Curtis Brown, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the #95 overall pick at the end of the third round.  But this will not be the first time that a3 represents a first round pick (if in fact Coples is selected in round #1).  In 2010, a3 represented Eric Berry when he was selected #5 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hopefully a3 can hold on to Coples.  UNC football alumni have recently had issues sticking with their original representatives.

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.