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Catching Up With Athletes First’s 2012 NFL Draft Class

There are a few sports agencies that always have a large number of clients selected in the NFL Draft, and oftentimes many of those players are picked in the top half of the draft.  Athletes First is one of those agencies.  While the company’s Draft class is not as top heavy as it was last year, when it had 4 clients taken in the first round (including #2 overall Von Miller), and a total of 9 players taken in the top 3 rounds, the names listed below are nothing to scoff at.  Further, this list is likely incomplete.  There are probably about 6-8 other players who have either signed with Athletes First (that I am not aware of) or will sign with the company prior to the 2012 NFL Draft.  Here are the players that I have been told are currently represented by the agents, including David Dunn, at Athletes First:

  • Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska, CB, 3rd Position, 17th Overall, Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, 1st Team All Big Ten
  • Melvin Ingram, South Carolina, OLB, 1st Position, 19th Overall, 1st Team SEC, 1st Team All American
  • Michael Floyd, Notre Dame, WR, 3rd Position, 22nd Overall, Notre Dame MVP 2x, FBS Independent Offensive POY
  • Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State, OG, 4th Position, 43rd Overall, 1st Team Big XII, 2009 Big XII 2nd Team
  • Nick Foles, Arizona, QB, 4th Position, 50th overall, Pac 12 Honorable Mention, Unitas Finalist
  • Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M, RB, 9th Position, 100th Overall, 2 time Big XII honorable mention
  • Harrison Smith, Notre Dame, SS, 3rd Position, 102nd Overall, All Independent 1st Team, Notre Dame Team Captain
  • Kennan Robinson, Texas, OLB, 13th Position, 108th Overall, Big XII 2nd team, Butkis Awards semi-finalist
  • Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M, WR, 20th Position, 158th Overall, Big XII Honorable Mention
  • Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma, WR, 22nd Position, 178th Overall, 2010 and 2011 All American, NCAA all time leading receiver
  • Ryan Miller, Colorado, OG, 12th Position, 220th Overall, 3rd Team All American
  • Kellen Moore, Boise State, QB, 12th Position, 221st Overall, 2010 Heisman finalist, 2x All-American

Melvin Ingram and Alfonzo Dennard were discussed in this Sports Agent Blog post on January 5, 2012.

NFLDraftScout.com was used to provide the position and overall ranks listed above .

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.