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Top 2012 NFL Draft Cornerback Morris Claiborne Signs With Bus Cook

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.

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.