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Elias Sports Signs Two NFL Prospects: Robert Alford and Brandon Williams

Missouri Southern defensive tackle Brandon Williams pictured signing signing his Standard Representation Agreement with Albert Elias.
Missouri Southern defensive tackle Brandon Williams pictured signing signing his Standard Representation Agreement with Albert Elias.

Albert Elias has distinguished his company, Elias Sports Management, from the competition by focusing his recruiting on the southeast.  In particular, Elias has had much success recruiting players out of Louisiana State University and other colleges within the state of Louisiana.  LSU will be going to a bowl game, so there is not yet an indication that Elias will sign any players departing from that school.  However, he has already announced the signing of a player from a nearby school, in addition to an athlete from Missouri.

Robert Alford, a cornerback out of Southeast Louisiana was the first prospect to sign with Elias.  Alford’s brother, Fred Booker, is a former LSU and NFL player who was with him when he signed his SRA with Elias.  Alford has an invite to the Senior Bowl, was named to the Buck Buchanan Award List and earned first-team All-Southland Conference honors.

Elias has also signed Missouri Southern defensive tackle Brandon Williams to an SRA.  He finished his college career with 27 sacks (8.5 sacks in 2012), making him the all-time leader in that category at his alma mater.  In 2012, the 6’3, 325 lb DT also took home MIAA defensive player of the year.

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.