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Geno Smith Said To Be Down To Final Three Agent Candidates

QB Geno Smith, represented by Select Sports Group, is projected to be a first round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
QB Geno Smith, represented by Select Sports Group, is projected to be a first round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
QB Geno Smith is rumored to have narrowed down his agent selection process to a final three candidates. Photo Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Last week it was reported that former West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith dropped his agents at Select Sports Group after being selected by the New York Jets.  It was not his disappointment with the team that drafted him; it was how far he fell in the Draft.  Anyhow, Smith has waited the five days necessary prior to signing new representation, and has yet to hire a replacement.  However, that decision could be coming soon, and there is already speculation that Smith has narrowed his options down to a final three.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com wrote that Smith is likely between Rick Smith of Priority Sports, David Dunn of Athletes First and Joel Segal of Lagardère Unlimited.

Rick Smith had two clients selected in the 2013 NFL Draft – Illinois guard Hugh Thornton, selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 86 overall pick (third round) and Alabama defensive tackle Jesse Williams, picked by the Seattle Seahawks with the No. 137 pick (fifth round).  Smith’s company had a total of ten clients selected throughout the Draft, including one taken in the first round.

David Dunn is on the Standard Representation Agreement for five players chosen in the Draft.  Two of those players are quarterbacks – Mike Glennon of N.C. State (drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Landry Jones of Oklahoma (drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers).  Athletes First had a total of eighteen clients drafted.

Joel Segal represents the No. 1 overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft (Eric Fisher) along with ten other players who were drafted.  None of those ten players perform at the quarterback position.

For a full list of player/agent pairings from the 2013 NFL Draft, click here.

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.