Potential No. 1 overall draft pick, Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, can make history if selected first overall. Williams would become the first player to be selected No. 1 in the draft, who is represented by a female agent. Williams is represented by Young Money APPA agent, Nicole Lynn. Williams will also become Lynn’s first, first-round pick.
“The reason why he signed with me is because I have never had a first-round pick,” Lynn told Sports Business Journal. “He told me I am an underdog like him and somebody had to believe in him, so somebody’s going to believe in me.”
Lynn, who is only 30-years-old, is also representing University of Texas linebacker Gary Johnson and University of Houston linebacker Emeke Egbule. Some of her NFL clients include Raiders wide receiver Seth Roberts, Raiders safety Erik Harris, Broncos linebacker Todd Davis, and Bengals linebacker Malik Jefferson.
Last year, Kim Miale of Roc Nation Sports represented No. 2 overall pick Saquon Barkley. Barkley was the third-ever rookie to surpass 2,000 yards from scrimmage. He also broke Reggie Bush’s rookie running back reception record as he finished with 91 catches, on his way to being named AP Rookie of the Year.
Miale will be representing Stanford running back Bryce Love in this year’s draft. She also represents Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette, Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, and Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster.
Veteran NFL agent Kelli Masters has signed one of her largest classes for the upcoming NFL draft. Masters who runs her own firm, Kelli Masters Management, has signed Oklahoma State quarterback Taylor Cornelius, who is a potential late-round pick. She has also signed Oklahoma tight end Carson Meier, Texas A&M offensive guard Keaton Sutherland, North Texas wide receiver Jalen Guyton, Texas offensive guard Patrick Vahe, Michigan State linebacker Andrew Dowell, and Texas A&M kicker Daniel LaCamara.
In 2010, she co-represented the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.
“Players do seem to be more accepting of women as agents, and that will continue to evolve,” Masters told Sports Business Journal. “The fact that I have represented a number of NFL players and other athletes over the years has helped build trust and credibility, not only for myself and my company, but for other women in the industry as well. Established agencies are now hiring more women in contract advisor roles, where that simply was not the case 10 to 15 years ago.”
In 2018, 33 women took the agent certification exam, the highest number of women, since the exam began in 2001.
