Categories
Headline

Catching Up With Joel Segal’s NFL Draft Class

Last week, the company that employs NFLPA Contract Advisor Joel Segal (Lagardère Unlimited) shifted the balance of power in the world of athlete representation by acquiring Scottsdale, Arizona-based Gaylord Sports Management Group.  While Lagardère Unlimited’s football division will gain strength through the acquisition, it is not as if it was struggling in any way.  In fact, Segal has steered one of the most powerful ships in the world of NFL player representation for many years.

I have already reported Segal’s signing of Arizona State cornerback Omar Bolden and South Dakota offensive tackle Tom Compton.  In addition to those two players, Segal will represent Chris Rainey, Jerel Worthy, Trumaine Johnson, and Bruce Irvin in the 2012 NFL Draft.  And I am sure that he still has at least another player who will come on board.

Chris Rainey is from my alma mater, the University of Florida.  The running back with blazing speed has the ability to break big plays.  Perhaps he does not make it as a running back at the next level, but he may be able to be a special kick/punt returner.  He is not tall, but neither is Darren Sproles.  In fact, Sproles is about 3 inches smaller than Rainey.  NFLDraftsScout.com lists Rainey as the 20th best running back in his class.

Jerel Worthy is an underclassman NFL Draft entry who was a defensive tackle at Michigan State.  He was a First-team All-American and is rated 20th on Mel Kiper’s Big Board.  NFLDraftScout.com ranks Worthy as the 4th best defensive tackle in the Draft and the 19th best player overall.

Trumaine Johnson is a cornerback from Montana who actually looks similar to Montana’s mascot on his old NFLDraftScout profile.  He was selected to the 2011 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team and could be as high as a 2nd round pick.

Bruce Irvin played in that high scoring Orange Bowl, but not on the offense.  However, he was on the winning team (West Virginia).  Irvin is an outside linebacker who was selected All-BIG EAST Conference First Team in 2011.  He was a junior college transfer who really thrived in WVU’s defense. Here is some video on Irvin from the Orange Bowl.

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.