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On To The Next One: Janoris Jenkins & Dwight Bentley

Two days ago, I chatted with NFLPA Contract Advisor Malik Shareef of Roanoke, Virginia regarding a rumor I was hearing that he was in line to be the next agent for 2012 NFL Draft hopefuls Janoris Jenkins and Dwight Bentley.  Jenkins and Bentley, former high school teammates from Pahokee, Florida, each recently fired their agents.  Jenkins terminated Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Bentley moved on from SportsTrust Advisors.  When I asked Shareef whether the rumors were true, he said that he was certainly interested in Jenkins and Bentley, but that nothing was set in stone.  It turns out that only one day later (yesterday), Shareef ended up signing the two cornerbacks.

Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal confirmed that Shareef has, in fact, signed Jenkins and Bentley.  The signings of the two notable cornerbacks comes on the heels of Shareef becoming the NFLPA Contract Advisor for New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.  There is probably not another agent who is experiencing the success that Shareef has had over the past month.  And he certainly needed it after receiving the disappointing news that his former marquee client, Cleveland Browns defensive back Joe Haden left him to sign with Drew Rosenhaus.

NFLDraftScout.com currently lists North Alabama’s (formerly University of Florida’s) Janoris Jenkins as the 4th best cornerback in the draft and likely to be selected in the 1st round.  The website has Louisiana-Lafayette’s Dwight Bentley as the 12th best cornerback and the 87th best player on the board.

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.