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New Agent Ryan Rubin Of RMI Athletics Signs A Couple Of Players On Defense

UCLA Bruins safety Dalton Hilliard has signed with new NFLPA Contract Advisor Ryan Rubin. Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE
UCLA Bruins safety Dalton Hilliard has signed with new NFLPA Contract Advisor Ryan Rubin. Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE
UCLA Bruins safety Dalton Hilliard has signed with new NFLPA Contract Advisor Ryan Rubin. Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Atlanta, Georgia-based RMI Athletics is new in the scene of representing professional athletes.  Yet Ryan Rubin, the founder and Contract Advisor at the company, already seems to be having success in what many insiders consider the toughest part of being an agent – recruiting new clientele.

Recently, Rubin signed Georgia Tech defensive tackle T.J. Barnes.  NFLDraftScout.com ranks Barnes as the 42nd best DT available in the 2013 NFL Draft and the 541st best player overall.  However, Barnes, a 2012 Coaches All-ACC Football Honorable Mention, has an invitation to the NFL Combine, where in addition to at his school’s Pro Day, he will have a lot of room to rise up Draft boards (if he puts up better than expected numbers).  At 6’7, 345 lbs, Barnes is a very big boy, who has proven that he is able to cut weight when demanded by his coaching staff.

Rubin’s other football client is UCLA safety Dalton Hilliard, who has also shown some ability at running back and on special teams.  He separated his shoulder this past season and had to sit out the Pac-12 championship game, but he was able to take part in the Holiday Bowl.  It was not Hilliard’s best game; Baylor beat UCLA 49-26.

Neither Barnes nor Hilliard are expected to be high draft picks, and both could realistically go undrafted.  But it would not be surprising to see the DT and safety at least get picked up by teams and given a shot to prove themselves in camp.

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.