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2021 NFL Draft Round 1 Recap Of Player-Agent Pairings

2021 NFL Draft 1st round agents
  1. Trevor Lawrence – MGC Sports/Excel Sports [marketing]
  2. Zack Wilson – Brian Ayrault (WME)
  3. Trey Lance – Patrick Collins, Tommy Condon, Jimmy Sexton (CAA)
  4. Kyle Pitts – Andre Odom and David Mulugheta (Athletes First)/ESM [marketing]
  5. Ja’Marr Chase – Alliance Sports
  6. Jaylen Waddle – Joel Segal (SportFive)/GSE Worldwide [marketing]
  7. Penei Sewell – Joe Panos, Justin “Scoop” Schulman, David Dunn (Athletes First)
  8. Jaycee Horn – David Mulugheta and Trevon Smith (Athletes First)
  9. Patrick Surtain II – Tory Dandy (CAA)
  10. Devonta Smith – Klutch Sports/Rubicon Talent [marketing]
  11. Justin Fields – David Mulugheta (Athletes First)/Rubicon Talent [marketing]
  12. Micah Parsons – Andre Odom and David Mulugheta (Athletes First)
  13. Rashawn Slater – Patrick Collins, Tommy Condon, Jimmy Sexton (CAA)
  14. Alijah Vera-Tucker – CAA
  15. Mac Jones – Tommy Condon and Jimmy Sexton (CAA)/ESM [marketing]
  16. Zaven Collins – Joel Segal (SportFive)
  17. Alex Leatherwood – Klutch Sports
  18. Jaelen Phillips – Ben Renzin and Brian Ayrault (WME)
  19. Jamin Davis – David Mulugheta (Athletes First)
  20. Kadarius Toney – SportsTrust Advisors
  21. Kwity Paye – Tory Dandy (CAA)
  22. Caleb Farley – Drew Rosenhaus, Jason Rosenhaus, Robert Bailey, Ryan Matha (Rosenhaus Sports)
  23. Christian Darrisaw – Cody Recchion and Andy Simms (Young Money APAA)
  24. Najee Harris – Chafie Fields, CJ Laboy, Doug Hendrickson (Wasserman)
  25. Travis Etienne – Martin Fischman (Ballengee)
  26. Greg Newsome – CAA
  27. Rashod Bateman – Blake Baratz (IFA)
  28. Payton Turner – Erik Burkhardt (Select Sports Group)
  29. Eric Stokes – Matthew Pope (Apex Sports Group)
  30. Greg Rousseau – Drew Rosenhaus, Jason Rosenhaus, Robert Bailey, Ryan Matha (Rosenhaus Sports)
  31. Jayson Oweh – Andre Odom and David Mulugheta (Athletes First)
  32. Joe Tryon – Joe Panos (Athletes First)

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.