When the Chicago Bears select players for the first pick on Thursday night, Caleb Williams will almost certainly been called that day.
The University of Southern California quarterback wo n’t be flanked by some big-time NFL agent when he wakes up to hug his family and friends, though. Dealmakers like David Mulugheta and Jimmy Sexton, who defended top pick Bryce Young last year, wo n’t be found here.
Because Williams intends to start his professional career with his own picture team led by his parents, Carl, The 2022 Heisman Trophy success is slated to be the team’s first No. No qualified agent will officially repaint a draft pick without first being chosen.
More well-known players like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson rely on their own committee of reliable friends and family, and Williams is n’t the first to do this. However, his choice is noticeable in light of this recent era of participant empowerment, and moving forward, it might make another elite prospects weigh the merits of hiring an agent before the review.

Previous NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth said in an interview,” You get the price you get from an agent who has information about the club, but you have to trust someone you barely know.” ” Or you can get with someone]non- qualified ] you really believe … Have well and you can find what you want. That’s what it all boils down to”.
Williams, who is expected to receive a deal worth approximately$ 40 million, is taking a website from Jackson, who secured a report- setting five- yr,$ 260 million expansion last year that featured$ 185 million in guaranteed money. Although it faced some challenges, some people think Jackson’s success is significant because it demonstrated that a player can negotiate a beneficial contract on his own. The original MVP tested the free agency waters.
Players who do n’t have agents typically surround themselves with reliable advisors and are frequently willing to pay a fee to an outside attorney or make calls to former NFL agents for counsel. Williams, for instance, has some level of experience in his tent with NFL representative Tony Agnone as one of his advisors.
First-round takes already know what they’ll receive, giving people less opportunity to signal officials who occasionally want as much as 3 % of a client’s income since the quarterback level was established by the CBA in 2011. Although agreements are n’t tied to the rookie scale, which essentially serves as a salary cap within the salary cap, there may be more of a need for picture when it comes to the second deal. Marvin Harrison Jr., a former Ohio State superstar wide receiver, has also chosen not to sign an agent before the review.
” There’s also a valuable role for quality picture, especially as things come up from the expected to the unforeseen”, former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said in an exam. ” Quality agents can still make a difference in the process. We occasionally encounter outliers, but I do n’t believe this is the beginning of something new.

Top agents ‘ years of experience with the draft process and their long-standing relationships with league general managers are perhaps what top agents bring in the most. Without an agency’s resources, it might also be difficult to secure strong marketing deals. A player can also benefit from having their focus on playing their best while avoiding having to talk about their upcoming contract directly with the GM during the offseason. Rookies and sophomores do n’t face those concerns yet, however.
Roc Nation Sports co-founder John Thornton, who has spent 10 years playing football for the first time, said,” I think sometimes you need an agent to maximize some things.” It might not be your first year. You might need an agent for your second contract. I see a lot of guys who do n’t have them their first year and then choose to have one for their third deal. I believe that the majority of agents would want the second deal in any case.”
Additionally, larger agencies typically offer clients cash advances and occasionally are willing to lose money just to represent a top draft pick. However, as one of the top college NIL earners in the country, Williams, who reportedly owns several luxury cars and has a penthouse in LA, is n’t hurting for cash.
In this new era of college football, where NIL dollars are lining the pockets of the nation’s best, it may give prospects more pause to hire agents. This leads to a scenario where they feel self-sufficient and potentially more prepared to go solo in addition to inking sponsor deals with their own internal teams of friends and family well before the draft.
Is Williams ‘ choice to not employ an agent merely an anomaly or the start of a trend where more prospects choose to go the same route? Time will tell, but it’s obvious that some elite college athletes are considering whether or not to use outside counsel.
” Negotiation is simple when you’re really good, and that’s what it comes down to”, Foxworth added. Say the number you want, and “ball out until they pay you or until you become a free agent.” You do n’t need an agent to do that”.