Caleb Williams will almost certainly be the first name called when the Chicago Bears open the NFL Draft with the first pick on Thursday night.
But when he gets up to hug his family and friends, the University of Southern California quarterback won’t be flanked by some big-time NFL agent. You won’t find dealmakers like David Mulugheta or Jimmy Sexton, who stood tall beside top pick Bryce Young last year.
That’s because Williams plans to enter his professional career with his own representation team led by his father, Carl. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is slated to be the league’s first No. 1 draft pick to be selected without formally being repped by a certified agent.
Williams isn’t the first to take this route, as more high-profile players like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson rely on their own committee of trusted friends and family. But his decision is noteworthy amid this new wave of player empowerment, and moving forward, it may force other top prospects to weigh the true value of hiring an agent before the draft.
“An agent who has information about the league is the value that you get, but you have to trust someone you barely know,” former NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth said in an interview. “Or you can go with someone [non-certified] you really trust… Play well and you can get what you want. That’s what it all boils down to.”
Williams, who is expected to receive a contract worth roughly $40 million, is taking a page from Jackson, who secured a record-setting five-year, $260 million extension last year that featured $185 million in guaranteed money. Though it came with some obstacles, with the former MVP testing out the free agency waters, many believe Jackson’s achievement is notable because it showed that a player can strike a lucrative contract by himself.
Players without agents typically surround themselves with trusted advisors and are often willing to pay a flat fee to an outside lawyer or call on former NFL agents for advice. Williams, for example, has some level of experience in his camp with NFL agent Tony Agnone as one of his advisors.
Since the rookie scale was set by the CBA in 2011, first-round picks already know what they’ll get, giving players less incentive to sign agents who sometimes want as much as 3% of a client’s earnings. There could be more of a need for representation when it comes to the second contract, however, as negotiations aren’t tied to the rookie scale, which essentially acts as a salary cap within the salary cap. Former Ohio State star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. also has decided not to hire an agent before the draft.
“There’s still a meaningful role for quality representation, especially as things come up from the expected to the unexpected,” former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said in an interview. “Quality agents can still make a difference in the process. We see outliers from time to time, but I don’t think this is the start of something new.”
Perhaps the most value top agents provide is the level of experience about the draft process and their longstanding relationships with general managers across the league. It may also be difficult to secure strong marketing deals without an agency’s resources. An agent can also help take the pressure off a player from discussing their expiring deal directly with the GM during the season when their focus should be on playing their best. Rookies and sophomores don’t face those concerns yet, however.
“I think sometimes you need an agent to maximize some things,” said Roc Nation Sports co-head John Thornton, who represented himself at one point during his 10-year NFL career. “It might not be your rookie year. It could be your second contract that you needed (an agent). I see a lot of guys who don’t have them their rookie year, then they end up with one for their second deal. I think most agents would want the second deal anyway.”
The larger agencies also typically offer cash advances to clients and sometimes are willing to lose money just to represent a top draft pick. But Williams, who reportedly owns multiple luxury cars and has a penthouse in LA, isn’t hurting for cash as one of the top college NIL earners in the nation.
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, coupled with inking sponsor deals with their own internal teams of friends and family long before the draft, creates a scenario where they feel self-sufficient and potentially more prepared to go solo.
So is Williams’ decision to not hire an agent just an anomaly or the beginning of a trend where more prospects opt to take a similar route? Time will tell, but clearly some star college athletes are reevaluating the need to hire outside representation.
“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 don’t need an agent to do that.”