Category Archives: Agents

2026 NFL Agent Exam: A Few First Thoughts

09 Friday Jan 2026

Posted by in Agent Exam, Agents, Getting started

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In the last few days, we’ve been contacted by several people who’ve registered to take this summer’s agent exam. I tweeted about it earlier today, but sometimes a tweet just isn’t enough. Here are a few more thoughts about achieving your dreams if you aspire to represent pro football players.

Our program starts in February: As always, we’ll have monthly Zoom sessions as we systematically cover each segment of the CBA. I’d argue that no one knows the CBA better than our instructor, Chicago-based Ian Greengross. Ian has led our program for several years now and dozens of successful test-takers got good results because of Ian.

Actually, we don’t really have a program: There are services out there charging close to $2,000 for bunch of classes. If you take all our classes, i.e., our Zoom sessions, which cover the CBA comprehensively, you spend $250. Stick around for our final review and our stress test, and you’re still under $400. We even tell you in advance what topics we cover in each session, so if you already have a handle on the topics in one session, keep your money. You’re not obligated to attend. Again, no obligations.

We have a special deal for you if this is your second try: Our partners at Stratic, Shane Costa and Christian Kranz of Generation Sports Group, offer a sensational alternative program, especially if you only have one last shot. It’s a little more intensive and a little more directed. It’s a bit more of a financial commitment, but it’s worth it. Especially if it’s fourth down, figuratively speaking, but even if you’ve never taken the exam before. Contact us and we’ll get you all the details. You won’t be sorry if you choose this option.

We’re improving our popular practice exams: We’re working on converting our two practice exams, maybe our most popular pre-exam feature, into one exam that changes questions each time you take it. It will be like taking a new practice exam every time. Our goal was to get this done last year, but we got a late start. We hope to have this completed at least by May, well before the final push.

You don’t have to wait until February to order our study guide: Our first Zoom session is about six weeks off and we won’t update our practice exams for a few months. However, if you’re registered now and eager to get going on things, you can order our study guide today. It’s pricey ($400 plus tax) but probably worth double that. In fact, if you only get one thing in preparation for the exam, get our study guide. It’s a 70-page PDF. Order it and we’ll have it in your inbox within an hour.

We will work with half-to-two thirds of the rising agent class, but if you’re one of our people, you’ll find we’re devoted to helping you pass. I hope we can work together. Let’s make it happen. If you have more questions, make sure to contact us at @Insidetheleague. DMs are always open.

Rumblings and Buzz from a Busy Football Week

14 Friday Nov 2025

Posted by in Agents, All Star Games, NIL, Scouts

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Man, it’s been a busy week, and there was a lot we didn’t have time to get into our Rep Rumblings (or give proper attention to). Here’s a look at some of this week’s developments in the business of college and pro football.

  • You don’t often see agents change firms after Halloween, but Evan Brennan has, moving from UA Sports to JL Sports. His arrival gives JL 10 NFLPA-certified contract advisors. Agency owner Joe Linta, who was 18th among all agents with 31 active NFL clients on our last count, gets a hard-working presence in the Northwest who continually turns up Day 3/UDFA types that beat the odds. Per NFLPA rolls, Brennan, who was certified in 2013, had 11 active clients as of this month.
  • Also getting a new address is Arlington, Va.-based Chitta Mallik, who’s taking his 16 years of experience to Jordan Sports Group, headed by newly certified contract advisor Miles Jordan. Jordan has already built a thriving NIL presence, and Mallik arrives to give his firm a veteran league presence. We’re told Mallik isn’t the only agent arriving from Dreampoint Sports; also advising Jordan Sports Group will be Tony Paige, who co-founded Dreampoint. Paige, a nine-year NFL playing veteran, has been in NFL player representation since 1994. Mallik and Paige were also previously with Vanguard Sports Group.
  • In an era where the costs of player representation are going up and up, it’s become commonplace for smaller agencies to develop affiliations. Some of them are highly informal, but others involve LLCs, contracts and specialized language. It’s a little more trouble, but sometimes it pays off, as it did for Premier Athlete Advisors LLC, which recently won a legal victory over its previous partner firm, Enter-Sports MGT LLC. Though the NFLPA continually pushes licensed contract advisors to settle their difference through its grievance process, time and again, agents complain that their rulings don’t resolve things. The people at Premier set up their venture with Enter-Sports as an agreement between LLCs, taking things outside the bounds of the Players Association. Enter-Sports is now on the hook for almost $38,000, per the story.
  • We try to interview a former NFL scout each week as part of our Catching Up feature in the Friday Wrap, and this week, it’s former Broncos, Chiefs and Vikings scout Roger Jackson (he also had a five-year playing career). Most scouts who retire from the job ride off into the sunset, playing golf and chasing grandkids. Not Roger, who instead saw a need for helping underprivileged kids in his hometown of Macon, Ga. He founded the Motivating Youth Foundation 18 years ago, and it’s made a difference in countless lives. To keep it going, instead of enjoying retirement, he knocks on doors. “I can raise money,” he said with a laugh this week. “I beg. And I’ll come back next week. ‘Thought you might have changed your mind.’ Until they say, ‘we gotta give this joker something, or he’s gonna come back next week,’ and I sure am.” Make sure to check out our interview with Roger in tomorrow’s Friday Wrap.
  • Our November Zoom session for ITL clients was Wednesday, and in it, we highlighted the density of all-star competition from Jan. 4-11. In the first week-and-a-half of the year, NFL teams will be tasked with covering the FCS Showcase in Nashville (Jan. 4-5); the Hula Bowl in Central Florida (Jan. 5-10); the Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 8) and Peach Bowl (Jan. 9) as part of the College Football Playoffs; and the College Gridiron Showcase and Dream Bowl, both in the Metroplex Jan. 9-11. It’s a dilemma for scouting staffs, and we discussed how teams are planning on covering things (or not covering them) in Tuesday’s post.

We’re just getting started. If you love the college and pro game, make sure to check out our newsletter, which goes out at 7:30 p.m. EST tomorrow. Register for it here.

Do All-Star Games Still Matter?

23 Thursday Oct 2025

Posted by in Agents, All Star Games, Scouts

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This week, we started our annual all-star game Zoom series. Tuesday, I hosted, discussing all six major games this cycle and providing insights on each. There’s a lot you need to know, from how to get a player into a game to when to be there to what to expect when you arrive. Tonight, we host Jose Jefferson from the College Gridiron Showcase and Jim Collins from the Tropical Bowl, and each will go into detail on their respective events.

But is it all worth it? In the era of the 12-game regular season, in a time when most small-school “sleepers” have long since transferred to bigger schools, in a day when there’s more access to film than ever, do we still need postseason games? I say yes. Here’s why.

Rotational players: It’s true that more G5 and sub-FBS players are transferring “up” to P4 programs, but that doesn’t mean they’re getting the reps they need. Playing every other series or every other snap is not conducive to registering on NFL radar screens. All-star games give you exposure you need.

Interviews, etc.: North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick openly tells Patriots evaluators to stay away. Meanwhile, in our Friday Wrap newsletter, each week we have quotes from scouts talking about schools that limit access to practices, or who force scouts into classroom settings to ask questions about players that draw bland, safe answers. All-star settings are no-spin zones. Done correctly, a player can win over a scout just by having a sit-down with him.

Players from remote areas: The fact of the matter is that scouts do not visit all schools equally, or even all schools. No matter how many resources are devoted to finding hidden gems, there are still those who slip under the radar, especially if you play in the West/Northwest, the plains area, etc. Typically, you have fewer scouts in those areas, and often, they are less-experienced. It’s easy to overlook players. It’s also hard for a younger scout to really “stand on the table” for an unheralded player. But if that player shows out at an all-star game, he might move into “writeable” territory.

Scouts are there: I used to attend the Cactus Bowl in the early 2000s, an all-star game specifically for Division II players that was held in Kingsville, Texas, which is close to saying “we don’t want anyone to actually show up here” as is possible. I mean, no one accidentally shows up in Kingsville. Still, to my recollection, all 32 teams showed up and stuck around for a couple days. The point is, when you make it easy for an NFL team to evaluate players, they’ll usually take advantage of that. So even if it’s a small game, if scouts are sure there will be players there, they’ll probably roll in and watch. That means opportunity for the invitees.

If you’re a new agent and want to learn more about this critical part of the evaluation process, we can help. A lot. Give us a shot by signing up for Inside the League or registering for our free newsletter, the Friday Wrap.

What To Do If You Failed the Agent Exam Twice

09 Tuesday Sep 2025

Posted by in Agent Exam, Agents, Getting started, NIL

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The day that the NFL Agent Exam results come out — in this case, last Thursday — is a very exciting one. It’s an awesome feeling to see some of the hundreds of people we work with during the pre-exam phase realize they are going to get to live their dreams, and I get to share that celebration with them.

On the other hand, for those who get bad news, there’s pretty much nothing to say to minimize the pain. That’s especially true of those who fail for a second time and who are staring at a five-year wait (and another $2500) just to try again.

Today, I’ve given a lot of thought to what to tell those people. Here’s what I came up with.

Don’t let this defeat you. Let’s start here. If you are even qualified to take the exam, you have a secondary degree and a clean record financially and criminally. This means there are a lot of things you can do in life. We estimate that about a quarter of test-takers pass on the first try and about half pass on the second try. This is easily the toughest agent exam of the four majors. If you come up short, you are far from alone, and you shouldn’t let this define you.

Consider an appeal. The testing service the NFLPA uses is far from perfect, and I’ve heard of at least one new agent who passed despite long delays (including two complete computer shutdowns in the last hour of taking the exam). I also heard about odd experiences at the testing center in July (like site officials disallowing materials the NFLPA clearly allows). If this was you, don’t be a martyr. I think you have 30 days to appeal the results. Don’t mess around. Hire an attorney if needed.

Really decide if you want to stay on this journey. There is no shame in turning around. This business eats people alive. You have talent. Decide if you want to use it on people who, in many cases, will not appreciate you. I’m just trying to be honest.

Take a sales job somewhere. For new agents, the job is not really about negotiation (popular misconception). It’s about sales. You’re selling yourself. If there’s one reason why most agents fail, it’s because they are not comfortable with the vagaries of talking to others, listening to them, figuring out their hopes and fears, and addressing them . . . which is pretty much what sales is. You won’t be able to succeed in this industry without sales talent. Oh, and one other thing.

Save your money. The other main reason people fail in this industry is lack of resources. You’re looking at $10,000, minimum, to get one player ready for the draft these days (or at least one who’s worth representing). Believe me, people try to do it without money, but the overwhelming majority fail. Go out and try to save $20,000-$30,000 in the next five years, and then come back ready for war.

Embrace life as an NIL agent. If you want to really see what this business looks like, go out and try to represent high school and college players seeking to make money in the portal or otherwise. We are in a truly unique time when there’s a chance to make lots of money representing players in a largely unregulated environment with almost no start-up costs. Success is about seizing opportunities, and there’s lots of opportunity on the NIL front. You might even realize you’re good at it and decide you don’t need to work on the NFL side. Really. That might happen.

If you’re in this difficult but select group, I hope you found this helpful and maybe even a little encouraging. I have some idea of what you went through to get here, and can only imagine the frustration. But you can still make something great happen. Just give yourself a chance.

2025 NFL Agent Exam: Hope For Those Who Didn’t Pass

05 Friday Sep 2025

Posted by in Agent Exam, Agents

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It took a little longer than expected, but after 45 days of waiting since the NFL Agent Exam on July 21, test-takers got their results today. For many, it was good news, and it’s always so much fun to join in their celebration, but for others, it wasn’t. It’s a crushing blow after so many aspiring agents pour their blood, sweat and tears into getting past that hurdle.

However, the good news (if you’ve only taken it once) is that you get another shot. I know that’s cold comfort, but it’s still true. At the same time, it’s hard to wait another year. For those people, I reached out to a few of our test-takers who got good news this year after bad news last year. Here’s what they told us about the year “off” and how to make sure the second try is better than the first.

  • “Failing the first time was tough, but it gave me the chance to reset. I took the rest of that year to relax my brain and not stress over it. Knowing I could take the test again eased that ‘waiting’ pressure which made a huge difference. By January I was ready to dive back in with a clear head. Staying engaged with ITL and Having all the resources from last year ITL test prep, plus building on them with new material and Neil’s/ ITL support, was a game-changer allowing me to pass.”
  • “I took the NFLPA exam last year and unfortunately did not pass after completing one review course. Later, I learned about the ITL Review Course, and Neil was confident that if I committed to the program and put in the work, I would succeed. I decided to trust him—and I’m so glad I did. The monthly Zoom calls and practice tests were absolutely key to my success. Neil and the ITL team were patient, encouraging, and went above and beyond—even holding Zoom calls right up to the day before the exam.”
  • “The CBA is a complex system of rules that becomes easier to understand after you appreciate the high level framework. Understanding the nuances and complexities only comes after you have a firm, high-level understanding of what the system of rules is trying to accomplish. Unfortunately, I didn’t start to view the CBA this way until after I failed the first exam and took a step back to analyze what I may have missed in my initial preparation. After failing the exam, I studied every ITL video in my archives to understand the system at a high level. With knowledge of what it feels like to take the exam, I adjusted my preparation. . . On exam day, the execution was second nature and I was successful. There comes a point where you realize the CBA is your friend and organization is paramount.”
  • “Stay organized early. Take notes by hand and review everyday. I put in two hours per day starting in May. Have a table of contents, but more importantly, understand the material and scenarios.”
  • “By not passing on the first attempt, it brought me to an extreme low but I eventually gathered myself and repeatedly envisioned passing the exam. On my second review, I was able to really focus on the areas that I needed to improve on. Since my schedule was extremely busy by running a full-time solo law practice and being a father of a 4-year-old, 3-year-old, and 10-month old, I wasn’t able to dedicate myself to a full-time review over several months. In the month leading to the exam, I used Inside the League’s resources and paid close attention to Ian’s Zoom lectures. I also took much better notes during the NFLPA Seminar. Those changes made the difference in me passing.”
  • “ITL’s study guide, practice tests, and prep sessions, along with the source materials, are all you need to pass — but do not underestimate the exam. I failed my first attempt, but did not lose hope, as I knew if I reserved enough time to prepare with the ITL materials provided, I had all of the tools necessary to pass. Sure enough, I passed on the second attempt — in large part due to ITL. Honestly, there is so much to digest when preparing for the exam, without ITL I wouldn’t have known where to begin. The guys were helpful in troubleshooting where I went wrong the first time and instrumental in my success.”

There’s plenty more to discuss when it comes to the NFL Agent Exam. If it’s something you’ve taken before, something you hope to take someday, or something you passed long ago (but that still intrigues you), read about all the particulars related to this year’s exam in today’s Friday Wrap, which comes out this evening. It’s free, and all the NFL insiders read it. Register for it here.

Getting NFLPA-Certified? Don’t Make These Three Mistakes

22 Friday Aug 2025

Posted by in Agent Exam, Agents, Getting started, NFL draft

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We’re expecting results of the 2025 NFL Agent Exam a week from today, next Friday. That would make 38 days from exam to answers, right on track with last year’s term of 39 days. If you took the exam, you’re probably getting antsy, but before you find out if you passed or not, there are a few strategic errors you need to not make.

After sifting through how every agent did (draftees, UDFAs, tryouts and signees that didn’t achieve anything), both in the 2023 and 2024 agent classes (sorry, pay links), here are a few major mistakes that were made.

Signing no one in Year 1: It seems crazy, but 49 of the 140 contract advisors certified last year didn’t sign a single player for the 2025 draft. These people waited all their lives to get certified, passed a difficult test, then got nothing out of their rookie years. Still, that’s nothing compared to the 2023 class, in which 79 of the 164 first-year agents (close to half the class) skipped out on signing anyone. But here’s the kicker — 45 of those 79 from 2023 didn’t sign a single person in their second year! Now they’re staring at a do-or-die 2026 draft. If they can’t get at least one player on a 90-man roster in 2026, they’re out of the league practically before they got started.

Signing too many players in Year 1: One member of the 2024 agent class signed 17 players and not one made it into camp this summer (just one of them even got a tryout, which seems impossible). One signed eight players and not even one of them got a tryout, much less a UDFA contract. I get it — there’s a temptation to play the numbers game, but if you sign the wrong players, you have a monumental problem because now all those players (and their parents and coaches and girlfriends) are now calling you all summer wondering when they’re gonna get signed (and they aren’t). In my estimation, 2-3 clients is the sweet spot in Year 1 (no more than four). Basically, plan on spending money on training for all your clients. Usually, the agents who sign dozens of players aren’t training them. They’re trying to beat the system, to outsmart everyone. You can’t do that.

Signing small-schoolers: This is a big mistake for two reasons. No. 1, usually a sub-FBS player won’t have a pro day, which means you’re desperately calling around, trying to find a school that will take your player. Usually, you hit a brick wall. No. 2, and more importantly, a growing number of NFL scouts aren’t spending their time poring over FCS and lower prospects, reasoning that if they had ability, they’d take the NIL money and run to a bigger school. That’s the reality in the modern era.

We’ll talk more about the agent business, the success stories and the mistakes that are made in the Friday Wrap, as always, which comes out at 7:30 p.m. later today. Want in? It’s free. Register here.

Want to Sign a Legit NFL Draft Prospect? Here Are the Rules

14 Thursday Aug 2025

Posted by in Agents, combine prep, Getting started, NFL draft

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With the NFL agent exam in the rear-view mirror, our focus turns to helping agents who’ve had a little trouble getting started. For a lot of contract advisors, it takes a while to learn a few lessons. These include:

You can’t tell a legitimate prospect where to train. At least, not one who’s in that group of 800 players in each draft class that are actually worthy of a 90-man roster spot. Obviously, there are exceptions, but usually the best players come from FBS (mostly P4) and play marquee positions (OL, DL, QB, plus a few WRs and CBs). Those players know the market will bear a good training spot and a decent stipend (monthly allowance in the low four figures, usually) from an agent. If you don’t want to pay that, you better be real good at rolling dice.

You can’t create buzz for a player no one wants. I always feel terrible when a new agent comes to me in April and asks what he can do to promote his client(s). NFL teams begin to show their respective hands three weeks out from the draft. At that point, if he’s not getting interest from scouts, there’s nothing the agent can do. Zero. You have to have solved that problem in December or January.

Like it or not, a player’s pro day performance matters a great deal. I’m old enough to remember when the Eagles got killed in the media for taking Boston College DE Mike Mamula in the 1995 draft. Because Mamula owned his pre-draft workouts (which back then were still a rather new phenomenon), Philadelphia traded up to take him seventh overall, before Warren Sapp and Hugh Douglas. Though it’s popular to criticize the “underwear Olympics,” if we’re being honest, 30 years later, workout numbers still matter just as much. One thing I learned while writing my most recent book, Value Picks, is that a poor workout almost does more damage than poor character grades, i.e., a player could be taken completely off the board for it.

Representing a player who makes it to the NFL is worth it. There’s a reason the NFLPA had to institute a three-year rule (you must get at least one player on a roster over a three-year period) to cull the herd of agents on the rolls. It’s because signing and helping a player reach his dreams in the country’s most popular sport is well worth the cost, whatever it is. Lots of people get into the business before realizing how hard it is, then give up soon after certification because they don’t have the contacts, NFL background, or recruiting skills they need to sign a player with league bona fides. They never realize how close they could have come to actually accomplishing their goals.

Next week, we’ll have a Zoom session for people who are NFLPA-certified but struggling to get a player into an NFL camp. We’ll have details about our “bridge” program and who’s eligible. If you’re an agent who just hasn’t had any luck so far, make sure you register for our Friday Wrap, which will have more information. I hope you can join us.

A Few Thoughts from Nashville

08 Friday Aug 2025

Posted by in Agents, Getting started, Media, Scouts

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I was in Nashville this week for the 2025 Personnel and Recruiting Symposium Presented by Teamworks. It was hella impressive, which I’ll discuss in more detail in this week’s Friday Wrap (register here). I thought I’d share a few observations based on what I saw this week. Here goes.

  • Having spoken to some recently hired personnel types with NFL backgrounds, the big question is if they’ll be “attached” to the head coach, as often happens on the pro side. One person I talked to said he interviewed with about a dozen schools before getting hired and about half made it clear his job continuity would be tied to the athletic director, while the other half tethered him to the head coach. If today’s personnel hire model becomes untangled with anyone — i.e., there’s no spoils system, and scouts can expect to stay at a school for a decade, as long as they perform — it could become an even more enticing place for NFL evaluators.
  • I love how they were serious about networking there. The last hour before Monday night’s social was a “speed dating” type of event where about 500 people from across personnel, recruiting and operations sat at tables of 6-8 people, each answering questions off a card. Everyone was encouraged to share their name, school, title, contacts, etc., with everyone else. That’s a big step up from when I was here in 2019, when people were mostly left to their own devices to network (and most remained in their silos, unfortunately).
  • What’s remarkable is the sheer volume from everyone across the industry. It’s far more than just personnel and recruiting staffers. Monday night alone, I saw probably a half-dozen agents, plus representatives from probably 10 NFL teams, and I had just gotten there. Most people I spoke to who were here last year said it’s doubled in attendance since 2024.
  • It’s pretty clear why Nashville has become such a destination place for bachelorette parties. The nightlife in Houston, my hometown, is definitely mild downtown, but wow, it is booming here. Monday night in Nashville is something I’ll never forget. One of the members of my party this week called it a “mini Vegas.” From a lights and electricity perspective, it’s hard to argue. The Renaissance was a beehive Monday night, but there was even more action once you got out on the street.
  • At one point, the topic of visiting Memphis came up. The Tigers are located in a questionable part of town, apparently, which makes for expedited exits once practice is over. A few years ago, one director-level scout went to check into his ground-floor hotel room, only to find the window open and TV, microwave and anything else of value cleaned out. He immediately returned to the front desk, cancelled his reservation, and established a policy whereby scouts would only evaluate the Tigers on the road.

Hats off to this year’s organizers. They have a tall order in topping this year’s event. As I mentioned, I’ll touch more on the symposium in the Wrap.

Your One-Week Cram Strategy for the NFL Agent Exam

15 Tuesday Jul 2025

Posted by in Agent Exam, Agents, Getting started

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We preach 60 days, minimum, to prepare for the NFL agent exam. It’s a very challenging test with a very high failure rate. Of course, we still have lots of people who, for whatever reason, get a much later start. Those people need an expedited plan, obviously. We thought we’d put one together this year.

If you’re a big-time procrastinator, or you’ve been studying but suddenly realize you need some help, here’s the strategy we recommend. Disclaimer: It’s going to involve plenty of our products and services. Sorry if that sounds self-serving, but you’re going to have to come out of pocket to do this.

Here goes.

Buy our study guide. It all starts there. No study guide, you seriously impact your chances of passing. That’s why we sell lots and lots of them every year. “The study guide explains everything very simple which is great,” said one client this month. “I’m able to catch on to it quickly. Said another, also this month: “The study guide has been amazing.” We get these comments every year.

Or . . . buy our videos: Maybe you’re more of a visual learner. We have six one-hour videos for sale (February, March, April, May, June and July) that cover all the important topics in the CBA. They are $50 each, plus tax. If you prefer to watch our CBA guru, Ian Greengross, teach all the topics, order them all here. Theoretically, you could watch all six over the course of a day as a kind of self-taught CBA course. Each video lists the topics covered.

Either way, you need to spend 10-20 hours studying the guide or the videos. To me, that’s the minimum for covering the topics like split contracts, injury grievance, reading the signals report, drug policy, benefits and the like. You’re talking about a detailed 700-page document and, technically, everything in them is game for the exam. You’re probably talking about taking one or two days off from work this week. I’d also say 10-20 hours is the floor. It might take you longer to really grasp the concepts.

Listen intently to the NFLPA virtual seminars Wednesday and Thursday. This is still a legitimate way to learn the material, and NFLPA officials tend to give hints on what’s going to be tested. The problem is, they go at a breathtaking pace, so it’s hard to keep up (especially if you don’t have our study guide, which gives an excellent overview of all the key topics). You also tend to get really boneheaded questions, and the officials try to take them all seriously. This takes away from the time on task and the flow of teaching.

Take our practice exam on Friday. We actually have two, but you have to buy them in sequence, so start with Exam 1. I’d try to take it Friday morning. Don’t expect to ace it, but you’ll get a good handle on your weaknesses. Register for it here. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get them both (Exam 2 registration is here), but at least get one of them.

This is the bare minimum that I would recommend. I’d also think you should join us for our two-hour exam review and Q&A on Saturday night at 7 p.m. (details in the Friday Wrap, which you can register for here), but I think this at least gets you to some level of competence before Monday’s exam.

Best of luck. I fear you’re going to need it.

Some Reality for the 2025 NFL Agent Class

04 Friday Jul 2025

Posted by in Agent Exam, Agents, Getting started

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At Inside the League, we spend a lot of time getting prospective contract advisors ready for the NFLPA exam, which is 17 days away. It’s a test that must be taken seriously, but it’s far from the only one that agents face.

We recently got finished breaking down the 2025 draft class (sorry, pay link) with respect to which players got drafted, which ones got signed in undrafted free agency and which ones got to camp as tryout players only, cross-referencing it all with the agents who signed these players. The information we got back was sobering but, I think, relevant, because player representation remains such a popular route into the football business.

First, let’s start with the presumption that it costs at least $10,000 to get a player through the pre-draft process. You might get lucky and spend less, but we’re talking reality here. As an agent, you have three years to get a player onto a 90-man roster or you have to start over — pay $2500, pass the exam, etc. This is why our one goal at Inside the League, when it comes to new agents, “is resetting their clocks.”

With all that in mind, there were 139 agents who got certified in the 2024 agent class. Here’s what we found.

  • Only 13 had clients drafted (less than 10 percent). Keep in mind that most of the new agents who had draftees work for major firms. Only a portion of that 10 percent were truly independent — guys who took the exam, then dove in head first without any help and figured it all out.
  • Just 34 of the 139 (about a third) got a player onto an undrafted free agent deal, the absolutely lowest possible level of achievement that allows the new agent to reset his clock. That’s two-thirds of the agent class who now have just two years to attain getting a player signed or drafted.
  • There were 21 first-year agents who sent players to rookie mini-camp tryouts but who had no undrafted free agents (in other words, their clients went to rookie mini-camp with no contract and left without one three days later). Simply sending a player to rookie mini-camp on a tryout does not reset your three-year clock — it feels like an achievement for an agent, but it doesn’t really help. That means despite recruiting, signing and training numerous players for the draft, these agents have nothing to show for it. Of the 21, six signed multiple clients who only got tryouts. One agent signed four! Presumably, they trained all those players, which isn’t cheap (as we mentioned before). That’s a big hole in their respective budgets going into the 2026 class.
  • A total of 49 members of the 2024 agent class didn’t even sign a client for the 2025 draft. That’s about a third of the class that went to the trouble of passing the exam, then took the year off. They have to learn all the hard lessons of player representation in two years, not three, to beat the clock.
  • Thirty-two members of the 2024 class signed one or more players, but didn’t get a single one as much as a tryout. One had eight, none of whom got to an NFL camp. Another had seven and two more had six each. That’s a lot of work and effort ending in frustration.

The road to superstardom as an NFL agent is filled with huge potholes. We can help you avoid them, but it’s not easy. If you’re taking the test on July 21, please consider working with us. We’ve offered exam prep longer than anyone else and we’re also cheaper. Want more details about how we can get you ready? Register for today’s Friday Wrap, which comes out this evening, here.