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Succeed in Football

~ The daily blog written by ITL's Neil Stratton

Succeed in Football

Category Archives: Getting started

My Story, and How It Might Benefit You

10 Thursday Aug 2023

Posted by itlneil in Getting started, ITL

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Later today, I will join my friend Billy Yancey on his podcast, Billy and the GOAT. Billy and I played together at Navy — well, I should say, he played and I sat — but we’ve stayed in touch over the years, and I was honored that he would ask me to join him as a guest on his show. 

I must admit that the closer it got to taping, the more nervous I got. What would I say? What points did I have to make? Here’s what I came up with as the key factors in  my journey so far.

Put God first: In a time when nothing is lasting and everything is relative, you must have guardrails. To me, if you don’t have God in your life, you will struggle to determine true north. Even as I write this at 54, I have a long way to go before I am the Christian I want and need to be. However, I won’t stop striving to be that person. Having a personal relationship with Christ keeps me on that path.

Take a different path: Speaking of paths, it’s crucial to go in a unique and original way. It’s not because you want to be self-aggrandizing or “me”-centered, but because you will have a whole lot less competition that way. For example, if I had chosen to try to become an NFL agent, I would have been contending with a lot of people who are much smarter, greater-resourced, more connected, and overall just better than I am. If I’ve ever been smart about anything, it’s that I was smart enough to take a road less traveled. Even today, what we do at ITL is a pretty vast departure from almost anything else out there. That means my audience is smaller, but it also gives me a measure of security.

Surround yourself with people invested in you: Sometimes those people will tell you to press on. Sometimes they will tell you hard truths. Either way, if you know these people have your best interests at heart, you can trust their counsel. There are so many people like that who’ve been part of my life. Wherever it is I am, and whatever it is I’ve achieved, neither would be possible without these people. I’m a pretty big advocate of marriage, and my wife, Polly, has been the pivotal person in my life, professionally and personally, but it’s more than just your spouse. There are so many people I’ve encountered along the way who have pushed me, encouraged me, or both. You have to have these people.

Be genuine: When I was a younger man, and thought of myself as destined for greatness on a wide scale, I never thought about the relationships along the way. In my hubris, I thought that taking time to listen to others, hear their stories and try to meet them where they are would be left to others. As God has helped me better understand my purpose (and taken me down a few notches), I’ve tried to be a servant of my clients. I don’t think that happens if you don’t take time to listen to them, learn about them, and truly care about how you can meet their needs. That may not be the road to success for others, but it’s the only way I know how to do what I do now.  

I’ll have stories and examples to illustrate these points in the podcast. Not sure yet when Billy will post it, but I’ll be sure to tweet it when he does. I’ll also include it in the Friday Wrap. You can register for the Wrap here. 

2023 NFL Agent Exam: Three Takeaways

28 Friday Jul 2023

Posted by itlneil in Agent Exam, Agents, Getting started

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The big test is in the books for this year. After speaking to dozens of our clients post-exam, here’s what we’ve learned.

Tech issues were better, but they didn’t completely go away. As we discussed in our report on Monday, proctoring centers were mostly — but not completely — a hit. One Atlanta-area testing facility couldn’t test its 8 a.m. class, requiring them to re-register for later the same day or Tuesday. The following slot was affected, as well. When there was yet another issue, test-takers had to find a new location altogether. One aspiring agent had to fly out of state (buying a ticket for the next day, which is never cheap) to take the exam. There were also several test-takers based in South Florida who were told Sunday night (about 12 hours before they were to test) that the testing facility would not be open, and that someone would reach out to them in 3-5 business days. We don’t know how that situation was resolved. It’s our hope that they didn’t have to wait until next year. Yet another agent hopeful had to resubmit all his answers with just minutes left in his three-hour slot. Overall, however, things went smoothly enough that we’d guess the NFLPA stays status quo for ’24. Still, don’t rule out a return to Washington, D.C.

The test may have been a little easier this year. Every year, we make sure to focus on the computation of the trickier math of the CBA, i.e., workman’s comp offsets, injury grievances, veterans salary benefit, proven performance escalator, etc. However, we heard from several test-takers that there were fewer problems that required a calculator. Furthermore, while many of the questions were tricky and designed to determine if agent candidates really knew the material, several people who took the exam last year said it was just easier. “I think that this year they intentionally made the test easier,” said one aspiring contract advisor. What’s more, many more than usual first-timers told us the test was really straightforward, and that they expect to pass. Obviously, that might be false confidence, but the positive responses were unmistakeable. I’m expecting a slightly bigger class than normal. 

The reviews on our exam prep materials were really good. I never ask for positive reviews on our study guide, exams and videos, but obviously, it’s great to have happy clients. Once again, we got several unsolicited texts that made for pleasant reading. “I was prepared and organized, big thanks to you guys,” said one aspiring agent. “your study guide was a tremendous benefit . . . I will definitely be recommending people to you bro!,” texted another. “I really appreciate your time. Your promptness. Your effort. Your patience,” added yet another. That’s probably the most satisfying comment. We take seriously our efforts to help people pass the exam. 

We’ll be talking about the industry even more, as usual, in today’s Friday Wrap. Make sure to register for it if you haven’t already. You can do that here.

 

2023 NFL Agent Exam: How Do Our Materials Help?

21 Friday Jul 2023

Posted by itlneil in Agents, Getting started

≈ Leave a comment

The big day for everyone taking the NFLPA Exam this summer is Monday. Pretty crazy that, after all this buildup, it’s just around the corner. So many people have been preparing since early this year (and some much longer), and it all comes to a hopefully happy ending in three days.

Obviously, we try hard to make sure everyone we work with gets good news in October, when results come out. However, predicting success is difficult. Or is it? As a way of predicting which of our clients will have success, we decided to look at last year’s buying patterns among our clients who passed the exam. Here’s what we found:

  • Seventy percent purchased the ITL Study Guide. That’s no surprise. We see it as the best exam prep resource on the market. “I actually feel better after reading the study guide about literally 20 times,” said one especially diligent student for this year’s exam. “There is no way I would even have a chance on this test without the study guide . . . .” 
  • Of those who purchased the guide, 63 percent had it before the end of April, while 72 percent had it before the end of May. It’s never too late to buy it, but the earlier, the better, generally.
  • Not everyone bought a study guide, but those who didn’t mostly purchased at least one of our two practice exams. Only 14 percent of our class passed on the study guide and practice exams, sticking only to our videos. You must buy Exam 1 first, which you can do here. 
  • Our practice exams are a big part of our prep services, as well. About two-thirds (64 percent) of our clients bought at least the first practice exam. Frankly, that’s surprisingly low. Our exam questions are written in the style of the actual exam, and knowing what the test looks like is crucial if you want to pass.
  • Just under half (45 percent) of our clients last year bought the second exam. Given that the second exam is only half the price of the first exam, that’s an unnecessary risk, in my opinion. 
  • Sixty percent of those who bought the study guide took no chances as they also bought both practice exams. 
  • In just our first year offering monthly video sessions teaching different facets of the CBA, 25 percent of our clients bought at least one of our six videos. 
  • Only 16 percent attended our final, two-hour Zoom review session.

So here are our takeaways.

  • Get the study guide, and get it as soon as you can.
  • Buy at least Practice Exam 1. 
  • If you’re more of a visual learner, check out our six videos (buy them here), though they may serve best as a backup plan.
  • If you feel confident about what you’ve learned, take the last days before the exam to “sweep up” and collect your thoughts.

If you’re taking our exam, good luck! We hope you pass, especially if you worked with us. For more tips and info on the exam, check out our Friday Wrap. You can register for it here.

Five Tips on Passing the ’23 NFL Agent Exam from Last Year’s Test-Takers

14 Friday Jul 2023

Posted by itlneil in Agents, Getting started, ITL

≈ Leave a comment

We’re currently 11 days away from the 2023 NFL Agent Exam. If you’re taking the test, that should give you pause (and perhaps scare you to death). But it doesn’t have to be that way. Though the exam is not at all easy, you can pass it if you approach it the right way.

This week, I reached out to several of the contract advisors we worked with during the 2022 exam prep phase. Not only did all of them pass the exam last summer, but they also were among the rare rookie agents who landed players on NFL rosters in their first year in the business (one even had a player drafted).

Here’s what they told me about how they pulled off passing the test.

  • Organize your notes: This was probably the most popular advice of all. It’s not just making sure you have a copy of the CBA printed out and neatly tucked into a binder. It’s much more than that. “I had three binders plus my outline on test day,” said David Gregory, the only independent first-year agent to have a player drafted this spring. “(I had) a binder for CBA with all charts that I knew I would use frequently placed up front; a binder for the drug and performance-enhancing substance policies, and a binder for all side documents and other policies.” Said EJ Gonzalez of Grady Sports: “I set up my notes on my desk the day before (the exam) in a way that I knew where everything was, then reviewed where everything was the morning of and again before I took it.” “I had page numbers of where to find certain topics next to each section within my notes,” said Samantha Blitzer of Goal Line Football. “That way, if I had to refer to the CBA, I wasn’t scrambling to find it.”
  • Pay attention at the NFLPA seminar: You can glean a lot of what will actually be tested from the three days of classes provided pre-exam. “They aren’t speaking for their health,” Gonzalez said. “They are telling you what’s on it. I took 10-12 pages (front and back) of notes during the seminar and I remember a couple answers just being based off seminar notes.” At the same time, it’s important to keep your sense of humor. “The (questions asked in the online) chat functions . . . were hilarious,” said Juan Lozano of Red Envelope Sports. “They gave me a lot of confidence because I knew some people were asking ridiculous questions and they would have no chance passing that test if they were asking those questions a day before the exam.”
  • Give yourself plenty of time: Obviously, there’s no way to turn back the clock, but hopefully you didn’t begin preparations this week. “I started studying in January, so I gave myself plenty of time to get to know the material,” said Alex Broers of Vantage Management Group.
  • Pace yourself/don’t rush: Making sure you don’t spend too much time early in the exam, forcing you to rush late, was a recurring theme. “You only have three minutes per question, so you don’t have a lot of time,” Broers said. Added Gregory,  “I made sure I was done with 20 questions by the end of Hour 1 and 40 questions by the end of Hour 2, etc. If you’re not sure, just answer the question and come back to it at the end. if you have time.”
  • Read the questions carefully: “They will throw fluff in there that has nothing to do with the answer,” Blitzer said. “On the test, they definitely try to trick you with how they word questions rather than which topic the question is referring to. There will be one or two words that will completely change the scenario, so keep an eye out for that.”

If you found these tips helpful, we’ve got more. In this evening’s Friday Wrap, we’ll have five more, straight from the people who were successful in passing the exam last summer. You don’t want to miss them, and you won’t as long as you register for the Wrap, which you can do here.

NFL Agent Exam 2023: Here’s Why People Fail

06 Thursday Jul 2023

Posted by itlneil in Agents, Getting started

≈ Leave a comment

If you read this blog consistently (or pretty much any of ITL’s materials), you know that I estimate that there’s only about a 25 percent passing rate for aspiring agents in their first try at the test (it’s around 50 percent for the second try). The NFLPA is serious about not letting just anyone become a contract advisor.

So why is the passing rate so low? Why do so many people fail, especially the first time around? Here’s what I think.

  • The test is hard: In the early 2010s, the exam was pretty tough, but manageable. Our clients passed at a 75 percent rate, a pretty comfortable level. If you put your time in and used good study materials, you had a decent shot at passing. However, in 2015, the exam took a turn toward much greater difficulty, much to the surprise of everyone who took it. Every year, when I speak to the most recent test-takers, there are many who say the exam is easy. I applaud them for their preparation and intelligence, but for the vast majority of people, it’s quite a challenge.
  • Pride: Everyone who takes the exam is an accomplished person. The overwhelming majority have, at the very least, a graduate degree. Only about 14 percent of the population has a master’s, a Ph.D, a diploma from law school, etc. Start there. Then consider that many are top-notch attorneys, business owners, or otherwise established professionals. It’s natural that many of them don’t think an open-book, multiple choice exam presents much of a challenge. 
  • Procrastination: Listen, I can put things off with the best of them, but the agent exam is nothing to leave until the last minute. I used to say 60 days was sufficient, but I kinda feel 90 days is more appropriate given the volume of material in the CBA. Still, it never fails that despite all my warnings, we see a serious uptick in sales of our exam prep materials starting on July 1. Some don’t even start studying until a week out. Hey, some of those people even pass, but not many. I realize $2,500 is not much money to some people, but to me, waiting to start studying in July is tantamount to setting that money on fire.
  • Excessive frugality, i.e., being cheap: If you’re taking the exam, you should be prepared to set aside at least $500 on materials that will help you pass. That’s the floor. We have a number of excellent, proven materials, but we aren’t the only service on the market, and there are other good ones out there. Bottom line, this is a business that demands that you spend money sometimes. The pre-exam phase is one of those times. 

Are there other reasons people fail? Maybe, but these are the main reasons. If you’re taking the exam, please don’t fall victim to one of the above reasons (though it’s too late if you were hoping to avoid procrastination). I know you want to pass, and we want you to pass, too. Give us a shot. Here’s a little more info about what we offer. Also, make sure to sign up for our newsletter, the Friday Wrap, for information on what’s ahead over the next two-plus weeks. 

 

2023 NFL Agent Exam: Five Topics You Must Master to Pass

28 Wednesday Jun 2023

Posted by itlneil in Agents, Getting started

≈ Leave a comment

Earlier this month, I wanted to gauge the subjects in the CBA that our test-takers are struggling with most, so I put together a poll. It was pretty straightforward, and listed 19 topics. I asked participants to choose 10, but five easily garnered the most support. 

If you’re taking the exam in 26 days, I thought you might benefit from knowing what other people taking the exam are spending most of their time reviewing. Here’s a rundown of the most popular (?) topics, along with the number who listed it as among the most challenging:

Workman’s comp offsets/extended injury compensation (82 percent): This one is a biggie, obviously, which is why almost all our respondents chose it as an important topic to cover. Our CBA expert Ian Greengross, who heads instruction on all our video sessions, covers this topic in our April Zoom session. In fact, he spends a quarter of the hour-long session on this one topic. You can order it here ($35 plus tax).

Draft signals (65 percent): This one is hard because you have to gather information from a rather involved chart, then applying it to other information gathered from a different chart and doing a little math. Tracking and referencing the right chart is a big part of success on the agent exam. This topic is also covered in our April video, which you can order here. 

Exclusive rights free agency, restricted free agency, transition tag, franchise tag, exclusive franchise tag (65 percent): Like sorting out an accrued season, a season of earned credit for benefits, and a season of earned credit for salary, knowing the various levels of free agency based on player experience is critical. This is covered in our March video, which you can order here.

Termination pay (59 percent): Being able to compute what a player has coming based on his annual salary, when he made the team, when he got released, and how many weeks are left, isn’t complicated, but still can trip you up. Ian spent more than a fourth of the hour in May discussing this; you can order the video here. 

Veteran Salary Benefit (59 percent): This is another topic that requires you get all your charts straight and otherwise follow the rules established by the 2020 CBA. Not complicated, per se, but you better make sure you don’t get lost in all the numbers. This topics is also covered in the May video, which you can order here.

If you’re looking for a video rundown of almost every hot topic in the CBA, you can pick up all five of our sessions so far (February, March, April, May and June) for $175 plus tax. Order them all here. 

Whether or not you use any of our videos, I hope you find the answers you seek. My advice: whether you use or materials or someone else’s, do not go cheap in trying to pass the exam. It’s incredibly challenging, and you’ll want to take advantage of every resource you can find to make things clearer and easier to understand.

 

2023 NFL Agent Exam: Why We Can Help

23 Friday Jun 2023

Posted by itlneil in Agents, Getting started

≈ Leave a comment

We are now one month (31 days) from July 24, when the 2023 NFLPA Collective Bargaining Exam will be held for aspiring NFL agents. If you’re taking the exam, that should give you a little urgency.

Also, if you’re taking the exam, hopefully you’re working with us on passing it. Here’s what we offer. Though there are others out there who have exam prep services, if you’re not using ours, you’re making a big mistake. Here’s why I think so.

  • We were the pioneers in agent exam prep, introducing our first practice exam in 2012. We followed up with a second practice exam in 2018.
  • Ours is the only service that uses a real, live, certified NFLPA contract advisor with multiple first-round clients on his resume to teach our students. Chicago-based Ian Greengross, who teaches our monthly Zoom sessions, represented LSU OH Joseph Addai (1/30, Colts, 2006) and Arkansas OH Darren McFadden (1/4, Raiders, 2008) during the pre-draft phase and on through their NFL careers. 
  • This year’s first-rounders were represented by 16 firms. Of the 16, 15 have at least one agent on staff (some have several) who got certified using our exam prep materials.
  • There were 34 rookie contract advisors who got at least one client on a 90-man roster this year (2023 draft). That’s a huge accomplishment for a first-year agent, especially if you’re an independent representative who’s not with any of the established firms. Of that 34, 23 worked with us on passing the exam. 
  • Of the 13 rookie agents who put multiple clients on NFL rosters this year, 10 worked with us.
  • Of the top 20 agencies based on draft value points since 2007 (i.e., the biggest and best firms in the industry), 16 are still active and have not been absorbed into bigger companies. Of those 16, 14 have used ITL to help in the certification process for at least one agent. Some agencies have used us to help several of its agents pass the exam.

Do our exam prep materials cost money? Sure. You’ve already spent $2,500 just to take the exam, and you probably are trying to contain costs. Remember, in the old days (pre-2020), everyone went to Washington, D.C., for three days/two nights to take the exam. That’s about $1,500 by the time you pay for a flight and spend two nights sleeping, eating and drinking at a luxury hotel. You can get everything we offer — study guide, both practice exams and all seven videos — for about half that. So you’re playing with house money.

If you’re taking the exam this summer, good luck. I really hope you pass. I also really hope you consider using our materials. We’ll give you a far, far greater chance to make it past a very challenging test. Give us a shot. 

When Should You Start Studying for the NFL Agent Exam?

09 Friday Jun 2023

Posted by itlneil in Agents, Getting started, ITL

≈ Leave a comment

This week, I got this same question from two different aspiring NFL agents. I’ve included one of them verbatim (or mostly verbatim):

“I’m . . . interested in figuring out when I should start reviewing (exam) materials, when I should hop on the zooms, and when I should start doing the deep dive? Is it too early to start looking at things now for the sake of at least getting a general understanding? Let me know your thoughts.”

My response is different from the one I used to give.

With the exam less than two months away, we’re starting to get our usual surge of study guide, video and practice exam purchases. I think that used to be the right amount of time. Not long ago, if you studied hard for two months, you were pretty much golden. It wasn’t long ago that the passing rate for the exam was, well, pretty reasonable. However, starting in 2015, the pass rate got a lot harder.

I remember the responses from people who had barely failed a pretty passable exam in 2014, then came back excited and optimistic in 2015, only to find a test that was appreciably harder. I felt terrible for the ones who came up short that year, earning themselves a five-year waiting period until they could try again. Most never did. However, since 2015, the NFLPA has doubled down. I tell test-takers these days that there’s about a 25-percent chance of passing for first-timers, and maybe 50-50 on the second try. That’s not based on hard numbers, but I think it’s pretty accurate.

As a result of this, when people approach me about taking the exam next year, I tell them it’s not a bad idea to get started now. I recommend they pick up the study guide and start getting familiar with the terms. Maybe they order the videos if they are more visual learners. Bottom line, if you think you can just wait until a few weeks before the exam to get started, like it’s an algebra test, you’re sorely mistaken.

I mean, it’s possible to pass in less time, but you’re looking at a major investment of time and money. It just makes no sense to take that kind of risk, especially when the amount of money you’re spending is absolute peanuts in the face of the costs associated with representing players in the modern era. 

If you’re reading this, and you’re taking the exam in the summer of 2024, get started on the CBA now. You’ll thank me later. If you’re taking it in 46 days, start now. NOW. You cannot procrastinate and expect to pass an exam that 75 percent of test-takers (all of them with a secondary degree, most of them attorneys) routinely fail.

For a full rundown of everything we offer, including topics of all our videos and costs of all our services, sign up for the Friday Wrap. You can register here.

 

NFL Scouting: Balancing the Journey and the Destination

26 Friday May 2023

Posted by itlneil in Getting started, Scouts

≈ Leave a comment

This week, the mother of a young man I used to coach several years ago reached out, hoping I could help put his film in the hands of a few college personnel friends. I was happy to do it. However, when I texted his Hudl link to a half-dozen of my contacts in personnel departments across the country, it reinforced the volatility of the game.

One friend called me back promptly, indicating that he’d moved into a Chief of Staff position at a mid-major school. Having reached his 50s, he was not ashamed to tell me his zeal for chasing a job in NFL scouting was waning. Keep in mind that my friend had served at number P5 schools and even interned in the NFL, but had never quite gotten over the hump. His wife had a good job, so he wanted to be very smart about the jobs he pursued, and the lengths he could (or would) go to pursue his dreams.

Another reached out to tell me he’d moved into one of the top NIL-related companies in the game. This caught me off guard; he had been as locked-in and highly regarded as anyone in the industry, and having known him for years, I just knew he’d land in the NFL promptly. He was cordial and kind, but obviously, helping the young man find a school would not be possible.

Two more of my friends were still in the fight, still chasing their goals, though I sensed their focus was more on college success than pursuit of the NFL. Neither of them asked about possible league opportunities. They just complimented the young man’s film and gave tips on next steps.

Then, around mid-week, I was contacted by another recruiting specialist who had had stops at a number of P5 programs. Having reached his 30s and married, he was coming to the conclusion that the NFL would probably not be his final destination. He was looking for answers, and maybe wondering if he’d gone too far to turn back.

Each of them provided a sharp contrast to the dozens of young men I encounter this time of year, when talented young personnel specialists are looking for every lead on an interview with a pro team. It got me thinking, what words of wisdom could I provide to people desperate to work in NFL player evaluation? How could I encourage them without selling them on an unattainable dream? This is what I came up with.

  • You have to have the most up-to-date info on openings at all time. Follow every social media source that covers NFL hiring and firing. Also, if you’re serious about this, subscribe to ITL, as well. No one covers the construction of NFL scouting staffs like we do. 
  • Recognize that getting an NFL job is dependent almost solely on your network. Who you know is maybe as important in landing an NFL post as in any other industry. I respect people that want to be excellent at their jobs, but you better be excellent at networking, too. That’s probably the regret I hear most often from friends in scouting and coaching who are trying to get back in.
  • NFL teams most often hire people in their 20s who don’t have a lot of strings attached. For this reason, give yourself till the age of 30 to pursue the NFL. If it doesn’t happen, don’t postpone key relationships or family plans. Instead, shift your sights to success on the college level.
  • Understand that football has moved from the “sports” domain to the entertainment world. That means the people attracted to it are sometimes less driven by love of the game, competition, and the idea of “team,” and more driven by naked personal ambition. It also means the people around you — the fans, the players, their parents, the head coaches, the assistant coaches, and the administrators — are more likely to take a “win at all costs” approach than previous generations might have. In all honesty, they are less prone to think of you as a human being. Forgive them, but accept this.
  • This is the most important point. Long before I launched ITL, I thought that only the most talented, smartest, hardest-working people made it into the league. No disrespect to the people in the league, but that’s not at all the case. It’s mostly about contacts and luck just to get that opportunity. Then, once you do get it, that’s when the intelligence and work ethic and everything else come in. Bottom line, if you never make it to the league, you’re not a failure. The ball just didn’t bounce your way.

If you’ve made it this far, I hope you are encouraged. On the other hand, maybe you’re discouraged, or maybe you completely reject my thoughts. Any result is understandable. However, I hope you trust that I’m just a guy who’s seen lots of capable people travel this road, and my thoughts come from what I’ve seen of those few who made it where they wanted to and the many, many who did not. 

 

Our Next New Agent Zoom on the Pre-Draft Process: What’s Ahead

07 Friday Apr 2023

Posted by itlneil in Agents, Getting started, NFL draft

≈ Leave a comment

Monday night, I’ll gather with dozens of members of the 2022 NFLPA contract advisor class to discuss the critical next three weeks leading up to this spring’s draft. These sessions are always a lot of fun and, I hope, informative. The questions that get asked are always relevant to every participant. What’s more, we don’t record these sessions, so we get really honest, really candid questions, and I try to respond with similar answers.

This month’s session will be special because we’ll be joined by a special guest. Here are a few topics we’ll be covering and what’s ahead at 9 p.m. ET Monday night.

  • How do I promote my client in the next three weeks? Obviously, this is a popular question, and the answer depends on many particulars. 
  • How do I know if my client is a candidate for the draft? UDFA? How do I know if he’s not really under consideration? Most rookie agents don’t represent players who are locks to be drafted, so we’ll talk about the differing degrees of interest.
  • How do I choose which offer to take in undrafted free agency? This is where having former Titans scouting executive Blake Beddingfield as part of our staff comes in handy. Blake will give his thoughts on how to weigh offers from teams, and what their offers really mean.
  • Which teams are best at developing talent? This will be another key point that Blake will address. Knowing which teams can do more with late-round talent, and which ones are more patient than others, is key information.
  • What does Day 3 really look like? What does undrafted free agency look like? It’s a critical topic for a first-year agent, and we’ll set the scene.
  • My client had a good March and seems to be on the rise. How do I prepare him (and those around him) for worst-case scenarios? This is always a tricky topic. We’ll have tips.
  • Is there a point where it’s clear my client won’t get a camp opportunity? The post-draft singing process could last 2-3 days at times. It’s important to know who to contact (and not to contact) if you’re trying to round up opportunities.
  • What’s the difference between a UDFA signing and being invited to rookie mini-camp? This is another important distinction that we’ll discuss.

If you’re an ITL client, and you’re a first-year contract advisor, we’ll be sending out the Zoom link Monday afternoon. We hope you’ll make time to sit in and learn. However, if you’re not yet an ITL client, and think there is something to gain by joining us, we’d love to have you. All you have to do is sign up for ITL and you’re in business. 

We hope to see you Monday night at 9 p.m. ET. However, if you’re looking to learn more about the business, but you’re short on cash, you can sign up for our free newsletter, the Friday Wrap. Do that here.

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