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Before you really start digging into which firm your son should choose, it's important to think about what he wants. Different agencies offer different strengths and weaknesses.
Big agencies: As we discussed Monday, there are about a dozen agencies that are the real movers in the industry. They usually feature agents that have been certified for a decade or more and represent numerous big-name players and maybe even coaches. These firms typically have big backers and can offer a signing bonus, a marketing guarantee, a monthly per diem, or all of the above. They'll also send your son to whatever training facility he prefers, although some firms have their own training facilities and will strongly advocate for their own trainers. The downside for a big firm is that you won't be the only player the firm recruits, and it might even sign several players at your son's position. What's more, even if it doesn't, the big firms may tend to give the most attention to the players that become the stars of the combine, or pro day, or whatever. Also, depending on how big a prospect your son is, the firm may assign a lesser partner to handle him.
Mid-sized firms: The common perception is that mid-sized firms will value you more, show more loyalty, and always be responsive. I think that's generally true, but keep in mind that most firms (even mid-sized ones) will sign several players in hopes that at least one of them hits. If your son is not that one, even a mid-sized firm might become a little less responsive. So what am I saying? It's character that counts. Don't fall prey to the, 'we're a smaller firm so we're harder-working and more noble' pitch. Sometimes it's true. Sometimes it's not.
Local firms: Your son will commonly be recruited by agencies situated near his school and from his/your hometown. I think there's value in this, especially when you get to spend a lot of time getting to know the agnet. However, once again, just signing with the hometown agent doesn't mean you are necessarily getting good representation. More and more, it's a small world, and a local contract advisor might as well be across the world if he's not getting the job done.
Referrals: Very often, your son may be tempted to sign with an agency because his former teammates did, or because a coach recommended it. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's important to realize that they might have been compensated for those referrals. Anyone referring an agency for money is supposed to disclose it, but that practically never happens.
Co-recruiting: Your son may become close to an agent, a trainer or a wealth manager, and that person might start lobbying for a specific agency. Once again, understand that these are not necessarily good-faith referrals. There's a lot of quid pro quo in the football business, and never more so than during the recruiting phase.
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Neil Stratton
