Ernest Wesley™️

✞ | ms state alum

[‏ً @omgsidewalks]

25–30 is such a wild age,You really just have to level up professionally, plan a future, secure a partner, stay healthy and save money.

[Ross Dellenger @RossDellenger]

The NFLPA and NBAPA sent a letter to lawmakers today supportive of the Protect College Sports Act. The NFL also released a statement in support of the Act.

[Georgia Tech Football @GeorgiaTechFB]

The Brent Key Girls Flag Football Classic, Tech's first-ever 7-on-7 girls flag football camp, uniting athletes from across Georgia as the sport continues to grow and inspire future generations.

#StingEm 🐝

[Darren Heitner @heitner]

Nick Saban testified that you don't need to be licensed to represent college athletes. He's wrong.

The majority of states maintain mandatory registration of anyone who recruits, solicits, or represents athletes, including in connection with #NIL.

Additionally, the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act (SPARTA) imposes nationwide disclosure obligations whenever an agent enters or attempts to enter a contract with athletes. The FTC is supposed to enforce that law.

Could the system be better? Sure. Pro players' associations regulate athlete agents. But that requires unionization.

[Darren Heitner @heitner]

I serve as legal counsel for many agents. Let me explain why the 5% agent cap in the Cruz-Cantwell Protect College Sports Act is bad policy.

It's a price control that fails to distinguish between lower-effort school or collective agreements and the far more labor-intensive work required to source, negotiate, and service genuine third-party brand deals.

Most true #NIL endorsement opportunities are modest in value. At 5%, an agent's compensation on an $8k deal would be $400. After accounting for the time spent identifying the opportunity, conducting due diligence on the brand, negotiating the terms, and providing ongoing fulfillment support, that figure doesn't come close to covering legitimate overhead or rewarding the expertise that separates competent representation from amateur efforts.

Agents who specialize in this space routinely operate at commission rates between 10-20% on brand deals because the work is closer to traditional talent or entertainment representation than to the union-capped commissions on multimillion-dollar pro player contracts.

A flat statutory ceiling also interferes with the freedom of contract that should govern the relationship between the athlete and advisor of his/her choice. If a high-profile QB with significant national-market potential wants to pay a premium for an agent who can deliver blue-chip corporate partnerships and manage a personal brand across multiple platforms, the market (not Congress) should set that price.

The cap risks driving experienced agents out of the NIL space altogether, leaving athletes to either go unrepresented or turn to less reputable operators who may skirt the rules.

Registration, mandatory disclosure of all material terms, fiduciary standards, and a robust private right of action against fraudulent conduct are legitimate tools for preventing exploitation. But the % cap misses the mark.

[Southeastern Conference @SEC]

SUPERS BOUND 🐶

@HailStateBB x @NCAABaseball

[Mississippi State Baseball @HailStateBB]

STARKVILLE REGIONAL CHAMPIONS

[Mississippi State Baseball @HailStateBB]

GAME TWO. DAWGS.

[Mississippi State Softball @HailStateSB]

FINAL | No. 6 Texas 4, No. 20 Mississippi State 0

Our run comes to an end in the softball capital of the world. Thank you, fans, for your support all season long.

#HailState

[Mississippi State Baseball @HailStateBB]

GAME ONE. DAWGS.

[NCAA Baseball @NCAABaseball]

STARKVILLE REGIONAL

(14) @HailStateBB
@BisonBaseball
@RaginCajunsBSB
@GoBearcatsBASE

#RoadToOmaha

[Mississippi State Softball @HailStateSB]

DAWGS WIN AGAIN!

#HailState || #OKCDawgs

[Mississippi State Softball @HailStateSB]

DAWGS DO NOT QUIT!

#HailState

[Mississippi State Baseball @HailStateBB]

DAWGS ADVANCE IN HOOVER

[Mississippi State Football @HailStateFB]

🥶🥶🥶

#HailState x @Drake

[Resko★ @Bloke_Baz]

25–30 is such a wild age,You have to level up professionally, plan a future,secure a partner,stay healthy and save money.

[Graham Couch @Graham_Couch]

Folks wonder where $10-20 million college basketball rosters and $25-40 million football rosters come from when the rev share is about $15-$16 million for football and $4-5 million for hoops, a lot is funneled through the MMR companies.

[Mike Rittelmann @MRittCGS]

Every NIL agency with a football division should have an experienced football evaluator on staff.

Not just a marketer.
Not just an agent.
Not just a brand strategist.

An actual football evaluator with experience in areas such as:
• NFL scouting
• CFL scouting
• Director of Scouting for a college football all star game
• College football personnel/recruiting departments

Why this matters ⬇️

✅ Helps Properly Evaluate Player Value

Not every player carries the same value in the NIL space.

An experienced evaluator understands:
• Positional value
• NFL and professional projection
• Transfer portal value
• Scheme fit
• Developmental upside
• Long term roster impact
• How college and professional organizations evaluate talent

That experience helps agencies make smarter decisions and properly prioritize clients.

✅ Brings Real Football Credibility

There is a major difference between understanding branding and understanding football.

Someone with experience as an NFL or CFL scout, college personnel/recruiting staff member, or Director of Scouting for an all star game understands:
• How evaluations are built
• What coaches actually look for
• How personnel departments think
• Why some players succeed and others struggle
• How projection works from high school to college and college to pro football

That experience adds immediate credibility.

✅ Helps Navigate the Transfer Portal

The transfer portal is no longer just recruiting.
It is roster management.

Experienced evaluators can help determine:
• Which schools are true fits
• Which systems maximize strengths
• Where opportunity realistically exists
• Which situations could hurt development
• Which level gives the athlete the best long term future

Not every move is a good football move.

Fit matters more than hype.

✅ Gives Athletes Honest Football Feedback

Too many athletes are surrounded by people who only tell them what they want to hear.

Experienced evaluators provide honest assessments on:
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Football IQ
• NFL traits
• Areas needing development
• Position versatility
• Long term projection

Sometimes honesty is the best thing for an athlete’s future.

✅ Helps Build Relationships With College Programs

College personnel departments respect people who understand football evaluation.

Agencies with experienced evaluators can communicate effectively with:
• General Managers
• Recruiting Coordinators
• Directors of Player Personnel
• Position Coaches
• Scouts
• Recruiting departments

Relationships and trust matter in this business.

✅ Helps Identify Talent Before the Market Does

Experienced evaluators know how to identify:
• Small school talent
• Late bloomers
• Position change candidates
• Under recruited prospects
• Developmental players with NFL traits

That is how agencies create long term value and separate themselves from everyone else.

The future of NIL will not just be about branding and marketing.

It will be about:
• Talent evaluation
• Roster strategy
• Relationship building
• Player development
• Long term football vision

The agencies that combine all of those areas will be the ones that lead the future of college football

[Darren Heitner @heitner]

I LOVE this. We should be spreading stories of athlete empowerment, saving money, and strategizing for future success as opposed to focusing on conflicted and salty Nick Saban arguing for a salary cap without athletes having a seat at the table.

[Mike Rittelmann @MRittCGS]

In the football industry, networking is everything.

This business is built on relationships, trust, reputation, and consistency. Opportunities rarely come from sending one message asking for a job. They come from building genuine connections over time and showing people who you are through your work ethic, professionalism, and character.

Too many people approach networking the wrong way. They immediately ask for a position instead of taking the time to build a relationship first. The most respected people in this industry understand that networking is about adding value, learning from others, staying connected, and being authentic.

Some of the best places to build relationships in football are through in person events:

✅ @seniorbowl
✅ @ShrineBowl
✅ @TheAmericanBowl
✅ @CGSAllStar
✅ NFL Combine
✅ College Pro Days

These events bring together scouts, coaches, general managers, player personnel staff, agents, media members, and decision makers from every level of football. One conversation, one handshake, or one strong impression can create opportunities that impact your career for years.

Networking is not about using people.
It is about building trust and long term relationships.

Be someone who:
➡️ Follows up
➡️ Supports others
➡️ Adds value to conversations
➡️ Shows professionalism
➡️ Learns from experienced people
➡️ Builds relationships before asking for anything

In football, your reputation travels fast. The people who consistently show up, work hard, help others, and build authentic relationships are the ones who stay around the longest.

It is not just what you know.
It is WHO you know.