NFL Agent (my nephew) speaks well of his Michigan Player Clients
This last weekend, I attended a family social event in the south. One of my nephews is a lawyer and a certified NFL agent. With his partner, he represents and is retained by a number of recent Michigan grads, including some in the current 2017 draft, as well as undrafted free agents. We always jaw a bit: he got his undergraduate degree from OSU, and played ball at a high level prior to injury.
Representing NFL athletes is only part of his practice. However, it takes a significant amount of time and energy. I learned a lot more about what it is to be an agent. Negotiation on contracts is something that takes relatively little time. A lot more goes into recruiting more clients, and into betting on and bankrolling and babysitting guys who are preparing for the draft. Someone has to help them with life skills and not flaming out and not blowing upfront everything they're supposedly going to make. Someone has to pay for all the costs associated with training, coaching, travel, living expenses, and the like, from January through the draft. An agent helps pay for all of that, with the return being a percentage of that player's contract, if they are fortunate enough to sign with a team. In a sense, an agent drafts a real life fantasy football team. How successful an agent is depends partially on how well he assesses whether or not someone will be successful in the League.
In our discussion, he mentioned several things I found fascinating.
- Michigan grads in general carry themselves very well. He greatly enjoys representing them, and they are among his better clients. He would say that every single Michigan player he personally serves as an agent is a great guy. (I would love to mention names, but don't feel comfortable doing that. Let's just say that some were starters who just graduated, and some have graduated in the last 2 - 3 years.)
- This is in contrast to some athletes from OSU, who are a pain in the rear. From my nephew's perspective, there really is a Michigan difference.
- From his perspective, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are really just all about the winning, and less about caring for the student athlete. For them, football is just a business. Harbaugh, in contrast, cares about his players, and about having fun. Yes, Harbaugh wants to work hard and to win. But not at all costs. Athletes aren't just to be disposed of and cast off because they've been injured or passed up on the depth chart.
- It isn't that Michigan won't ever beat OSU or 'Bama. It is just that Harbaugh is doing it a different way. He isn't so mercenary about it, and cavalier about the lives of Michigan athetes.
- My nephew's theory on why Harbaugh is different (than Meyer or Saban) is that Harbaugh has already achieved a great amount of success financially and otherwise. That being the case, Harbaugh has more freedom to do exactly what he wants to do. Personally, I think it has to be more than that. After all, Meyer and Saban both have achieved a lot of success, and have plenty of money. Nonetheless, the Rome trip and some of the other things he does leads me to believe that Harbaugh really is different, and that he really does want to put "student" back in "student athlete."
- Whatever the reason, the climate, while very competitive at Michigan, is much less about throwing people under the bus when they don't fit perfectly.
- I have gotten the impression from my nephew that Michigan is a place with a lot of high character guys, with a high level of professionalism. And these guys really appreciate being students at Michigan. I get the sense that high character guys generally appreciate each other, whether they go to OSU or Michigan or Wisconsin or Stanford or an SEC school. I do get the sense that there are a few guys at Michigan who don't get it, but the number is not very high.
- My nephew does not represent Peppers. However, he claims that at least one of his Michigan clients indicated Peppers was not capable of playing safety at the highest level. The move to viper/nickel/LB was necessitated in order to cover over Peppers' shortcomings. He also claimed that some Michigan athletes were put off by how Peppers carried himself and how he was part of the team. The suggestion was that Peppers didn't have as high a level of professionalism as he should. It is a moot point now. And I wouldn't know a thing myself. I don't hang around any current or former Michigan athletes. I can't prove or stand behind why my nephew said about Peppers (other than vouching for my nephew's own professionalism and character.) However, I think there is more to the Peppers story than most of us know or have heard about. And coaches and insiders and players are largely keeping that to themselves.
- My nephew also has the opinion that it is reasonably unlikely one current prominent player sticks with the team (will tell you the individual in question is not a QB, and not Gary.) I can't say much more, but it helps me put some of the pieces together. From a distance, I think the coaching staff does what they can to help football players make good decisions. Unfortunately, some guys made bad decisions in High School, and maybe assume they can do the same thing in college. Sometimes, with a strong support system, they get their act together. Sometimes, unfortunately, they never can break free.
It was fascinating to have the curtain pulled back a bit. And it made me proud to know that a number of Michigan players represent themselves and Michigan so well.
Interesting stuff. I do cringe at the faux moralizing that go on in these threads, but it was interesting to hear that Harbaugh seems to be driven, but in a different way, compared to some other coaches. Unlike Saban and Harbaugh, he did have NFL success and was also a star in both the pros and college; he's won a lot in his life, and I can see how that might mellow you out a bit when it comes to talking to college kids and trying to help them succeed. Saban in particular seems like a short robot who is perpetually angry that he's not a taller, non-robot, and doesn't seem to grasp human emotion.
I don't know how much contact my nephew has with the coaching staff at the three schools. I am sure he has been around Meyer and possibly a bit around JH. Don't know as much about any contact with Saban. I don't think I would call JH 'mellow." But I think maybe his upbringing, and success as a player at every level, gives him a different perspective than Meyer or Saban. He has proven himself in a different way that goes beyond what they've done.
What I'll say is that I think my nephew has a lot of respect for JH (and UM), more than for Meyer or Saban. And more than just himself, Michigan's former players who are his clients also like JH, more than players at OSU like Meyer or players at 'Bama like Saban. With Meyer and Saban, it is all a business contract. They don't go there to "play school." They go to win and to open the door to get into the NFL. In other words, from my nephew's OSU clients, they don't look at their time in Columbus as fondly as his Michigan clients do their time in Ann Arbor.
A. A SS can play in the box, as long as it isn't a Two high safety defense Peppers will be fine, everyone knows his hips are a little stiff for coverage but that won't matter in the box. (Makes me question your uncles knowledge of football)
B. Peppers isn't all about himself, I'll say though when around certain people he tries to act a certain way, like flashy I guess is a good word but he is all about the team and gives 100 pct every practice, he'll prolly grow out of this.
C. It doesn't take a genius to see urban and Sagan are all about winning, most coaches are some just don't have the brains to win the good ones are obsessive.
D. Don't speculate, if you can't give a name don't say shit.
Good post. Brief response.
- I'm not around the program, nor enough of a football mind to know who can and can't play safety. I know there are former players, current players, and others attached to the program who are on this board, and have infinitely more knowledge than I do. I will always defer to them. However, the opinion shared on safety wasn't my nephew's opinion . . . it was the opinion of someone recently on the team who just graduated and is now in the NFL. I guess we'll see from how Peppers does in the NFL as to whether or not that person is right.
- What you say there makes sense . . . on this one claim, Peppers apparently bugged more than one Michigan player at the combine, but what exactly he did is beyond me, and I'll just leave it at that. Like many good players, Peppers' "swagger" surely rubs some people the wrong way. Which is no big deal. They need to deal with it.
- You're right. Urban and Saban are all about winning . . . that's obvious. My nephew's main point is that JH is more likeable and cares more for his players (and they for him.) Basically, my nephew thinks higher of JH than of Meyer, who he has been around.
- I can give a name . . . I choose not to. Whether or not the kid makes it is up to the kid. If we never hear anything, well, the kid fixed things. And if the kid is off the team, I won't be surprised.
Not only will they speculate, they will draw conclusions and then run to twitter and tweet at them. I cringed when I read the last part of the story because I knew the reaction it would get. There's a lot of people that love to play the speculation game on these types of things. It's weird.
I don't tweet, or facetime, or snapchat, or try to befriend any player on the team. That's too weird, would be stalking, obsessive, and I don't have the time.
I did try to say clearly, in so many words: this may or may not happen. It really is up to a player currently on the roster to grow up and make better decisions. Which is what I hope happens.
Fair enough. Certainly, it is speculation on my part whether or not the kid makes it. And for the board, there is speculation on the identity of the kid. I tried to help by eliminating some position groups (QB, Secondard, OL,) and Gary in particular, and by saying the team will be fine either way . . . we have extra depth and maybe performance if he makes it, and not a crippling loss if he doesn't.
I kind of took my cue from Magnus and Brian and Sam . . . at times in the past, they have said, there is an "open secret" on the team about upcoming changes and departures. They never share the name until it is officially reported on mgoblue.com. They do the same thing with "silent commits." Sometimes, they know what is likely to happen, but they don't put the news out there.
I think, as Brian said with depth charts and roster info, you should always assume there will be some attrition.
Since you are around the team, does this mean that you actually know yourself of upcoming team attrition, but you choose to keep that information to yourself?
It's a message board, it exists for this kind of speculation, and it's not worse then just saying the guy. Nobody here's opinion matters and nobody knows for sure.
I think I'm the only person on this board who doesn't know any agents.
I know an agent that helps me save a ton of money on my car insurance
I'm going to speculate, Johnson bc he had 2 dropped punts in the spring game and is definitely in the doghouse can't see coach having much confidence in him....Also I think peppers got too much media attention throughout the year and more should've been on our team ...GoBlue!
"My Nephew H____"
... so that everyone on the internet can say he's "My Nephew"
That's a fair enough criticism. (no verification.) Unfortunately, it would be close to impossible to verify, because to do that, I'd have to name Michigan teammates who criticized Peppers. And I'm not going to do that. What am I going to do? Call my nephew and say, "Can you please get John Doe to verify on the record his comments regarding his teammate Jabrill Peppers?" Again, not going to happen. That's the last time I'd ever get a dribble of information from my nephew. And that's something I'd prefer to keep open.
I think that most 20 - 21 year olds have some growing up to do. Didn't we all? There are a few things that are a matter of record from last year that Peppers needs to improve. (Nothing to do with anything I discussed last weekend with my nephew.) So I'd be willing to say he needs to grow up in some ways. To be honest, I'd say the same thing of my own three children . . . they all need to grow up! But that's part of life. I do wish Peppers well. I really hope for his sake, and for Michigan, that he has great success in Cleveland.
Perhaps if I wrote the post again, I would be crystal clear that I had no reason to trust other Michigan players or to decide one way or another in reference to Peppers.
Regardless, it will all be clear soon enough. If Jabrill is a great player and an exemplary NFL citizen, we will certainly know about it. And if he isn't, we will certainly know about it. I would much prefer that he have a great career, and do well, and have no problems with the media or with anything else.
Nice post. Interesting to hear that perspective. For what it's worth, I have a very close connection in the NFL world (agent/GM; take your pick) who doesn't feel the same about Peppers. These guys are so scrutinized through the draft process that you'll uncover things you don't like about them, and hold on to that, whether it be an athletic deficiency or attitute that "rubs people the wrong way."
To echo other posters, he's definitely confident, definitely an alpha. That quality is probably what made him so attractive to Hue Jackson, Don Brown, or Jim Harbaugh. But I can totally understand certain teammates being turned off a bit. I might be, myself. I've heard no concerns about his ability to be a good teammate or any major issues about character (the vices that afflict all college kids non-withstanding; any athlete has shown their vulnerable to a blunder here. Too hard to predict who will have "issues")
Come on Mgocommunity! What is the big deal about speculation here? It's not like he gave away top secret information to Russian spies or something!
Nice post. Great to see something like this during the slow time of the offseason.