"Pleased to work with you, Mr. Agent," Lance extended his right hand calmly.
Donald paused before accepting the handshake, studying the look in Lance's eyes—calm yet resolute, with a subtle smile. Donald realized Lance hadn't accepted out of excitement or impulse but with sound judgment, exactly as he had anticipated.
Just as players chose agents, agents chose their players, too.
Donald was especially selective. He kept his client base small, preferring long-term partnerships where he could focus on maximizing each client's potential.
To Donald, Lance was the ideal player.
So, Donald extended his right hand and completed the handshake with appropriate gravity.
"A pleasure, Mr. Lance."
The University of Alabama campus bustled with its usual energy, but just outside a dorm building, a deal that might shape history had just taken place.
As they released hands, Donald immediately switched to his role as agent.
"Now, since you've hired an agent, does that mean you're set on entering the draft this year? Otherwise, I'll be fined by the league."
Dry humor from an honest man?
A smile crossed Lance's eyes. "Don't worry. I'm not looking to have the NCAA committee investigating me. Nobody wants to go through what Reggie Bush did."
Years back, when USC's running back Reggie Bush was exposed for taking bribes from agents, he ended up in court. Bush lost his Heisman Trophy and had to pay heavy fines. USC suffered too, with fines and admission restrictions, and to this day, Bush hasn't apologized to the Trojans.
Donald was impressed. "You know about Reggie Bush?"
Based on Donald's research, Lance had initially known almost nothing about football.
Lance smiled. "My roommate made sure I knew."
Donald gave a slight nod. "If you're going pro, then we have no issues, but we do need to start preparing now. Time is tight."
The NFL (National Football League) consists of 32 teams split into the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC), each further divided into East, West, North, and South divisions, with four teams per division.
In North America, football, baseball, hockey, and basketball are the big four sports, but football far outpaces the others in viewership, revenue, and market impact.
Every year, the NFL holds its draft, inviting NCAA athletes and even international players from Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to enter the top league and showcase their skills.
Before the draft itself, the league holds a rookie training camp, gathering hopefuls for a four-day intensive evaluation where scouts and teams can examine their skills in detail.
Each year, thousands enter the draft, but only about 250 players are selected across seven rounds, with the rest going undrafted. These undrafted players have a slim chance of making a team through individual tryouts, but the odds are long.
The rookie camp slots are even more limited, with not all prospects able to attend.
Usually, before the formal rookie camp, the league issues invitations to various state camps based on scouting reports, game performance, and recommendations from experts. From these camps, about 330 rookies are selected to join the official rookie training camp, where seasoned scouts, representatives from all 32 teams, coaches, and medical staff will be in attendance.
But it doesn't stop there.
Some teams and football legends organize smaller, private camps through their networks. The "Manning Camp" hosted by Peyton and Eli Manning is the most coveted for quarterbacks each year. Here, players can learn from the legendary Manning brothers and showcase their talents to special guests invited by the Mannings.
These mini-camps are highly specialized, focusing on specific positions or groups, such as running backs, receivers, and offensive units, or even on players of particular interest to a team.
This is a unique aspect of football, where numerous positions and countless prospects fuel a long season of evaluations and selections.
As Donald had pointed out, if Lance was entering the draft, they needed to get moving.
Lance's performance this season had turned heads, so many teams would likely be interested. But questions would arise, too; with only one season behind him, scouts, coaches, and managers would have to scrutinize everything about Lance's game.
"First, we need to get you in training to boost your durability."
"The NCAA's competition is tough, but the NFL is two to three times as intense, pushing you to your limits both mentally and physically. Many NCAA stars disappear in the NFL."
"My advice: skip the mini-camps. Going to too many would make you look overly eager; picking and choosing just a few might come off as arrogant, which doesn't suit a rookie like you."
"Your performance numbers and stats speak for themselves. What we need now is a little mystery. You should disappear for some intensive training."
"During that time, I'll generate publicity and feel out interested teams, gauging the scene."
"Then, when the official rookie camp begins, you'll show up fully prepared. Let's let the numbers answer their questions."
"For now, focus on training."
"Here's a list of trainers."
With that, Donald pulled a meticulously prepared document from his briefcase, neatly formatted on crisp A4 paper. It was clear the briefcase wasn't for show—Donald had thoroughly planned everything, from the trainer list to the training schedule, down to the smallest detail.
Lance skimmed it over, impressed.
Curious, he glanced back at Donald. "If I hadn't signed with you, would all this have gone to waste?"
Donald's expression stayed steady. "I told you before—if not this time, then the next. And if not then, the time after. I was prepared."
"Besides, I trust you. More than I trust myself, I trust that you'll make the right decisions. So, I knew you'd choose me."
Donald met Lance's gaze head-on. "Turns out your decision was right, and mine was too. Win-win."
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