BOULDER — Former Colorado cornerback Terrence Wheatley had never seen a picture of himself splashed on a full-sized poster. But there he was, the glossy action pose being included in a slick presentation by a sports agent.
Logos of several Fortune 500 companies framed the photo.
“The guy told me, ‘This is how we’re going to market Terrence Wheatley,’ ” the senior from Dallas said. “I thought, ‘Well, maybe if I was a first-round pick, I’d believe that.’
“Agents always try to hype it up more than it is. You hear pretty much every salesman’s pitch there is.”
Wheatley, expected to be chosen during the middle rounds of this weekend’s NFL draft, chose Memphis, Tenn.-based Jimmy Sexton, who came off “more laidback” and did not bring along a poster.
Choosing an agent, players say, can be difficult because, as former CU guard Brian Daniels of the Minnesota Vikings warned, “They’re all going to tell you what you want to hear.”
Former Colorado offensive tackle Tyler Polumbus, projected to be picked during the mid-to-late rounds, recalled being told by an agent, “Sign with me, and I can help you move up a round or two.”
It’s a wonder Polumbus didn’t burst into laughter.
“You’ve got to know that one’s not true,” said Polumbus, who chose Boulder-based agent Tom Mills.
That’s not to say a majority of sports agents are all song and dance. Peter Schaffer of Denver-based All Pro Sports and Entertainment Inc. said he takes a business approach during presentations and reviews the firm’s dealings with a list of high-profile clients that includes Barry Sanders, Eddie George, Jerome Bettis and Joe Thomas, the third selection in last year’s draft.
Former CU linebacker Jordon Dizon, who could be picked as early as the second round, signed with All Pro Sports.
“There’s no one agent that fits everybody,” Schaffer said.
While some coaches would rather see agents disappear and never come back, CU’s Dan Hawkins believes dealing with them is all part of the college experience for some players. Hawkins doesn’t want agents roaming the halls of the football offices, but they can attend some practices.
Upperclassmen can talk to agents but are forbidden under NCAA rules to make any agreements with them or accept any gifts or free meals. CU junior defensive tackle George Hypolite said he already is being contacted by as many as four or five agents daily.
“What we try to do is educate our guys and their parents as much as possible,” Hawkins said. “You can say, ‘Don’t talk to agents. Don’t do it.’ But that’s never going to happen.
“If they want us to help them make a decision on an agent, we will. In the end, I hope they get somebody they can trust. It’s like any (profession), you’ve got some honest ones and you’ve got some unscrupulous ones.”
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
