Craig Domann has been a licensed NFL agent for 30+ years. He prepares NFL Draft prospects, whether they are in the spotlight or trying to make a name for themselves out of junior college or a small university, to look, sound, and prepare to be their best. He has done just that as he has secured and negotiated contracts for more than 100 athletes that have amounted to a total of more than $800 million dollars from athletes who went in the first and second rounds to guys that have had long careers in the NFL. Being an accountant and sports attorney, Domann understands the profitability of sport and that there is money to be made there as long as you put in the time and effort to put yourself in a position to succeed. For him, it is more than just the money, he wants to see his clients succeed and he is going to do whatever it takes to get them there. In this podcast, Domann lays out the factors in how to get drafted and the keys to be successful in the NFL.
“Don’t get hung up or married to your grade, because your grade really isn’t a grade, it’s just a starting point for teams to do more evaluation.”
Domann is really hitting at ego here. In the NFL and especially in life, how successful you will be and how far you will go will of course first depend on how you are perceived and how much film teams will have on you, but ultimately your success and longevity will be determined by your performance on the field and the work you are wanting to put in in practice that no one else will see that will translate your performance. Domann talked a little later about how just because you may go in the sixth round doesn’t mean that you will end up being a bad player, that is just where they saw your potential at for the time being, but it doesn’t mean you change your whole career moving forward. The same is true with a first-round player just because they see your film and it is chalked full of big plays and incredible stats doesn’t mean once you ate on the field everything will be different because the competition is different and if you are not prepared for that other teams will beat you and take advantage of your talent. Another thing that Craig mentions later is the concept of an agent. A few years ago, when you signed with an agent the choices you had whether or not you want to go to the draft or you want to stay are now gone. He talks about how when you look at all the analytics and your draft grades it could misguide you into believing that it is your time to go. He talks about the quote “An agent can’t help an amateur go back to being an amateur,” they are designed to help you get the most encouraging information they can, so they pull you in and make you feel good about going to the draft. They are getting a cut of the money too, so they want to make sure you're invested and committed because if they don’t, they won’t be their agent for long.
“There is a three-step process for making that decision [if players should declare for the NFL Draft or not] ...Have a conversation with God, look at your soul and figure out what your heart is telling you, and listen to the NFL indicators so you can understand what the best decision for you is.”
When we go to ourselves for advice, we give ourselves everything we want to hear because no one likes criticism. However, when we go to other experts and those who are trusted friends or family members, they give us things to consider that we may not have thought about. For college athletes thinking about going into the NFL Draft it is a wise decision to talk to people who have been through it before. In the podcast, Domann shared that certain things like draft status, family finances, health situations, among other things, need to be discussed and weighed. Ultimately the athlete needs to do what is right for them and their family.
To hear more of Craig's insight into the NFL Draft and how to succeed and keep your Pro Mindset throughout the process, listen to the Pro Mindset Podcast here.
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