In the foreground sits a hulking mass of athleticism, crowded by family and friends, encircled by cameras adjusting their focus for the live feed straight from the top prospects living room.

The minute-by-minute emotions, the highs and lows of uncertainty, are captured as the drama of draft day unfolds.

The tension is palpable, due in part to the unknown.

Where will the athlete go next? Who will deem him worthy? What opportunities lie ahead?

Close by the chosen one resides the agent, a confidant tasked with navigating the draft day spectacle with expertise and experience.

The agent can easily be picked out from the crowd - they are the one with a phone close by and hard at work, unconcerned with the food spread and possible photobomb opportunity on live TV.

You’ve all seen this play out before.

We the fans are transported inside the home of top talents, observing through the looking glass as their family and friends ride an emotional roller coaster.

But what about the 300 or so other athletes whose lives also change on these April days but aren’t surrounded by the pomp and circumstance of the NFL network or ESPN?

“This is an intense period of time for the players, the families and the agents,” says longtime NFL agent and President of Sports Management Worldwide Dr. Lynn Lashbrook who has represented over 100 NFL players including 1^st rounders and undrafted free agents.

“It’s our role, and the role of our team of agent advisers, to manage expectations and to provide experience and advice to the player and families. They look to us to help them decide on their options, to understand what is coming next.”

Dr. Lashbrook used to be a part of a large agency, representing a massive portfolio of high profile NFL clients, but never felt that business model afforded him the opportunity to have a deep connection and one-on-one relationship with the clients he served.

That’s when he turned the model on it’s ear, launching Sports Management Worldwide and developing a team of trained agent advisers to be in direct personal contact with all clients at all times.

No one gets lost in the shuffle.

“It’s a team effort here,” says Dr. Lashbrook. “We have agent advisers assigned to each client and trained as part of our Athlete Management coursework, and then I am able to be the experienced mentor with direct access to every player.

“Our system works. The clients get the top possible leadership and have one of our trained people always available to them.”

As the SMWW agency builds Dr. Lashbrook has focused efforts on the late round and undrafted talents.

“After the draft is complete and the free agency free-for-all begins it is an intense time. We have 10 lines set up on our war room and they all start going crazy. With [former Cowboys, Panthers and Dolphins QB] Matt Moore in the 2007 draft we had 9 teams calling the office at once trying to get him signed.”

Former Northern Colorado, now Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Kyle Sloter didn’t have the cameras and fanfare surrounding his home on draft day last year, but the intensity hit warp speed for the SMWW client in the 7^th round.

Team started calling early to the SMWW offices to alert Dr. Lashbrook to their interest in signing Sloter.

“In the UDFA (undrafted free agent) market, our role changes, we have choices to make,” says Dr. Lashbrook. “If our player is drafted that’s where they are going, but if they are a free agent we get to help steer the decision making. We’re trying to find the right landing spot for the client to have an opportunity to shine, they need to go somewhere they can get reps and either impress that team, or another team that may need them.

“Players want leadership. They want to understand their options, why one choice is better than another. Being an agent is really a leadership role. That’s where an agent earns their money.”

With over 30 years representing athletes in the NFL and continuously training new agents to serve as part of his SMWW team, Dr. Lashbrook has the right tools to do the job the way he’s always dreamed, with a personal touch.