Maximum Exposure

On the deep routes, Elkins can hardly get the ball to spiral at all. "I thought. What am I doing wrong? What can I do to correct this?" he recalls. "The madder I got, the worse I threw. If I had more time, I'd just throw through it."

Elkins felt hundreds of eyes on him as he finished. "I had this sinking feeling in my stomach," he says. "I walked over to the end zone and lay on my back. I told myself. Man. you blew it. This was for all the marbles, and you choked."

Says one scout, "He was awful. The ball came off his hand like a wounded duck. I don't know if anyone has ever done as poorly."

Other scouts say this disaster—coupled with two mediocre all-star game performances—turned Elkins from a possible first-rounder into a probable fifth-round pick. The difference in salary is as much as $350,000 a year.

Wednesday, Feb. 8 WINSTON-SALEM
Last fall Gary Draper. Kay's father, who has a construction consulting business in Atlanta, volunteered to help Elkins screen 75 potential agents. They composed 15 questions for the 18 agents on Elkins's final list. He mails them, along with a cover letter, on spiffy Mike Elkins letterhead paper. Among other things, Elkins asks for a résumé, recent photo and detailed analysis of every one of the agent's contracts over the past four years. He also requests that they reply within two weeks.

Wednesday, March 1

The responses have taken three weeks to trickle in. Steve Zucker, who represents Chicago quarterback Jim McMahon, got off on the wrong foot by misspelling the word negotiate in his résumé. Negotiate. Bruce Allen, who represents Cincinnati Bengal running back Ickey Woods, boasted about his "complete organization" at GBA Sportsworld in Phoenix and about the strength and conditioning coach he has on his staff. "Can you imagine?" says Elkins, rolling his eyes. ProServ, the Washington, D.C.-based management firm, sent a glitzy publicity booklet featuring Cincinnati quarterback Boomer Esiason: "With brilliant blond locks adorning classic all-American features...he might pass as a matinee idol a la Robert Redford." Elkins is repelled.

Leigh Steinberg's presentation was highlighted by a videotape of Steinberg's greatest TV appearances, including a segment from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Amid the lavishness were pitches about the charity work of such clients as quarterbacks Warren Moon of the Houston Oilers and Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers. "Leigh's answers sound vanilla," says Elkins. "He's so p.r. oriented, I don't know whether the charity stuff is sincere."

Elkins quickly rules out somebody named Rick Schaeffer. "He's the only guy who has ripped other agents." says Elkins. "I know he's straight, but he acts as if he's in love with me. He wants me to bare my soul. He keeps saying he has searched for years for a client like me, that ours is such a special relationship, one in a million. That sounds like emotional blackmail."

Friday, March 17 to Tuesday, April 4