Geno Smith to join the Roc?

Jay-Z has taken the sports world by storm over the past few weeks, and he may have inked yet another big-name client. New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith has been looking for a new agent since controversially firing his after dropping to the second round in last month’s NFL draft.

There have been rumors that Smith is interested in signing with Jay-Z as his new agent, and he only furthered that speculation on Wednesday by posting a photo of he and the rap mogul on Instagram. No deal has been reported, but it appears that the interest in joining Roc Nation — Jay-Z’s new sports agency — is solely for marketing purposes, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Whatever the basis of the interest — Jay-Z is not an NFL-certified agent, and cannot talk to Smith about football representation — Smith did meet with Jay-Z recently and the quarterback seemed excited by the visit. “Two men who stand on their own two feet, we only share ideas and motivate each other! It’s easy to think you made it but I’m only 22, it’s just the beginning. I was never motivated by fame or wealth, my LEGACY has a greater purpose. #knowledgeispower #mybigbrotherwasBIGbrother #imnotfamous #sameoldg,” Smith wrote on the Instagram photo.


Smith is mulling five firms, including Jay-Z's Roc Nation, and is likely to make his decision after returning from the NFLPA's Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles this weekend.

"He's looking to make his decision soon," former NFL and West Virginia standout John Thornton told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. "He's trying to do his due diligence on each firm he's interviewed.


"He doesn't have anybody doing anything right now. It's just us really trying to help him navigate through it. He won't sign anything until he's ready."

Smith spent the early part of last week interviewing five candidates along with advisers Thornton and Charles Fisher, two former West Virginia players who have taken the former Mountaineer under their wing.

Smith fired his previous representation, Select Sports, after he fell to the 39th pick in last month's draft.

In addition to Roc Nation, the candidates Smith is considering include Joel Segal, Priority Sports, Fletcher Smith and Eugene Parker.

"I think Geno's going to decide by next week," Fisher said. "He'll come back and likely sit down with his family and make a choice."