For Ben Setas, Eddie Jackson stuck out immediately that first time he saw a then-18-year old Jackson on Alabama’s campus back in 2013.
Not because of an interception or punt return.
Not because of something in the weight room.
Because of Jackson’s outfit.
“It was a lime green Adidas sweatsuit,” Setas said, laughing. “It was bright. It was like, ‘Man, this guy from South Florida in his lime green sweatsuit. Welcome to Tuscaloosa, Alabama.’”
At the time, Jackson was getting ready for his freshman season at Alabama. Setas was a 24-year old entering his third season as a member of the Crimson Tide’s support staff.
Six years later, Setas is not only one of Jackson’s closest friends but also his agent.
Setas left his job as Alabama’s associate director of football operations in 2015 to pursue a career as an agent. Since then, the 2011 Michigan State graduate has established himself as one of the top up-and-comers in that field while serving as the lead agent for current NFL standouts like Jackson and Calvin Ridley.
“I talked to a couple agents (coming out of Alabama), but I already knew I was going to go with Ben,” Jackson said. “Me and Coop (Amari Cooper) told him back at Alabama, ‘Bro, if you become an agent, everybody would hire you.’ He did a lot for the players. If you had a problem, you knew you could go talk to Ben. Everyone trusted him and he’s real genuine. That’s my boy. That’s like my brother.”
While Setas’ brother is married to the daughter of Jimmy Sexton client Nick Saban, Setas actually works with a different well-known agent, Pat Dye Jr. of SportsTrust.
In addition to Jackson and Ridley, Setas is also the lead agent for other former Tide players such as Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Dalvin Tomlinson and Robert Foster as well as others like Ridley’s brother Riley, who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft.
“When I first got into the league, Ben helped me with my finances and things like that, and that’s how much trust I have in him,” said former Alabama and current Miami Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake, who is represented by SportsTrust. “He still helps me make decisions. I have the utmost respect for him.”
While the majority of Setas’ clients are young and still playing out their rookie contract, he did have his first free agency experience this past spring with Clinton-Dix, who parted ways with another agency to sign with Setas.
The 26-year old Clinton-Dix — who spent last season with the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins — ended up signing with the Bears less than 24 hours into free agency, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.5 million that included a $500,000 signing bonus.
The Bears had expressed interest to Setas in getting Clinton-Dix to Chicago on a short-term deal. Signing a short-term contract was the preference for Setas and Clinton-Dix, too.
They got a deal finalized while Clinton-Dix was in Chicago for a visit, adding him to a Bears defensive backfield that already included another Setas client — Jackson.
“Looking at how everything was playing out and the safety-needy teams were, especially early, hitting and paying big money to some of those safeties that were viewed as their top-tier guys on the market, it did come down to a situation where we wanted to do a one-year deal,” said Setas, who was promoted to vice president of SportsTrust in January. “Chicago wanted him to visit. He went and visited there when free agency opened, and he just loved the place and wanted to be there. There were other teams that were interested at that point for a one-year deal, some for more money, but it was somewhere he wanted to be. He believed in that defense and put himself where he could have a great year and put himself back in position for a big long-term deal.”
Soon, Setas will be responsible for negotiating some other contracts, most notably the one for Jackson.
After slipping to the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft, Jackson has already established himself as one of the NFL’s top safeties. A Pro Bowl selection last season, Jackson ranked fourth in the NFL last year with six interceptions and has already posted five defensive touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons.
The Bears, Setas and Jackson can begin working on a new contract after this season.
“I think Eddie was happy when he saw some of those safety (contract) numbers this last year,” Setas said, a reference to the $84 million contract the Washington Redskins gave to Landon Collins and the $55 million deal the Baltimore Ravens gave to Earl Thomas.
Negotiating that deal will be one of the next milestones for Setas.
It’s a deal that could make Jackson the highest-paid safety in the NFL.
It’s also one that should help him buy as many lime green Adidas sweatsuits as he wants for the rest of his life.
“For us to have the relationship we have, I believe in him and he believes in me and I don’t know where I’d be without him,” Jackson said. “It’s more than just a business. It’s family. And having that family around, it’s just something that — to see it all unfold together — it’s just a great feeling that I can share that success with him and vice versa."
Matt Zenitz is an Alabama and Auburn reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mzenitz.