As Malik Jefferson makes the transition from Texas to the NFL, he’s going to have one of the biggest names in entertainment on his side.

According to a report authored by Darren Heitner for Forbes, Jefferson has signed with Young Money APAA Sports to represent him ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft. The agency Jefferson signed on with was born in 2016 from a merger between APAA Sports and Young Money Entertainment, a company whose CEO is multi-platinum rap artist Lil Wayne.

What's next for the Longhorns? Make sure you're in the loop by signing up for our FREE Texas newsletter!

The following is from the ‘About’ section of ymapaasports.com:

For years, APAA Sports Group has been a known leader in the agency world and in 2016, APAA Sports Group and Young Money merged, officially forming Young Money APAA Sports & Entertainment. Young Money’s figurehead, Lil Wayne is one of the most famous rappers of all time and has won various awards such as Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Best Group, Viewer’s Choice Award, among others. Under their label, they have artists such as Drake, Nicki Minaj, Christina Milian and many others. With the Young Money and APAA Sports Group merger, countless additional connections were added to our existing extensive relationships which afford us the ability to service our clients in an unparalleled fashion.

According to the Forbes article, Jefferson is considered the most high-profile football client to sign on with YMAPAA Sports to date. Jefferson joins a client list that includes former Kansas basketball star Frank Mason and former Oklahoma and current Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Dede Westbrook.

The Forbes article detailed Jefferson’s importance to the agency:

But Jefferson is the player who truly has the potential to put the Young Money APAA football division on the map. Jefferson could easily be a first round pick in 2018, which would be a first for the young agency. "YMAPAA is much more than just a sports agency," said Jefferson. "To me, it’s about the brotherhood that comes with it and the camaraderie of everyone pushing each other to continue to work and perfect their craft. It’s about becoming as successful as possible on the field, off the field and in the community." Signing someone like Jefferson adds credibility for Young Money APAA so that it is better able to recruit head-to-head against competitors, including Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports agency, which was founded in 2013. Roc Nation grew to prominence much faster than Lil Wayne's venture, signing NFL players such as Juju Smith-Schuster, Leonard Fournette, Melvin Ingram, Ndamukong Suh, Todd Gurley and CJ Prosise in its first four years of existence. Earlier today, Roc Nation Sports announced that it was chosen by Penn State running back Saquon Barkley as its representatives.

Jefferson is expected to be an early pick in the draft after enjoying his finest season on the Forty Acres in 2017 under Tom Herman. En route to second-team All-American honors (Associated Press, Sporting News), Jefferson led the Longhorns in tackles (110) and tackles for loss (10) while tying for the team lead in sacks (4) and quarterback hurries (6).

Jefferson was also named the co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by the league’s coaches.

Want free VIP access to Horns247? Click here and take advantage of this offer!