Alexa Stabler doesn't want to be known as a great female agent; she wants to be a great agent, period. But as a daughter of the late Ken Stabler, she doesn't mind if others make the connection that her father was one of the most celebrated men to play under center. In fact, she embraces her football lineage.

"I think that I will be the first to admit that my last name is helpful and that it gets people to respond to my email or phone call," she says.

"But it's not just a name."

Although her father's 15-year Hall of Fame career was over before she was even born, he inspired her to become certified by the NFL Players Association last summer to represent clients. Now, she is set to represent six prospects -- from Alabama, Florida State, Troy and Jacksonville State -- at the 2018 NFL draft.

A first-year agent, Alexa Stabler will represent six players in this year's draft class, including Jacksonville State running back Roc Thomas (left) and Alabama punter JK Scott. Courtesy of Alexa Stabler

A native of Alabama, she graduated from the University of Alabama in 2009 and received her law degree from Alabama in 2012. She had been practicing law for about five years before she founded Stabler Sports, which she based in Mobile because she felt there weren't enough player representatives in her state, even though it is home to the nation's preeminent college football program.

Stabler admits her father's death took a toll on her. She knew Ken Stabler the father, not Ken Stabler the football player. She saw how the game affected his health. (Ken Stabler died in July 2015 from complications resulting from colon cancer, but also suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy.) For a time, she resented the game. "I was very angry at football," she says.

But now, she uses her past to help the game's future athletes.

"Not trying to talk bad about football," Stabler says, "but I think that my perspective can help these guys in terms of having an eye for what's going to happen when you get into football."

Leading up to the draft, the first-year agent talks to espnW about why this path is a way for her to honor her father's legacy and how she goes about her business. Here is her story, in her words:

The family name

I will say what's helpful with that name comes a lot of experience and perspective because of my dad's career, being brought up, and being so close to him. I will say I've had a few clients, not just one, who went home or talked to their parent after our initial meeting. He shared my name, and the parents were like, "Oh wow, yeah, that's amazing." They're so young that they don't really care, or unless they're just geeked out on the NFL history; that's really not something that they know much about. It's more the parents that bring it up or acknowledge it.

Be driven

I certainly think my work ethic comes from my dad; we just execute that work ethic in different ways. ... His approach to life was very different than it was for me -- carefree and kind of a wild man. I'm very Type A and introverted, but we're both super focused, both very determined to be the very best at what we do, and both approach things with a discipline and a desire to do it well.