Eric Zarate is the Founder and NIL Specialist of Steadfast Athlete Collective, a boutique, faith-forward NIL representation and athlete development agency headquartered in Prosper, Texas. Established in 2025, Steadfast was created to serve student-athletes through a mentorship-driven, education-first model focused on integrity, family alignment, and long-term success.

Steadfast operates with a clear mission: to protect, develop, and empower athletes to succeed with integrity—not just in sport, but in life. In a rapidly expanding NIL marketplace where many families lack trusted guidance and structured strategy, Steadfast positions itself as a relational, values-based alternative to volume-driven representation firms.

Steadfast’s core differentiator is its holistic representation framework. Beyond NIL deal negotiation, the agency provides structured education in financial literacy, compliance awareness, brand stewardship, and leadership development. Rather than prioritizing short-term transactional gains, Steadfast emphasizes long-term brand equity, character formation, and professional readiness.

Before founding Steadfast, Zarate served with distinction for 10 years (2015–2025) as Executive Vice President of the States Developmental Football League (S.D.F.L.), a national athletic organization founded by Garrick Jones focused on expanding developmental football opportunities and athlete pathways.