Monthly Archives: February 2026

Here’s Why You Should Attend Our Combine Events

20 Friday Feb 2026

Posted by in Getting started, Scouts, Transfer portal

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The 2026 NFL Combine is next week. If you read this blog regularly, you know I encourage you to take chances if you want to work in football. Well, if you aren’t going to Indianapolis next week, and you want to be a scout, coach or agent, you’re making a mistake if you don’t go.

Why? Think about this.

If you want to accomplish your goals, you must seize opportunities. I know that travel, hotels, food, etc., cost money. But there’s more than just a financial risk you’re taking if you don’t go — there’s also an opportunity risk. You don’t know who you’ll meet if you go. But you know that if you don’t go, you definitely won’t meet anyone.

It’s a people business. To succeed in this business, you must be a hard worker, of course. However, if you don’t get the chance to work for anyone, it doesn’t matter. Every NFL head coach has been on a bad team at some point, but he got another opportunity in the game because of the people he’s worked with before. If you don’t know many people in the game, there’s only one way to change that.

The Combine offers the best chance to meet people. As we’ve discussed before in this space, we’re seeing a change in philosophy by NFL teams toward all-star games. At the same time, access at the biggest game of them all (the Senior Bowl) has been reduced significantly. It’s true that there are fewer NFL people that go to Indianapolis than there used to be, but there will still be droves of scouts, coaches, league officials, agents, trainers and others who could be really helpful in getting your big break.

We provide two shots at improving your chances. I’m sorry if this comes across as bragging, but I’d argue that the Combine is a better place to network than ever because of our seminar (Wednesday night) and symposium (Friday morning). For $100 (or for no money if you already work for an FBS team), you can associate with literally hundreds of NFL scouts (Wednesday) and NCAA personnel (Friday) in a relaxed, collegial atmosphere. All the details for the weekend are in last week’s Friday Wrap.

Still not sold? Read today’s Friday Wrap (register here), in which we’ll discuss the panelists, review topics, answer frequent questions, list the awards, and provide other details that may make it sexy enough for you to be at one or both of them. Remember:

  • 2026 Ellison Kibler at Merrill Lynch ITL Seminar: Weds, Feb. 25, 530 pm. Room 205, Indiana Convention Center. No cost, no registration.
  • 2026 Dropback ITL Symposium: Friday, Feb. 27, 830 am. Room 205, Indiana Convention Center. Register here. Free to FBS personnel; all others $100.

Hope to see you there.

Work in Football? First Combine? Here Are a Few Tips

10 Tuesday Feb 2026

Posted by in combine prep, Getting started, NFL draft, Scouts

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I always kinda thought people who work in college personnel offices knew the drill when it comes to the NFL Combine, but I recently came to the understanding that they don’t, given how busy their jobs are. I’ve previously written about how to approach the NFL Combine if you’re a job-seeker, but let’s say you work as a personnel director at a P4 school. When should you get to Indy? When should you leave? Here are a few thoughts.

First, know the deadline for getting credentialed: It’s Saturday. You’re going to want to apply before then if you want access to Lucas Oil Stadium. This page has all the details. This is where you actually apply.

But before you apply: You need to know which (if any) of the players at your school are invited and when they’ll be working out. If you haven’t already heard from the players at your school, sometime this week, the NFL will publish the entire list of 350-odd players. Obviously, they don’t all work out on the same day. Click here to find out when they will test. Obviously, this will determine when you need to be there to offer support.

What if your school doesn’t have any combine invitees?: I recommend one of two schedules. At the very least, come in Thursday night so you can attend our symposium Friday morning. We’re hopeful that there will be 50 P4 schools represented, most by their GMs. We’re also going to have a who’s who of top NIL agents there. It’s going to be big. Here’s a more detailed rundown of what to expect. Best of all, if you’re a member of an FBS college personnel staff, you don’t have to pay. You only have to register, which you can do here.

So you arrive Thursday. When should you leave?: Here’s what I recommend. Indianapolis will be filled to the brim with NFL and college football types Friday night. Hit the town. I’d recommend grabbing a meal downtown, then hitting High Velocity, the bar at the JW Marriott, that evening. It will be jam-packed with NFL scouts and executives, agents, wealth managers, and others in the industry of every stripe. It’s a great chance to renew acquaintances or make new ones. Come to think of it, it’s probably not a bad idea to hit High Velocity Thursday night as well.

What if you have more time?: I strongly recommend you come in Wednesday afternoon and join us at our seminar. It’s the Academy Awards of the scouting business, and it’s free (you don’t even have to register). It starts at 5:30 p.m. and will go about an hour. We’ll have 150-200 scouts there and it’s a lot of fun. We’ll hand out more than 30 awards and there’s a celebratory atmosphere that you don’t always find in football. I hope you can join us. More details are here.

Six Points: A Few More Tips and Ideas for Getting a Job This Time of Year

06 Friday Feb 2026

Posted by in Getting started, NFL draft, NIL, Scouts

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This time of year I get a lot of people reaching out to ask about tips on getting a job in scouting, college or pro. Here are a few more things to think about and/or ideas for you.

Update your LinkedIn: I used to dismiss people who serially updated their LinkedIn page, but I have to admit it’s nice to have someone’s complete employment history readily available. I know some people really overdo it, but if you use it judiciously it can be a really positive tool. I know it’s been easy to advise people when they ask for counsel on finding a job when I can review their LinkedIn pages first. By the way, if you really want to go the extra mile, set up a Linktree.

Go to the Combine: I know it’s intimidating, and can be costly, but you can figure it out. The Senior Bowl is no longer the best place to network. Indy isn’t easy — there are a few events you can attend, including ours — but mostly you’re going to need to be in the right place at the right time, eager to seize an opportunity. It’s a risk you have to take.

Seek out volunteer opportunities in Indy: It’s too late to land something with an NFL team or with combine organizers, but there are enough things going on that a helping hand might be needed. Think outside the box. There’s no better way to make a connection than to be a good worker. If you can’t find a football organization, maybe reach out to an agency that you know has players at workouts.

Renew all your key acquaintances: It’s not easy to stay in contact with everyone in your neighborhood 24-7, and if you’re not carefully, you can come across as inauthentic. Still, you should be able to think of a reason to reach out to everyone who could be pivotal, job-wise, over the next 60-90 days. For example, you could ask when they get in to Indianapolis. Or wish them a happy President’s Day, I guess. If they show up on a podcast, make sure you compliment them — genuinely — and make it clear with context that you actually listened. Obviously, a job change (especially a promotion) gives you an automatic opportunity, as well. The key is to remind them, subtly, that you’re around.

Don’t forget about business cards: I know they’re passe’ but the fact is, they’re cheap and they fit easily into someone’s wallet. You don’t have to walk around with a wad of cards in your hand. Just have them ready if the need arises.

Remember that information is key: You need to know something that potential employers don’t. I do not think you should carry around your latest mock draft. But I do think you need to be ready with information on the upcoming players on your current team, or inside information on what jobs might be available on your own team, or anything else. If you don’t have anything, don’t fake it. But there’s no better way to prove your future value to a potential employer than by having something you can offer now.

One more thing — make sure to know where recent scouting hires have come from, which teams you should be focusing on and, well, read this, too. Good luck.