We’re getting geared up for our Agent Basics Zoom series later this month, so it’s got me thinking about what brand new contract advisors need to know. The feedback I keep getting from them is that they’re worried about not having scouting contacts, and I get that. Still, it’s important to keep scouting feedback in perspective.

In fact, when you hear the media or someone else tell you what “scouts say,” there are a few things to remember:

Is it even a scout?: The title of “scout” is thrown around a lot these days. In my estimation, unless you have real skin in the game (in the form of a place on an NFL staff), you’re not a “scout.” Lots of times, when you read a media report that refers to what “scouts are saying,” there’s a good chance that they’re really referring to what they see online, often from some draftnik or other self-appointed expert. Those aren’t scouts.

Time of year matters: If you had asked scouts in September 2021 if Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler would be the No. 1 pick in the spring of 2022 if he chose to leave early, most would say yes. By the end of that season, Rattler was no longer even the Sooners starter. This is just one example. The fact is, a player’s draft status depends on a lot of things, not the least of which is his performance on the field. The guy that looks good in Week 3 may look very different by bowl time.

Level of scout matters (as well as area): If you’re a newly minted Area Scout, roaming the Northeast for an NFL team, your opinion matters and the team is counting on you. At the same time, you’re still figuring things out in an area that’s far less dense in NFL prospects than the Southeast or Midwest are. The point is, just because a scout says something doesn’t mean he’s right.

Scouts are not perfect: Let me give you an illustration. I ran the 2008 Hula Bowl. Among the running backs I invited were Lance Ball (Maryland), Marcus Thomas (UTEP), Jalen Parmele (Toledo) and Danny Woodhead (Chadron State). I took the first three because they were direct recommendations of my scouting contacts, and indeed, Thomas and Parmele were among our draft picks. However, the only reason I took Woodhead — the only reason — is because New Balance was trying to work its way into college football, and it sponsored Chadron State. The game’s owner invited Woodhead (going over my head to do it) because it would lock in New Balance as a merchandise/apparel sponsor. Everyone got new shoes because we brought in Woodhead, but I seethed. Well, guess which running back had the most successful career? By the way, he’s not the only one I dismissed as a pro prospect that year. For the story on another couple of my running back mistakes — I promise you I ran everyone by scouts first — check out this post from September 2014.

Look, you won’t find anyone who has more respect for NFL scouts than I do. My whole business model is practically based on it. Still, it’s important to keep things in perspective.