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2019 CGS Scouting Workshop: A Recap

11 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by itlneil in Scouts

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NFL Scouting

If you weren’t among the crowd at the second annual 2019 College Gridiron Showcase Scouting Workshop Presented by Inside the League, I’m really sorry you. It was a chance to not only meet a real-live NFL evaluator — Cowboys Assistant Director of College Scouting Chris Hall — but it was a chance to truly learn about the business.

When I asked Chris to speak at our event, I hoped for two things: he’d say “yes,” and he’d give us a half-hour. However, when he agreed to come, I never dreamed he’d far exceed 30 minutes. In fact, Chris went almost two hours in discussing his path from intern in the team’s scouting department to key member of the team’s braintrust almost 30 years later.

If you weren’t there (or even if you were), you can review his impressive discussion, in its entirety, here. If you don’t want to wade through it all, here are a few points Chris made that really resonated with me.

  • Trades remembered and forgotten: In his 29 years, Chris has worked with Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer and Bill Parcells, and has seen the depths as well as Super Bowl victories. He was also on the team for the Herschel Walker deal, which was historic. He pointed out, however, that the Steve Walsh trade was almost as much of a bounty, while the Cowboys also struck out on trades, citing the Stan Smagala trade. I think his point was that no one bats 1.000 when it comes to wheeling and dealing.
  • College coaches used to make the best scouts: In the old days, you hired ex-coaches to scout for you because they knew the players and the schools. Today, it’s less important because film has become so much more available and the Internet makes the country so much smaller.
  • Everyone considers quitting: Chris came very close to leaving the Cowboys to pursue a masters in advertising at SMU. He made it clear that everyone has their time of disappointment and burnout. A fortuitous staff change inspired Chris to stay. For you, it might be different. The key is to figure out how to press on.
  • It’s a game of space now: It’s important to keep up with the changes dictated by the game. Though Dallas is seen as a power-running team, its scouts have focused on speed and athleticism on defense to match up with modern trends on offense.
  • Don’t miss kids in your backyard: Chris said the Cowboys really focus on Texas schools because the team takes pride in the state and doesn’t want to be beaten by local players.
  • Write thank you notes: During the portion of his discussion aimed at aspiring scouts, he said it’s incredibly important to thank people in the business by writing actual thank you notes (yes, pen and paper). Chris is the second person I’ve heard say that exactly. As you build your network, don’t forget to do this.
  • Draft pundits can tell you what the league thinks about a player: I’ve never thought about it this way, but Chris said he believes the bigger names in the media (McShay, Kiper, Mayock) talk to enough people to give a general summation of who’s hot and who’s not.
  • Character is subjective: You have to know the position group on your team before you know if a player will fit in, and before you know if you should draft him. That’s also a theme in Michael Holley’s book, War Room, which I highly recommend.

If you weren’t there, there’s always next year, and we hope to see you then.

In the meantime, if you want to learn more about the College Gridiron Showcase or the business of pro and college football in general, make sure you register for the Friday Wrap. It comes out this evening, and it’s must-read info for thousands of people  in the game. You can register for it here. Here’s last week’s edition.

 

 

CGS Scouting Workshop Adds Cowboys Scout Hall to Speaker Lineup

23 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by itlneil in Scouts

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NFL Scouting

At Inside the League, we’re dedicated to helping budding NFL professionals — aspiring scouts, agents, cap specialists, trainers and others — get better and find opportunities. That’s why when the co-founders of the College Gridiron Showcase, Craig Redd and Jose Jefferson, asked me to help put together a scouting event for last year’s game, I was more than happy to oblige.

We came up with the 2018 CGS Scouting Workshop Presented by Inside the League, which we talked about last week in this space, and it went exceptionally well. We had a lineup of speakers that were, at the time, out of the league, but I knew that wouldn’t last; three of the four are already back in football in some capacity, and the fourth, Rodd Newhouse, has been a successful wealth manager in the Dallas area for about a decade now (in other words, he and isn’t trying to get back in). Here’s a clip from last year’s workshop; if you haven’t watched it yet, stop right now and do so.

Right now, we don’t have the complete lineup for this week’s seminar yet, but we don’t have one key member. Cowboys College Scouting Coordinator Chris Hall will join us Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Fort Worth Convention Center. It’s too early to know when Chris will speak, but we’ll go from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and the day will be jam-packed with good stuff, especially if you aspire to be an NFL evaluator someday.

Chris won’t be spilling any secrets on the players the team is placing atop its draft board, though he could; in a business that has become about as volatile as they come, Chris has had a phenomenal run in Dallas and has become an integral part of the team’s braintrust. For almost three decades, he’s been with the team, mostly in his current role. And while he’s no stranger to Cowboys football, he’s also no stranger to the Metroplex as he’s an SMU grad.

My hope is that Chris will talk about his job with the club; one thing I’ve learned by working in football for almost two decades is that no two teams do the draft the same way. Often, the ‘college scouting coordinator’ post is given to younger scouts on staff, but the Cowboys obviously hold the title in much higher regard. I’m also eager to hear more about Chris’ journey from SMU to America’s team, and how that transpired.

I also look forward to getting Chris’ opinion on where scouting is going; the value of analytics and how (or if) the Cowboys use metrics; how the team identifies and hires new scouts; how the team conducts its draft-day war room; what other teams Chris admires for their drafting acumen; and/or any other topic Chris would like to address.

Make sure to stay tuned to the Scouting Workshop web page, where we’ll have registration information soon. Also, make sure to keep up to date on the progress of speaker invitations, subject matter and registration by signing up for our weekly Friday Wrap, which comes out this evening. You can register for it here.

The 2019 CGS Scouting Workshop: Here’s Why You Don’t Want to Miss It

16 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by itlneil in Scouts

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NFL Scouting

Today, I want to give you a preview of what you’ll see and hear at the 2019 College Gridiron Showcase Scouting Workshop Presented by Inside the League  on Saturday, Jan. 5, in Fort Worth, Texas. But rather than just telling you about it, here are three videos from last year that really capture the day. Here goes:

  • In this segment, former Rams area scout Danton Barto (now with the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl) and former 49ers and Browns area scout Bob Morris (now with the AAF’s San Antonio franchise) talk about how they became NFL scouts and how their respective hiring processes worked.
  • In this segment, Morris talks about why he never (or rarely) went to the Shrine Game, the No. 2 all-star game; how schools were color-coded according to the talent on their rosters; why the secretary is the person to get to know at every football office (“she has the keys to the kingdom”); what other scouts used to do in the film room that drove him crazy; and plenty of other good stuff.
  • In this segment, Barto talks about several controversial players he scouted or saw during the draft process (Browns OT Greg Robinson, Dolphins OT Laremy Tunsil, Giants DC Janoris Jenkins, Cowboys DE Randy Gregory and Cowboys OT La’el Collins among them). He’s also very open about drugs and how they impact a player’s character grade (it’s not nearly as much as you might think). I promise you — if you love the NFL Draft and you love scouting, you will watch this segment more than once. You may watch it daily for the next two weeks. Danton is a joy to watch, mainly because he’s such a candid, genuine guy. That’s why everyone loves him. His story about the day he had to cut DE Alonzo Spellman — I won’t spoil it. But you gotta hear it.

If you read this blog, you’re a fan of “inside football.” You may not live near Fort Worth, Texas and you may not want to spend $99, but where else are you going to find people talking about the nuts and bolts of life as an NFL scout? Telling stories about the business? Sharing the positives and negatives of a scout’s life?

We don’t have a confirmed speakers list yet, but we will soon. In the meantime, all you need to know is that we’re going to knock it out of the park. What’s more, if you’re willing to stick around through Wednesday, you’ll get to meet people from across the game and maybe make a contact that gets your foot in the door. We will even plug you in as a volunteer if you’re interested.

We’ll have more as we get closer to the big day, and by next week, we’ll start accepting registration. In the meantime, the best way to keep up with our speakers is by signing up for our Friday Wrap. it’s free, and you can do that here.

 

CGS 2022: Our Daily Scouting Intern Schedule

07 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by itlneil in Uncategorized

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Starting Saturday, 21 aspiring NFL scouts will join us in Fort Worth for the 2022 College Gridiron Showcase. Here’s a rundown of what they can expect.

SATURDAY: This is our ‘orientation’ day, and the day we hope to set the tone for the weekend and make clear our expectations for the next three days. We’ll primarily get ready for what’s ahead.

CGSU scout workshop orientation (4-5 p.m., Magnolia V room of the Fort Worth Sheraton): CGS co-Founder Jose Jefferson, CGS Director of Scouting and Personnel Mike Rittelman and myself will introduce the week and talk about expectations.

SUNDAY: It’s showtime. Sunday is the biggest day for interns given that it’s the main interview day for NFL scouts, and many of our previous interns have earned the respect of NFL personnel with their work on Sunday alone.

  • CGSU breakfast (6:30-7:30 a.m. at a restaurant TBA), followed by a scouting meeting (7:30-8 a.m., Magnolia VI of the Sheraton): We will discuss the Marshals workout and roles for interns.
  • Marshals scrimmage (9-10:30 a.m.) at Farrington Field: We’ll ferry interns to the field, where they’ll assist with practices and solicit opinions from scouts on which players deserve to move up to the Desperadoes roster.
  • CGSU scouting seminar (11 a.m.-noon, Oak I-III): CFL scout John Bonaventura, former NFL scout and agent Marc Lillibridge and former Giants scout Chris Watts will  participate in a panel discussion with the interns moderated by myself.
  • CGSU lunch (noon-1 p.m., Magnolia I-IV) and scouting workshop meeting (noon to 12:30 p.m., Oak I-III): Mike Rittelman will join us to make assignments and break down scout-player interviews and how interns will assist in bringing players to the interview room. We’ll also take volunteers to help with the NFL measurements sessions.
  • Player interviews (1-9 p.m., Magnolia I-IV): Interns will work with NFL teams to facilitate interviews.
  • NFL measurements (offense and defense, 9-10:30 p.m., offense in Magnolia V, defense in Magnolia VI): Once again, interns will assist in arm and hand measurements.
  • CGSU scouting debrief (10:30-11 p.m., Oak I-III): We’ll review Sunday and assign roles for Monday’s weigh-ins).

MONDAY: This is another big day and it starts early with weigh-ins, another key part of the weekend, then wraps up with another night of education.

  • CGSU breakfast and meeting (6:15-7 a.m., Oak I-III of the Sheraton), followed by Desperadoes (7:30-9 a.m., Magnolia I-IV of the Sheraton) and Wrangers (9:15-10:45 a.m., Magnolia I-IV) weigh-ins: After a brief meeting, interns will help as we hand out roster sheets to scouts, align players alphabetically, contact and locate players who are late arriving, and call out heights and weights.
  • Desperadoes (12:15-2 p.m.) and Wranglers (2:15-4 p.m.) practices at Farrington Field: We’ll ferry interns to the field, where they’ll assist with practices.
  • CGSU scouting meeting (9:30-10 p.m., Magnolia V of the Sheraton): We’ll have one or two active NFL scouts who’ll discuss how they got their jobs, what they look for in interns and potential interviewees, and what they like best about being NFL evaluators.

TUESDAY: We say goodbye to our team and convene one last time.

  • CGSU breakfast, followed by scouting meeting (6-7:30 a.m. breakfast at a nearby restaurant, followed by meeting 7-9 a.m. at Oak I-III): We’ll tally up the winners of the week, present awards, discuss what we did right and what we did wrong, and say goodbye to everyone.

If you’re one of our 21 interns, I look forward to meeting and working with you this weekend. If not, please consider applying to join us in 2023.

We’ll talk more about the CGS and our scouting intern program in our Friday Wrap. Register for it here.

An ‘Invincible’ Prospect Among Those on ’19 CGS Roster

21 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by itlneil in Uncategorized

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Vince Papale

In the summer of 2006, the world was introduced to Vince Papale when the movie Invincible told the story of his improbable transition from 30-year-old bartender to wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles. Twelve years later, the country finally gets to see the sequel. But this sequel isn’t a movie, and it opens only to limited audiences in two weeks.

Delaware WO Vinny Papale, who racked up 36 catches for 618 yards (17.2 ypc) and six touchdowns for the Blue Hens (7-5) this season, will begin his campaign for a slot in the 2019 NFL Draft in Fort Worth next month. While he won’t be drafted ahead of Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry or Mississippi’s A.J. Brown, a good week in the Metroplex could help him climb into the Day 3 conversation or at least establish him as a priority free agent (PFA).

The ITL Scouting Department gave him a PFA grade. Our scouts touted his hands and ability to “snatch it and . . . catch outside his frame and extend for the grab.” They also called him a “good short to intermediate route runner.” On the other hand, his size, length and leaping ability are only “adequate,” according to our evaluators, though they liked his instincts and “ability to get the job done without top-level traits.” In other words, it sounds like he’s a chip off the ol’ block.

Papale is just one of more than 150 players that will attempt to be a crowd-pleaser and build an audience with NFL teams. Here are a few others worth watching with popcorn and Sno-Caps at the ready.

  • Grant Kraemer, QB, Drake: Ryan Hollern of the ITL Scouting Department (now with the AAF’s Salt Lake City franchise) liked Kraemer’s size, touch and release (“gets it out quick”) in an evaluation turned in early this season.
  • Kameron Lewis, WO, St. Francis (PA): Hollern likes Lewis as a possible late-rounder, citing his “frame, well-proportioned and athletic build” and “long arms.” He also liked Lewis’ “ball skills and playmaking ability.”
  • Chad Hovasse, WO, Adams St.: A scout we talked to said Hovasse has the tools to play in the league, though he’s still got plenty of development ahead. He’s a big receiver (6-1/215) who dominated Division II.

We’ve got 18 more names of top players in this year’s CGS, and we’ll be listing them in today’s Friday Wrap (register for it here). The list includes four quarterbacks, four running backs, nine wide receivers and more. In all, we’ll have about 170 players hitting, throwing, rushing, interviewing and whatever else NFL teams want to see from Jan. 5-9.

And don’t forget — if you are interested in scouting and evaluation, we’ll also have Cowboys Assistant Director of College Scouting Chris Hall and others speaking at the CGS Scouting Workshop Presented by Inside the League. We hope to see you there.

 

Another Chance to Grow: Mueller Scout Camp

19 Thursday May 2022

Posted by itlneil in Getting started, Scouts

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Scouting (and specifically, getting jobs in scouting) is on the minds of many these days  with teams hiring and firing as part of the usual post-draft phase. I can’t count the number of members of NCAA personnel and recruiting departments who’ve reached out to me over the past 2-3 weeks, asking for tips on how to interview.

I try to respond to all of them, and do the best I can to give them good advice. However, there are those who have actually done the hiring that can do way better. One of those people is former NFL GM Randy Mueller, who’s spent time in the front offices in New Orleans, Miami, Seattle and San Diego in various roles (serving as GM of the Saints, Dolphins and Seahawks). These days, Randy writes a must-read blog on his personal web page, but next month, you don’t have to get your advise and counsel through via the Web.

Randy will host a two-day workshop in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, that will be the first-ever Mueller Scout Camp. Included in the event will be five individual sessions, including a resume review and a mock GM interview with Randy. Sessions will included pointers on film evaluation, the dynamics of team-building, how to gather character information on recruits and prospects, how to build a consensus without encouraging groupthink, building your board and more. 

“A couple of bigger-program head coaches asked me if I could coach up some of their people on the art of identifying and evaluating players,” Mueller said. “Everyone, coaches included, needs a refresher, so think of a coaching clinic, but this is an evaluator’s clinic. 

“People who do this for a living have got to be able to identify what most don’t see when looking for talent.”

Randy said his goal is to “give (attendees) some tools and a process to build fundamentals as an evaluator as they progress in the business.”

It’s a pretty exciting opportunity when you consider that he’s only taking 12 students. As someone who loves to see professionals invest in the next generation, I’m pretty enthusiastic about Randy’s camp, as well as the one I’ll be attending this weekend in Las Vegas, the 2022 Personnel/Recruiting Spring Clinic in Las Vegas. That one is being run by UNLV’s Gaizka Crowley and Colorado State’s Lucas Gauthier. Hope to see you there.

For more information on Mueller Scout Camp, including pricing, email Randy at info@muellerfootball.com. 

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