Category Archives: combine prep

Want to Sign a Legit NFL Draft Prospect? Here Are the Rules

14 Thursday Aug 2025

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

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With the NFL agent exam in the rear-view mirror, our focus turns to helping agents who’ve had a little trouble getting started. For a lot of contract advisors, it takes a while to learn a few lessons. These include:

You can’t tell a legitimate prospect where to train. At least, not one who’s in that group of 800 players in each draft class that are actually worthy of a 90-man roster spot. Obviously, there are exceptions, but usually the best players come from FBS (mostly P4) and play marquee positions (OL, DL, QB, plus a few WRs and CBs). Those players know the market will bear a good training spot and a decent stipend (monthly allowance in the low four figures, usually) from an agent. If you don’t want to pay that, you better be real good at rolling dice.

You can’t create buzz for a player no one wants. I always feel terrible when a new agent comes to me in April and asks what he can do to promote his client(s). NFL teams begin to show their respective hands three weeks out from the draft. At that point, if he’s not getting interest from scouts, there’s nothing the agent can do. Zero. You have to have solved that problem in December or January.

Like it or not, a player’s pro day performance matters a great deal. I’m old enough to remember when the Eagles got killed in the media for taking Boston College DE Mike Mamula in the 1995 draft. Because Mamula owned his pre-draft workouts (which back then were still a rather new phenomenon), Philadelphia traded up to take him seventh overall, before Warren Sapp and Hugh Douglas. Though it’s popular to criticize the “underwear Olympics,” if we’re being honest, 30 years later, workout numbers still matter just as much. One thing I learned while writing my most recent book, Value Picks, is that a poor workout almost does more damage than poor character grades, i.e., a player could be taken completely off the board for it.

Representing a player who makes it to the NFL is worth it. There’s a reason the NFLPA had to institute a three-year rule (you must get at least one player on a roster over a three-year period) to cull the herd of agents on the rolls. It’s because signing and helping a player reach his dreams in the country’s most popular sport is well worth the cost, whatever it is. Lots of people get into the business before realizing how hard it is, then give up soon after certification because they don’t have the contacts, NFL background, or recruiting skills they need to sign a player with league bona fides. They never realize how close they could have come to actually accomplishing their goals.

Next week, we’ll have a Zoom session for people who are NFLPA-certified but struggling to get a player into an NFL camp. We’ll have details about our “bridge” program and who’s eligible. If you’re an agent who just hasn’t had any luck so far, make sure you register for our Friday Wrap, which will have more information. I hope you can join us.

A Busy Week Working with New Agents and More

15 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by in Agents, combine prep, Getting started, ITL

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The fourth quarter of the year is always an exciting time because we’re working closely with the newest NFL agent class. New contract advisors are fun to work with because they’re so excited about the industry and eager to learn. It’s almost impossible not to be inspired by their passion.

Here’s what this week looked like.

Monday: In addition to recording an incredible new edition of Scouting the League with guest Dane Brugler of The Athletic (you gotta check it out if you haven’t yet), I got on Zoom with a new agent who had a few questions and maybe needed a pep talk. There’s so much excitement that comes with passing the exam that, sometimes, new agents don’t know their next step. That’s natural and to be expected.

Tuesday: The NFLPA held its Midseason Virtual Contract Advisor Seminar and we broke it all down for our clients in our Rep Rumblings report (sorry, pay link). The biggest takeaways were that the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl won’t return anytime soon (partially, it seems due to misinformation union officials have received) and that the three-year rule is here to stay. Maybe it’s true that there are more agents than there need to be, but it’s also true that three years is a very short time to figure out an incredibly tough business (especially when you can’t start until October in Year 1).

Wednesday: Our weekly Zoom sessions are gaining momentum. We doubled our audience this week as we welcome Lee Smith of Triple F Sports Performance in Knoxville, Tenn., along with three established agents from NFL agencies (the Rosenbach Agency, Generation Sports Group and Turner Sports) who gave advice, provided tips, demonstrated some really impressive software or introduced new offerings designed to give first-year agents a leg up on signing legitimate prospects for 2025. The audience was made up of ITL subscribers, most of whom are rookie player reps.

Thursday: I headed to College Station to address about 50 communications students at Texas A&M as a guest of my friend, former co-worker and editor of my first two books, Paul McGrath. I spent an hour discussing sports editing, at Paul’s request, plus I gave a rundown of my roller coaster career in sports and, well, life. It was fun. If you want to check it out, it’s here. That was my morning. My afternoon was spent editing several scouting reports on 2025 prospects for agents and agencies, all of them written by former Titans scouting executive Blake Beddingfield. For agents who don’t yet have a network of scouts, I see this as an invaluable service, if I do say so myself. I also referred a member of the ’25 draft class to my friends Jose Jefferson and Mike Rittelman of the College Gridiron Showcase (plus I reached out to scouts to get a better sense of the player’s draft possibilities). Busy day.

I’ll spend today writing the Friday Wrap, which I hope you’ll check out. Register for it here if you haven’t already. 

If you’re a new agent, I hope you’ll consider joining us at Inside the League. We’re doing exciting things every week that will give you a better chance at success. I don’t think you got certified to win a participation trophy. We want to help you win, no matter what you do in the game. 

NFL Agent Basics Zooms 2024: A Few More Points

25 Wednesday Sep 2024

Posted by in Agents, combine prep, Getting started

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As I write this, we have just one more session left (tonight, 8 p.m. ET) in our NFL Agent Basics series of Zooms for members of the 2024 class. So far, though I was hoping each session would be about an hour long, we’ve provided five hours of content over three Zooms (two last week, one this week). 

Tuesday of last week, we focused on all things money and finances. Wednesday, it was recruiting and finding your first client. Last night was all about combine prep and deciding on the best way to train your client(s). Tonight, we’ll discuss scouting and how to build a network. 

Since our session last night on combine prep, there are a few things I wish I’d emphasized more. Rather than call everyone back for more (we went 100+ minutes last night), I thought it better to just put them in today’s blog.

Here goes:

  • Recognize that your training relationships will be some of the most important ones you build in the industry, so find reputable trainers and trust them (or at least give them the benefit of the doubt). If you feel you are getting a raw deal, try not to burn a bridge. The football world is a very small one and you don’t want a reputation for volatility. Not sure if your trainer is reputable? Let’s talk.
  • Look at your relationship with a trainer as collaborative more so than service provider/customer. This is why it’s very important to build a good rapport so there are no surprises at the NFL Combine or pro day. You want your client’s trainer to be comfortable sharing bad news.
  • Don’t put anything in a training rider that you aren’t willing to enforce.
  • Your client may not be comfortable in the first training facility he chooses, and might want to transfer. If this is the case, explain what restrictions, if any, you place on his next training choice, and how quickly he must come to this decision.
  • Understand that the player usually comes to see his trainer as his advocate, and often will choose the trainer over you. It’s not fair, but it’s true. 
  • Sometimes, players get hurt when training. Work out all the issues beforehand on insurance policies, who pays in the instance of injury, etc. I promise you won’t be sorry later if you do this.
  • There are times when players don’t take good care of where they stay. Find a way to diplomatically set expectations on how your client leaves his residence post-training, as well as how he maintains it during training. If he breaks something, or trashes the place, do you pick up the tab? 
  • If you choose to rent a car for your client (and we discussed several things we recommend as alternatives), make sure to opt into the insurance plan.
  • There is always a lot of shock when we discuss the cost and value of combine prep, and this is the area where every new agent thinks he’s gonna save money. OK, but understand that, generally speaking, you get what you pay for when it comes to combine prep. Don’t believe me? Check this out. 

Want more? All of our sessions so far have been recorded, as will tonight’s session. All four are available for $350, and it’s not too late to join us tonight as former Falcons and Titans scout Rodrik David joins me as we break down all you need to know about the NFL scouting industry at 8 p.m. ET. I hope you can join us. 

2024 All-Star Season: Three Fun Facts (Plus Other Stuff)

15 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by in Agents, combine prep, NFL draft

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January is just around the corner, and if you work in the football industry, you know that means all-star games are almost here. This year looks a little different from the last. Here are three reasons why.

The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl is no more. For the second time since 2012 (the game was paused due to Covid in 2021), when the NFLPA launched its all-star game, there will only be five contests that scouts can attend to evaluate and gauge the talent of draft-eligible players. After a little more than a decade, the NFL Players Association decided the cost and trouble of running a game was no longer worth the effort. It’s a disappointment for scouts, agents and players who used the game to spark interest in hundreds of players over the last 11 years. 

The East-West Shrine Bowl has moved east. In the last 20 years, the Shrine Bowl has been played in San Francisco, San Antonio, Houston, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Las Vegas and, now, Dallas (Frisco, Texas, to be exact). To me, it’s a great location for the game. The Lone Star State really embraces football. Nothing against Las Vegas, but the city and its activity level was just too big for the Shrine Bowl. No one seemed to be excited about it. I think we’ll have renewed enthusiasm at The Star.

The CGS is going to be a lot shorter. In the past, the College Gridiron Showcase had platforms for players from previous draft classes, kickers and specialists, and small-schoolers, in addition to the usual workouts with bigger-school prospects. The NFL more or less forced CGS co-founders Jose Jefferson and Craig Redd to scrap most of that, and what remains is a highly stripped-down and shorter showcase. Players arrive Friday, compete Saturday and Sunday morning, then head home. 

By the way, if you’re reading this, you’re probably interested in the NFL scouting industry. If you are, I encourage you to check out the new podcast I co-host with my friend (and former NFL scout) Rodrik David. It’s called Scouting the League, and Rodrik and I go deep discussing how player evaluation, NIL, player representation and other facets of the football industry intersect. If you want to hear analysis of NFL front offices and how people who work in the business think, I think you’ll enjoy it. We’ve also discussed some off-the-radar draft prospects (even looking at a few prospects in the 2025 draft) and plenty of topics you’ll find interesting if you’re the kind of junkie who can’t get enough of the game. 

Here’s the link for last week’s episode, our third. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us (DM at @insidetheleague) if there are topics you’d like us to explore. We’re just two guys talking football at a very deep level, and I hope you enjoy it was much as we do producing it.

We’ll also discuss our podcast in this week’s edition of the Friday Wrap. If you haven’t already, you can register for it here.

 

 

New Agent Zoom VII: Our Questions for Mike Delle Donne

20 Monday Nov 2023

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

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Seems crazy that tomorrow night will be our seventh Zoom session aimed at helping inform the 2023 NFL Agent Class. We’ve covered so much so far, but we’re far from done.

The next two sessions, including tomorrow’s, are focused on helping rookie contract advisors ascend to the next level. One way to do that is by joining an established firm, which gives you clout and validation that is hard to find in Year 1 (or Year 2, for that matter). 

Our guest will be Mike Delle Donne of UA Sports. Mike is smart and capable, naturally, but he’s also been very good about building bridges and helping agencies understand the value he brings, which is one reason he’s been certified just over two years and has already served with two good firms. It doesn’t hurt that he already represents the kicker for an NFL team, New Orleans’ Blake Grupe, who signed as a UDFA out of Notre Dame last spring.

Here’s a list of the questions we’ll have for Mike.

  • How did you approach getting certified? What was your background?
  • Were you ever independent? What challenges did you face as an independent agent at first?
  • Is it intimidating to work for a firm that’s already established and already has NFL clients? 
  • How did you come to be associated with Roche Sports Representation? How did it help you in Year 1?
  • Would you consider yourself a person who networks well with agents? Is that a goal of yours? If so, has it been beneficial?
  • Why did you ultimately decide to move to UA Sports? How has it been beneficial? 
  • Did you bring clients with you to UA Sports? How was that handled?
  • Do you anticipate staying with UA Sports long-term? Would you ever be independent again? 
  • Tell us about recruiting and signing PK Blake Grupe. Did you expect him to be one of the 32 NFL kickers in his rookie year?
  • What’s the hardest part of being an agent? The best part?

Our special training guest Monday will be Jordan Luallen of X3 Performance and Physical Therapy. The results Jordan has gotten for players who didn’t get invited to the combine has been phenomenal. Few trainers have been able to move undrafted free agent prospects into draft range better than Jordan. He’ll introduce himself and talk a little bit about his service. He’ll be the fourth trainer to have joined us on Zoom, with more to go. 

I hope you can join us. Sign up here for ITL and we’ll send out the Zoom link Monday afternoon.

Our Fourth New Agent Zoom Session: A Preview

01 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Agents, combine prep, Getting started

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Tonight at 8 p.m. ET, we’ll have our fourth Zoom session for new agents. This session will cover all facets of combine prep for draft prospects. We’ll answer several questions related to training. Here are a few of them, with our answers.

Is combine prep pretty one-size-fits-all? Yes and no. The basics are that you’re looking at eight weeks of training, typically, with an emphasis on explosiveness — the 40, obviously, but also the 3-cone, short shuttle, the jumps, etc. The importance and weight (no pun intended) of the bench press varies by position. Depending on the size and reputation of the trainer, there could be 30-40 players of similar draft station as your client training alongside him.

How much influence do you have over your client’s combine training? That kinda depends on the draft caliber of your client. I’ve heard stories of fringe draft prospects reaching out to agents, hoping to sign with them, and they tell the prospective contract advisor that they’ve “already got their combine training picked out.” Obviously, it’s not that simple. The bigger, more popular trainers have aggressive social media presences and do a good job of selling their services and, of course, touting the big names they’ve trained previously. These trainers are very enticing, but their pricing can exceed the costs you want to assume for a late-round pick. 

Does geographical location really matter? It may matter to your client. Increasingly, the top combine prep facilities are in the Sun Belt. Training doesn’t take place 24 hours per day, and most players will want to go somewhere they can enjoy their off time. You don’t want to be insensitive to that, but at the same time, it’s not your responsibility to cater to those kinds of needs. It may take a little finesse to figure out what situation fits your client and your budget. 

Here are a few other questions we’ll address:

  • Who expects training?
  • What is the cost of training?
  • How do training costs compare with lodging and food?
  • What is pro day training vs. combine prep?
  • Do players repay training? Is there a way to recover training payments?
  • Do players at all positions get same kind of training? Does it all cost the same?
  • What if I don’t have a training budget?
  • How do I protect my training expenses in case of my client terminating me? 

We’ll also be joined by my friend, Kevin Dunn, of TEST Football Academy. Kevin has trained players of every stripe, from first-rounder to free agent (including Steelers QB Kenny Pickett), and has facilities in New Jersey and Florida. He’ll discuss what TEST offers, what they recommend for players on the draft bubble, general pricing, etc. He’s the second trainer who’s appeared on our Zoom series, and he won’t be the last. I think it’s critical to hear from subject matter experts, and Kevin definitely qualifies.

If you’re someone who has your own questions about combine prep, we’d love for you to join us. All you have to do is join ITL, which you can do here. We’ll send out the Zoom link later this afternoon. It’s going to be a fun and informative evening. I hope to see you there.