Category Archives: ITL

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. 

NFLPA Exam 2024: How Should You Study?

03 Wednesday Jul 2024

Posted by in Agent Exam, Agents, Getting started, ITL

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We’re less than a month away from the 2024 NFL Agent Exam. That means, for such a challenging exam, it’s crunch time. People who wait until a week before the test do themselves a disservice. That’s probably common sense. At the same time, how much studying is enough?

To find out, I asked several of my clients who used our exam prep services and/or who worked with us in Year 1 of their agent careers. This was the question: “How long did you prepare for the exam, and what did you take into the exam with you?” One of those people was LaVaughn Kelley of Divine Sports & Entertainment. LaVaughn was one of the select few rookie agents who actually got a player on a 90-man roster this summer (Washington IB Ralen Goforth, who signed a UDFA deal with the Packers).

Here’s what LaVaugnhn said.

“For me, I thought the earlier I began to study, the better off I would be. And to be honest, that was a complete wrong approach.

“You have to be fully engaged when preparing for this test. And I mean daily review and daily test preps in order to be fully prepared. This would be my new way of life, so I wanted my test prep to become my lifestyle.

“A huge help was being able to locate the articles of the CBA that applied to the test questions. Some charts you could commit to memory, but as long as you can locate them, it made things so much easier. Also most questions are for comprehension, so you have to understand what’s being asked, and then what knowledge from the CBA to apply in order to get the final answer.

“Though I was trying to study as early as possible, the most impactful time for my study prep really began about 60 days from the actual test. And I was able to have a study partner that I could call up, and we would meet at least twice a week, but we would review our notes daily by ourselves.

“When it came time for the test, all I had was all ITL test prep questions, the CBA and my notes. ITL test prep was the most useful resource for me because all of their test questions were much harder, which forced me to truly know the CBA concepts and what it took to be a certified NFLPA contract advisor.”

Here are some other responses.

Wyatt Mumfrey, Higher Calling Sports: “I probably spent six weeks preparing for the exam. The first three weeks were just a few hours here and there, including the ITL Zooms with (Chicago-based agent) Ian (Greengross). Those were super helpful. The three weeks before the exam were a little more intense, with at least an hour a day. I took off work for during the NFLPA seminars and studied hard those last few days leading up to the exam. On the day of the exam, I brought in my ITL exam guide, the materials the NFLPA sent us (excluding the CBA), and one-off pages from the CBA that had specific numbers on it (i.e. max fine amounts, post-season pay, per diem, etc).”

Demarius McRae, McRae Sports Group: “I began casually reviewing the CBA about eight weeks out from the exam date. As the test date approached, I began to focus more on the exam. Two weeks prior to test date, I began organizing my material and studying several hours a day. I reviewed information received from my exam prep course and the sections of the CBA that would appear of the exam. The NFLPA provided a review the week prior to the exam. I encourage you to take great notes and pay close attention to what is shared. This review was significant, and provided specific details about the exam questions. I also reorganized my binder following the review course and narrowed down the content in my binder. The time will fly by (during the exam), so know where to find things in your binder(s). I labeled every section in my binder so I could find information as quickly as possible. On the day of the exam, I took one WELL-ORGANIZED binder to reference during the exam.”

Michael Harris, Top Five Sports: “I didn’t want to take anything for granted, considering there is only one opportunity each year to take the exam. I began studying in mid-May. I initially used down time on flights and in the evenings to read the CBA in full prior to taking any notes. With an additional 15 documents or so to get familiar with as well, I wanted to get through the CBA in full so my mind could perceive any duplicate material as a high priority for the exam. My next step was to scour YouTube and Google for any supplemental articles and videos I could find where there were specific examples on any topics. Finally, I took advantage of the test prep seminar provided by the NFLPA. The examples used were certainly items to look out for on the exam. On test day, I brought the CBA and all the supplemental documents with highlighted areas on those documents. I also had a list of important dates and page references to salary, fines, and other quick-reference items. I wasn’t aware of ITL before the exam, but it has been a huge resource since joining the program. I would highly recommend using ITL for your test prep!”

Need even more thoughts on what we offer in test prep? Make sure you’re registered for the Friday Wrap. Do that here.

In Your 30s and Not Making Progress? Here’s What I Did

07 Friday Jun 2024

Posted by in Agent Exam, Getting started, ITL

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Last week, I wrote a post about when to “say when” as you pursue your place in the football world. It seemed to strike a chord, especially resonating with the 30-plus crowd, so this week, I thought I’d expand on it a bit, especially as it comes to the last point I made about being entrepreneurial.

You absolutely should be willing to start your own thing. It’s honestly not a lot different from pursuing a job in the NFL, or working atop a P5 football office, or anything else like that. It doesn’t take a genius; I’ve proven you can support a family, live semi-comfortably and follow your passion by going your own way without having any extraordinary gifts. Still, there are a few things I want to share based on my own journey.

  • When I launched ITL in 2002, it was only after a mountain of market research and lots of positive feedback. Because of that, I was dumb enough to think our launch on Labor Day Weekend would be so big it would crash our servers. Instead, on Day 1, we got two subscribers. On Day 2, one of them wanted his money back. 
  • Our initial subscription price was $250 for a nine-month subscriber cycle (we planned on taking the summer off). After our humiliating start, the week of our launch, I dropped the price to $45 (I announced it as a “sale”). We didn’t get to 20 subscribers until maybe December, even at that price point.
  • For the first five years, we grossed about $5,000 a year. Keep in mind that I was hoping this would be my new profession by that time. Basically, I had a small side hustle instead of a new career, and I had no Plan B, professionally speaking. 
  • Keep in mind that my “day job” at the Houston Chronicle was making me about $42,000 per year. At this point, I had a wife and two kids. 
  • Things went so poorly that in 2007, when I got hired to run the Hula Bowl, I was elated, mostly because I could shutter ITL and move on with my life with some measure of honor. 
  • When the Hula Bowl went on hiatus in January 2008, shortly after the game, the main reason I relaunched ITL is because I didn’t have any other options. 

So that’s the bad new. But there are also rewards.

  • When I got laid off in 2009 by the Chronicle (I had gone back in 2008 to basically be a secretary), it was sink-or-swim time. At that point, my wife had “retired” from teaching to raise our boys. I suddenly had incredible focus. 
  • The “new” ITL was $25/mo., which enraged a lot of people when I announced at the 2009 NFL Combine that we’d relaunch in the fall. I mean, I was mocked endlessly. But by around late November, most of my old subscribers had returned at the new rate. It was then that I realized I might have something. 
  • We introduced the first elements of our exam prep program shortly after this. In a few years, we’d turned July — at one time a month I hoped my family could just pay its bills — into our most lucrative month. It still is, due to our study guide, practice exams and video series. 
  • Today, I’m not rich or famous, but I’ve built a network of friends and associates that  “get me,” and that I get, as well. My family lives a good life and I have no complaints. I was born to do what I do now.

I don’t think all this happens without a decent idea, an ability to adapt, a will to survive, and God’s grace. In my case, it certainly didn’t happen overnight, but I started it at 33. Youngish, but not a baby by any means. Today, maybe you’re right were I was in 2002. If so, I hope you’re able to achieve the same measure of success. 

 

2024 NFL Combine Week: A Few Highlights

01 Friday Mar 2024

Posted by in ITL, Media, NFL draft, NIL, Scouts

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The NFL Combine is a major event for the entire football community and represents probably the biggest week of the year for us at ITL. Here are a few highlights and observations from the week.

  • There were so many highlights of our 15th annual event (the 2024 USI Insurance Services ITL Combine Seminar Presented by The Tatnuck Group) at the Indiana Convention Center, but two stick out to me. One was very selfish: Lions GM Brad Holmes, who accepted the Best Draft Award for Detroit, cited Inside the League for its commitment to the scouting industry, especially crediting the Friday Wrap for its focus on the community. That was really, really humbling, and unexpected.
  • Also humbling was the reaction of Broncos Senior Midwest Scout Scott DiStefano, who accepted the C.O. Brocato Memorial Award for lifetime service in NFL scouting. Scott had to pause to gather himself a couple time during his remarks. It’s awesome to recognize people in front of their peers. Equally awesome: Broncos GM George Paton and virtually the entire Broncos scouting staff showed up to cheer Scott on.
  • Another highlight was spending a little time with the co-winners of the Pro Liaison of the Year Award, N.C. State’s D.D. Hoggard and Illinois’ Jay Kaiser. Both of them are humble men who are deserving of their acclaim. D.D. flew in on his own dime to accept the award in person, which was a “wow” moment for me when he could easily have appeared via video. 
  • By the way, my partner in the presentation of the Eugene E. Parker Award for service to the agent industry, Peter Schaffer of Authentic Athletix, announced that he’s creating an online hall of fame for player representation Wednesday night. At this time, it’s not a brick-and-mortar place, but will live online. I will contribute to Peter’s efforts, and we’ve already got our first member chosen (to go along with the previous four winners of the award). We’ll have further communications about it soon. It’s a great idea and I’m pretty excited about it.
  • Also of interest: our award winners are starting to get social media graphics made about them. Check out this one that Duke University made for David Feeley, who won the Strength Coach of the Year Award as voted on by active NFL scouts. 
  • We also had our second annual NIL-oriented event Thursday. It was a pretty fast 90 minutes with guest speaker Oscar Monnier, who ran the transfer portal at Northwestern, Stanford, Oregon, Duke and Texas A&M. He spoke for an hour about his experiences and recommendations for exploiting this new part of the industry. We had about 80 guests, most of them from top NFL agencies and interested in learning how to get the most out of the portal process. What impressed me the most, however, is how 10-12 people lined up to talk to Oscar after his session, and none of them had questions about what he discussed. They all wanted to explore working with him. Oscar arrived to town a free agent, but there’s a good chance he won’t leave as one. I think the transfer portal is a space that has not been recognized for its potential in player representation, but I think it’s getting there. 
  • One scout I spoke to went on and on about how impressive Ohio State WO Marvin Harrison Jr. was in interviews. His comments came as part of a discussion on how so many players are coached by their agents in interviews. It’s unknown if Harrison has undergone interview prep, but it sounds like his natural personality made it pretty academic if he did. 

For a complete rundown of all the winners and more highlights from the week, make sure to check out the Friday Wrap, which comes out this evening. Register for it here. 

 

 

New Agent Zoom IX: The Highlights

08 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by in Agents, Getting started, ITL, NFL draft

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As we move closer to the end of the year, we’re getting close to wrapping up our series for 2023, so we have a lot to get in.

Wednesday night, we had three speakers, including John Karaffa of ProSport CPA, Michael Quartey of the FCS Bowl and Tropical Bowl, and Greg Linton of HOF Player Representatives. Each of them brought something different to our hour-plus Zoom session. Here are a few highlights.

John Karaffa: John’s company, ProSport CPA, doesn’t dabble in athletics; John and his staff solely work with professional athletes in all sports, with a major emphasis in football. Tax preparation is no picnic for most people, but for athletes, it’s a major chore, given their ancillary incomes from marketing opportunities, as well as the fact they have to pay taxes in every state a game is played. When you figure in the NIL money that today’s college player is making, it’s just smart to have a tax expert around. That’s why I wanted John to introduce himself. He’s a key resource for players, especially rookies. 

Michael Quartey: The NFL has thrown its share of hurdles at college all-star games this year, and the biggest impact of their new rules has fallen on the College Gridiron Showcase and Tropical Bowl. That’s why I wanted to bring on Michael, the founder of “the Trop,” to discuss the game, its changes since last year, and the fact that players must fund their own travel and hotel costs. I also made it clear that Michael’s game is a legitimate opportunity for players and embraced by NFL teams. There’s so much contradicting information from all quarters and it’s easy to get confused. I think Michael was able to clear a lot of that confusion up. 

Greg Linton: This is the third straight year I’ve brought “Tripp” in because he’s so candid. A few of his points: 

  • Stay away from wide receivers; try to sign offensive and defensive linemen.
  • Walk away from a player who is getting a crazy training package from a competitor; know what the player is worth and stick to your guns.
  • Don’t sell an unworthy player to a scout or you risk losing all credibility forever.
  • If a player rejects you for more money form a competitor, then tries to return when things don’t work out, don’t sign him. He’ll always be looking for a better deal.

He had plenty more to say, and as always, he was a huge hit with all the first-year contract advisors on the Zoom.

We’re nearing the end of our Zoom series for a while — we always take January off, then resume in February — but we’ve still got at least one session left before we take a break for Christmas. It’s not too late to join us. All you have to do is sign up for ITL. It’s easy to be an agent in October and November, but the big decisions take place in December. We’d love to work with you.

 

 

 

My Story, and How It Might Benefit You

10 Thursday Aug 2023

Posted by in Getting started, ITL

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Later today, I will join my friend Billy Yancey on his podcast, Billy and the GOAT. Billy and I played together at Navy — well, I should say, he played and I sat — but we’ve stayed in touch over the years, and I was honored that he would ask me to join him as a guest on his show. 

I must admit that the closer it got to taping, the more nervous I got. What would I say? What points did I have to make? Here’s what I came up with as the key factors in  my journey so far.

Put God first: In a time when nothing is lasting and everything is relative, you must have guardrails. To me, if you don’t have God in your life, you will struggle to determine true north. Even as I write this at 54, I have a long way to go before I am the Christian I want and need to be. However, I won’t stop striving to be that person. Having a personal relationship with Christ keeps me on that path.

Take a different path: Speaking of paths, it’s crucial to go in a unique and original way. It’s not because you want to be self-aggrandizing or “me”-centered, but because you will have a whole lot less competition that way. For example, if I had chosen to try to become an NFL agent, I would have been contending with a lot of people who are much smarter, greater-resourced, more connected, and overall just better than I am. If I’ve ever been smart about anything, it’s that I was smart enough to take a road less traveled. Even today, what we do at ITL is a pretty vast departure from almost anything else out there. That means my audience is smaller, but it also gives me a measure of security.

Surround yourself with people invested in you: Sometimes those people will tell you to press on. Sometimes they will tell you hard truths. Either way, if you know these people have your best interests at heart, you can trust their counsel. There are so many people like that who’ve been part of my life. Wherever it is I am, and whatever it is I’ve achieved, neither would be possible without these people. I’m a pretty big advocate of marriage, and my wife, Polly, has been the pivotal person in my life, professionally and personally, but it’s more than just your spouse. There are so many people I’ve encountered along the way who have pushed me, encouraged me, or both. You have to have these people.

Be genuine: When I was a younger man, and thought of myself as destined for greatness on a wide scale, I never thought about the relationships along the way. In my hubris, I thought that taking time to listen to others, hear their stories and try to meet them where they are would be left to others. As God has helped me better understand my purpose (and taken me down a few notches), I’ve tried to be a servant of my clients. I don’t think that happens if you don’t take time to listen to them, learn about them, and truly care about how you can meet their needs. That may not be the road to success for others, but it’s the only way I know how to do what I do now.  

I’ll have stories and examples to illustrate these points in the podcast. Not sure yet when Billy will post it, but I’ll be sure to tweet it when he does. I’ll also include it in the Friday Wrap. You can register for the Wrap here. 

Five Tips on Passing the ’23 NFL Agent Exam from Last Year’s Test-Takers

14 Friday Jul 2023

Posted by in Agents, Getting started, ITL

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We’re currently 11 days away from the 2023 NFL Agent Exam. If you’re taking the test, that should give you pause (and perhaps scare you to death). But it doesn’t have to be that way. Though the exam is not at all easy, you can pass it if you approach it the right way.

This week, I reached out to several of the contract advisors we worked with during the 2022 exam prep phase. Not only did all of them pass the exam last summer, but they also were among the rare rookie agents who landed players on NFL rosters in their first year in the business (one even had a player drafted).

Here’s what they told me about how they pulled off passing the test.

  • Organize your notes: This was probably the most popular advice of all. It’s not just making sure you have a copy of the CBA printed out and neatly tucked into a binder. It’s much more than that. “I had three binders plus my outline on test day,” said David Gregory, the only independent first-year agent to have a player drafted this spring. “(I had) a binder for CBA with all charts that I knew I would use frequently placed up front; a binder for the drug and performance-enhancing substance policies, and a binder for all side documents and other policies.” Said EJ Gonzalez of Grady Sports: “I set up my notes on my desk the day before (the exam) in a way that I knew where everything was, then reviewed where everything was the morning of and again before I took it.” “I had page numbers of where to find certain topics next to each section within my notes,” said Samantha Blitzer of Goal Line Football. “That way, if I had to refer to the CBA, I wasn’t scrambling to find it.”
  • Pay attention at the NFLPA seminar: You can glean a lot of what will actually be tested from the three days of classes provided pre-exam. “They aren’t speaking for their health,” Gonzalez said. “They are telling you what’s on it. I took 10-12 pages (front and back) of notes during the seminar and I remember a couple answers just being based off seminar notes.” At the same time, it’s important to keep your sense of humor. “The (questions asked in the online) chat functions . . . were hilarious,” said Juan Lozano of Red Envelope Sports. “They gave me a lot of confidence because I knew some people were asking ridiculous questions and they would have no chance passing that test if they were asking those questions a day before the exam.”
  • Give yourself plenty of time: Obviously, there’s no way to turn back the clock, but hopefully you didn’t begin preparations this week. “I started studying in January, so I gave myself plenty of time to get to know the material,” said Alex Broers of Vantage Management Group.
  • Pace yourself/don’t rush: Making sure you don’t spend too much time early in the exam, forcing you to rush late, was a recurring theme. “You only have three minutes per question, so you don’t have a lot of time,” Broers said. Added Gregory,  “I made sure I was done with 20 questions by the end of Hour 1 and 40 questions by the end of Hour 2, etc. If you’re not sure, just answer the question and come back to it at the end. if you have time.”
  • Read the questions carefully: “They will throw fluff in there that has nothing to do with the answer,” Blitzer said. “On the test, they definitely try to trick you with how they word questions rather than which topic the question is referring to. There will be one or two words that will completely change the scenario, so keep an eye out for that.”

If you found these tips helpful, we’ve got more. In this evening’s Friday Wrap, we’ll have five more, straight from the people who were successful in passing the exam last summer. You don’t want to miss them, and you won’t as long as you register for the Wrap, which you can do here.

When Should You Start Studying for the NFL Agent Exam?

09 Friday Jun 2023

Posted by in Agents, Getting started, ITL

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This week, I got this same question from two different aspiring NFL agents. I’ve included one of them verbatim (or mostly verbatim):

“I’m . . . interested in figuring out when I should start reviewing (exam) materials, when I should hop on the zooms, and when I should start doing the deep dive? Is it too early to start looking at things now for the sake of at least getting a general understanding? Let me know your thoughts.”

My response is different from the one I used to give.

With the exam less than two months away, we’re starting to get our usual surge of study guide, video and practice exam purchases. I think that used to be the right amount of time. Not long ago, if you studied hard for two months, you were pretty much golden. It wasn’t long ago that the passing rate for the exam was, well, pretty reasonable. However, starting in 2015, the pass rate got a lot harder.

I remember the responses from people who had barely failed a pretty passable exam in 2014, then came back excited and optimistic in 2015, only to find a test that was appreciably harder. I felt terrible for the ones who came up short that year, earning themselves a five-year waiting period until they could try again. Most never did. However, since 2015, the NFLPA has doubled down. I tell test-takers these days that there’s about a 25-percent chance of passing for first-timers, and maybe 50-50 on the second try. That’s not based on hard numbers, but I think it’s pretty accurate.

As a result of this, when people approach me about taking the exam next year, I tell them it’s not a bad idea to get started now. I recommend they pick up the study guide and start getting familiar with the terms. Maybe they order the videos if they are more visual learners. Bottom line, if you think you can just wait until a few weeks before the exam to get started, like it’s an algebra test, you’re sorely mistaken.

I mean, it’s possible to pass in less time, but you’re looking at a major investment of time and money. It just makes no sense to take that kind of risk, especially when the amount of money you’re spending is absolute peanuts in the face of the costs associated with representing players in the modern era. 

If you’re reading this, and you’re taking the exam in the summer of 2024, get started on the CBA now. You’ll thank me later. If you’re taking it in 46 days, start now. NOW. You cannot procrastinate and expect to pass an exam that 75 percent of test-takers (all of them with a secondary degree, most of them attorneys) routinely fail.

For a full rundown of everything we offer, including topics of all our videos and costs of all our services, sign up for the Friday Wrap. You can register here.

 

2023 All-Star Season: Notes from Week 1

13 Friday Jan 2023

Posted by in Agents, ITL, Scouts

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Week One of all-star play for the 2023 draft class is in the books with the College Gridiron Showcase wrapped and the Hula Bowl set for this weekend. Here are a few things of note that have happened, or that I’ve heard, so far.

  • You like long arms on offensive linemen? Then you’ll love South Florida OT Demontrey Jacobs, who turned in 37-inch arms as a member of the CGS Desperadoes roster this week. That’s a full inch-and-a-half longer than any other player in Fort Worth. Special notice also goes to East Carolina WO Isaiah Winstead, who had 33.25-inch arms as a pass-catcher. That’s longer arms than six of the Wranglers offensive linemen. Meanwhile, Illinois St. DT Jason Lewan had the biggest hands at 11.5 inches. The only other player in Fort Worth with an 11-inch hand span was Jacobs

    Legendary IFL coach (and would-be train wreck veteran) Les Moss and me, the idiot who managed to get hit by a locomotive in ’85.

    (11 inches exactly).
  • One of the fun things about all-star season is seeing old friends, but this year was special for me as I got to shake hands with the reigning Indoor Football League Coach of the Year, Les Moss of the IFL’s Northern Arizona Wranglers. Les is more than just a legendary coach in the indoor game, but he was also in the car behind me when, in 1985, my car (a tiny MGB) was hit by a fast-moving coal train in Poca, W.Va. One day I’ll tell the story of that day in this space.
  • I also want to say what a pleasure it was working with the member of the 2023 CGSU class. Mike Rittelman and I had the honor of leading 16 aspiring NFL scouts who came to Fort Worth and worked extremely hard over a three-day period. The 16 were Brandon Ashe, Mark Austad, Garrett Ballard, Mike Bey, Davarus Branigan, Gus Christensen, Daniel Docal, John Grout, Dondrell Harris, Michael Joiner, Jordan Kalfon, Joe Luke, Brandon Morris, David Senko, Cardell Rawlings and Brandon Tamres. This group was very tight-knit and worked as a team, just as a football group should. Look for them in NFL front offices some day.
  • I also want to thank all the scouts who spoke to our CGSU class, sharing their experiences and providing tips on how to break into the game. Among scouts who spoke to our group were Dom Green (Jets), Eloy Ledesma (Lions), Tom McConnaughey (Jaguars), Bob Morris (USFL’s Gamblers) and Rodrik David (formerly of the Falcons). All of them were very giving of their time and did so without any compensation.
  • Kudos also go out to the 13 players who arrived in Fort Worth as part of the Small School Showcase (the Marshals) and fought their way onto the Desperadoes roster after impressing scouts. They were Lincoln DE Arnold Mbembe, Westminster OB Brayden Thimons, La.-Monroe DT Caleb Thomas, Arkansas Tech OH Devontae Dean, Texas A&M-Commerce OB Demetrius Walker, Texas A&M-Commerce DE Celestin Haba, Nevada DE Phillip Huff, Sam Houston St. OT Jordan Boatman, Delta St. OT Nicolas Melsop, SE Oklahoma St. DC Ja’Lon Freeman, Utah Tech FS Darrius Nash, Sam Houston St. WO Cody Chrest and Carson-Newman WO Braxton Westfield.
  • I also learned of a new Panthers scouting intern Kaleb Leach, who earned his way to Carolina by developing an overseas scouting service called Europe’s Elite. All week, we preached to the CGSU class that sometimes the road to fulfilling your passion is one that’s less traveled. Going your own way after identifying an underserved market is a great way to succeed in football.

We’ll discuss what’s ahead during the all-star phase of the pre-draft period in today’s Friday Wrap. Register for it here.

2021 ITL Seminar: Three Reasons You Should Join Us

19 Friday Feb 2021

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The 12th annual ITL Seminar will be held Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 8 p.m. ET. This year, as you know, there’s no NFL Combine, so we’re going online. I hope you can join us! Here are three reasons you should tune in.

This is your chance to hear from football business leaders: There was a time when we brought in people from around the industry to talk about the football business. Among our list of previous speakers includes former Bears GM Phil Emery and former Browns GM Ray Farmer; we’ve also had panels with ex-scouts; analytics seminars; and we were even honored to host the contract advisor conference led by Peter Schaffer of Authentic Athletix in 2019. This year, I’ll give closing remarks based on pay and hiring practices based on what I’m seeing this year. So many people want to get into scouting; my goal is to give them tips and a look at where the industry is headed.

If you want to work in the business, you need to know what’s going on: We’ve had people like Saints AGM Jeff Ireland, Colts GM Chris Ballard and 49ers GM John Lynch on hand to accept awards the last three years, along with Bears scout Jeff Shiver and Arizona State Director of Athletics Ray Anderson, just to name a few. People are always asking me how they can separate themselves from the pack when they are job-seeking. Well, one way is to celebrate with the people who are being honored. If you attended our seminars the last three years — or really, the last 11 years — you had multiple opportunities to meet and congratulate the leaders in the game. Sending an executive a congratulatory text, email or tweet when their team wins a game is easy. Lauding him when he wins an industry award provides far more resonance.

We’ll have you out in an hour: Normally, when we’re in person, the goal is to keep everyone no more than an hour and a half. Of course, during a normal year, we also offer an open bar and plenty of chances to network, so people are more eager to hang around. With none of those attractions this year, we’re going to make it short and sweet. The idea is to bring you an hour of education and information, then let you get back to your life. 

We’ll be talking more about our program, and about the industry in general, in today’s Friday Wrap, that comes out this evening. You can register for it here.

I hope you can join us next week. As with everything since the virus changed our lives, this year’s seminar will be a little different. Still, I”m hoping we can preserve the spirit of things and honor some of the unsung heroes of the industry. See you Wednesday.