Category Archives: NFL draft

Sixteen Reasons Why ‘Value Picks’ Needs to Be on Your Reading List

10 Thursday Apr 2025

Posted by in ITL, NFL draft, Scouts

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This week, we’re launching my latest book, Value Picks: The Drama, Decisions and Details Behind Eight Selections in the 2016 NFL Draft.” It’s available in paperback, on Kindle, and on Audible here.

It’s a fun read, if I do say so myself. My original idea was to write a book about Ole Miss’ Laremy Tunsil and the Video Seen ‘Round the World, but as I dug into things, there were so many interesting stories that I had to expand my focus. There’s still plenty about Tunsil in there, but so much more, as well.

I thought I’d pick out 16 reasons why it’s worth putting on your bookshelf. Here goes.

  • Learn about the battle between North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz and Cal’s Jared Goff, and why the Rams ultimately chose Goff.
  • Find out how many teams truly saw both of them as first-rounders, and why (or why not).
  • Read scouts’ memories of what happened when the Tunsil video was played before the draft started.
  • Review which teams nearly rolled the dice on Tunsil before Miami finally took him at 13.
  • Learn why so many wide receivers were drafted before Ohio State’s Michael Thomas (and how they fared).
  • Discover which former NFL GM helped Cowboys owner Jerry Jones decide that Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott would be the pick at 4.
  • Break down the list of concerns teams had about Alabama’s Derrick Henry, and why Tennessee finally pulled his card despite having just traded for an every-down back.
  • Learn about the player comp that prompted Louisville’s Sheldon Rankins to go ahead of other defensive tackles like UCLA’s Kenny Clark, Mississippi State’s Chris Jones and South Carolina State’s Javon Hargrove.
  • Examine the Chiefs’ painstaking draft process that led them to choosing West Alabama’s Tyreek Hill despite his off-field issues, small-school pedigree and limited development while in college.
  • Find out which Bears scouting executive (and future NFL GM) was especially high on Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott.
  • Sort through the various quarterbacks the Cowboys tried to pick before “dumbing into” Prescott.
  • Follow the account of the devastating hit that might have secured West Virginia’s Karl Joseph as a first-round pick.
  • Laugh as you hear which Vikings pick gave the team fits for refusing to practice in socks.
  • Read what Minnesota scouts really thought about sixth-rounder Moritz Bohringer, the German who was the first-ever player drafted without playing college football.
  • Catch up on the account of Jakeem Grant’s sub-4.2 40 at Texas Tech’s pro day (and why his friends and family weren’t overly concerned when he was violently ill shortly afterwards).
  • Consider the disconnect among Browns staffers as team ownership pushed to make analytics a major part of the team’s decision-making.

This is my first book since Scout Speak came out in 2020, and if you enjoyed that one, you’ll love this one. I only write books that I would want to read myself, and this is one I’d order the first day it came out. Give it a shot. I think you’ll find it informative and entertaining.

Looking for Comps in the 2025 NFL Draft? Look Back 10 Years

04 Friday Apr 2025

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So I’ve been looking pretty hard at the 2016 NFL Draft lately — more on that later — and it’s striking how closely it resembles this year’s draft class, especially on Day 1.

First of all, there were two QBs (Cal’s Jared Goff and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz) who were far and away the top prospects in the draft. Second, pretty much everyone agreed on RB1, Ohio State’s Zeke Elliott. Third, there were five offensive tackles drafted in the first round, with two of them top-10 picks (Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley and Michigan State’s Jack Conklin); most mock drafts have 4-5 tackles going on Day 1 this year. Fourth, there will be 3-4 wide receivers who fit into the back half of the round, as Baylor’s Corey Coleman (1/15), Notre Dame’s Will Fuller (1/21), TCU’s Josh Doctson (1/22) and Ole Miss’ LaQuon Treadwell (1/23) did 10 years ago.

If the “model” holds, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders will be good but not great passers with a lengthy career; Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty will be dominant for 5-6 years before a steady descent; Missouri’s Armand Membou and LSU’s Will Campbell will be steady professionals for a decade; and Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan, Texas’ Matthew Golden, Missouri’s Luther Burden and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka will disappoint.

A few other things to look for if this turns out to be a replay of 2016:

  • There won’t be many quarterbacks drafted. In 2016, there were 72. That’s the second-lowest total in the last 10 years if you throw out the 2021 draft, which was an anomaly due to Covid anyway.
  • One of the down-the-line QBs will threaten Ward and Sanders to be the best in class, just like Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott did (he went 4/135 to Dallas). Could the ninth QB drafted this year — which projects to be someone like Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, Ohio State’s Will Howard, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel or Minnesota’s Max Brosmer — turn out to equal, or even surpass, Ward and/or Sanders?
  • There will be a handful of non-combine invitees who have impressive careers. Middle Tennessee FS Kevin Byard (3/64, Titans), Manitoba’s DT David Onyemata (4/120, Saints), WO Tyreek Hill (5/165, Chiefs) are all still plugging away as they enter 10 years in the league despite getting snubbed in Indianapolis.
  • There will be serious value on the defensive line on Day 3. Entering a decade after the 2016 season, there are four fourth-rounders (the Steelers’ Dean Lowry, Commanders’ Sheldon Day, Bears’ Andrew Billings and Onyemata) and two fifth-rounders (the Bills’ Quinton Jefferson and Lions’ David Reader) who are still on NFL rosters. That’s not common.

Incidentally, there were a lot more interesting facts about 2016 that bear greater consideration. The battle for the top of the draft that pitted Goff and Wentz; the missed opportunity that Alabama’s Derrick Henry and Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott represented to so many teams; receivers like Ohio State’s Michael Thomas, Texas Tech’s Jakeem Grant and Hill who were overlooked for a variety of reasons; and, of course, the unforgettable draft-day story of Ole Miss’ Laremy Tunsil. I’ll be going in-depth on the draft backstories of all eight in my next book, Value Picks: The Drama, Decisions & Details Behind Eight Selections in the 2016 NFL Draft.

It’s coming to Amazon in less than two weeks, and it’s gonna be big, I promise. Keep it on your radar.

A Look Back at How The Pundits Viewed the ’23 and ’24 Drafts

28 Friday Mar 2025

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Wow. We’re a month out from the 2025 NFL Draft already. Around here, that means we do our annual sweep of seven top mock draft services to see who’s rising and falling. It’s an interesting snapshot of the draft class, even if it’s far from scientific and doesn’t actually represent what the teams are thinking.

But how accurate are the pundits one month out? It’s a question we started asking ourselves, and there’s only one way to find out: by reviewing their work. So here’s a look at what the seven services we review (Pro Football Network, PFF, CBS’ Chris Trapasso, The Draft Scout, ESPN, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and Walter Football) said about the last two draft classes.

2023 DRAFT

  • Top five predicted picks: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State; Bryce Young, QB, Alabama; Will Anderson, DE, Alabama; Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida; and Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech.
  • Actual top five picks: Young, Stroud, Anderson, Richardson, then Illinois DC Devon Witherspoon to the Seahawks. Witherspoon’s average draft slot (ADS) was 14.4.
  • Biggest misses: All seven services had Kentucky QB Will Levis going in the first round, with an average draft slot of 7.85. Levis wound up going 2/33 to the Titans. Also, all seven services had Penn State DC Joey Porter Jr. going in the first round (ADS 19.0), but he slid to the first pick of the second round.
  • Other surprises: Texas OH Bijan Robinson went 1/8 to the Falcons despite an ADS of 17.1, though, in fairness, we’ve learned the Falcons often go against the grain. Also, Georgia OB Nolan Smith went 1/30 to the Eagles despite an ADS of 17.5.
  • Kudos: Only Trapasso had Mississippi State DC Emmanuel Forbes going in the first round a month before the draft; he had Forbes at 1/24 (he went 1/16 to the Commanders). Also, only two services (PFF and The Draft Scout’s Matt Miller) had Kansas St. DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah in the first round, and both nailed his draft slot (31). Further hats off to PFF for sticking with the prediction and nailing the pick a week before the draft (Miller had abandoned Anudike-Uzomah as a Day 1 selection by then).

2024 DRAFT

  • Top five predicted picks: USC QB Caleb Williams; LSU QB Jayden Daniels; North Carolina QB Drake Maye; Ohio State WO Marvin Harrison Jr.; and Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.
  • Actual top five picks: Williams, Daniels, Maye, Harrison and Notre Dame OT Joe Alt.
  • Biggest misses: All 22 players predicted to go in Round 1 actually did, so congratulations are in order. On the other hand, not one service, over the course of seven different mocks lasting from June until the week before the draft, ever identified Florida WO Ricky Pearsall (1/31, 49ers) as a first-rounder. Also worth noting: a week before the draft, no one saw South Carolina WO Xavier Legette (1/32, Panthers) as a first-rounder.
  • Other surprises: Things were a little bumpy for Pro Football Network, which was the only service to leave Texas DT Byron Murphy (1/16, Seahawks) off its first-round mock. Similarly, Walter Football was the only site to overlook Duke OT Graham Barton (1/26, Bucs) and CBS’ Trapasso was the only one who snubbed Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton (1/29, Cowboys).
  • Kudos: ESPN’s Matt Miller (12) and Walter Football (13) were the only two services that saw Oregon QB Bo Nix (1/12, Broncos) as a Day 1 pick. Miller’s website, The Draft Scout, stuck with the prediction on Nix a week before the draft and nailed it, as did Walter Football (Trapasso had him at 15 a week before the draft; no other services saw him as a Day 1 selection). Also, only Pro Football Network (13) and Brugler (21) had Washington QB Michael Penix as a first-rounder; he went 1/8 to the Falcons.

We’ll take a look at how everyone did a week out from the draft in a few weeks. Obviously, judging draft services based on such a limited sample size does nothing to really gauge who’s best. But it’s fun, right?

For a look at which players all seven services a month before this spring’s draft, make sure to register for the Friday Wrap, which comes out this evening. Do that here.

Which New GM Has the Best Chances of Success Quickly?

14 Friday Feb 2025

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Your turn to play GM. Given the following, who would you want to be? Mike Borgonzi (Titans), John Spytek (Raiders), Darren Mougey (Jets) or the to-be-named Jacksonville GM? 

TITANS (3-14)

  • Day 1: Tennessee “earned” the top pick.
  • Picks: 8 (a first, a second, two fourths, two fifths, a sixth and a seventh)
  • Head coach: Brian Callahan enters Year 2; it’s hard to judge him, given the hand he’s been dealt.
  • QBs in 2024: Neither Will Levis or Mason Rudolph (who’s a free agent) would be the starter next season in a perfect world.
  • Division: The Texans went two rounds into the playoffs. The Colts barely missed the playoffs, and the Jaguars fired both their head coach and GM. The Texans probably bounce back next season, but the Colts are a question mark unless QB Anthony Richardson takes a big leap forward.

RAIDERS (4-13)

  • Day 1: Las Vegas has the sixth pick.
  • Picks: 10 (a first, a second, two thirds, a fourth, a fifth, three sixths and a seventh)
  • Head coach: Pete Carroll is a youthful 73, and has a history of success.
  • QBs in 2024: None of Gardner Minshew, Desmond Ridder or Aidan O’Donnell were the answer. 
  • Division: Stacked. The Chiefs went to the Super Bowl, and the Chargers (11-6) and Broncos (10-7) both made the playoffs. Plus, all three have QBs who are in their respective primes, or on the rise.

JAGUARS (4-13)

  • Day 1: Jacksonville holds the fifth pick in the draft.
  • Picks: 10 (a first, a second, two thirds, two fourths, a fifth, two sixths and a seventh)
  • Head coach: Liam Coen arrives fresh off his success in Tampa Bay, but the bigger issue is that, with Executive VP of Football Operations Tony Boselli around, the new GM will have to fight to be heard.
  • QB in 2024: Though he finished the season on injured reserve, the team has Trevor Lawrence on an extended deal. He probably hasn’t been the QB everyone thought he would be, but he’s clearly the class of these four teams. 
  • Division: As discussed earlier, the Titans are in turmoil and the Colts are unsettled under center, though the Texans underplayed in 2024 and should be better next season.

JETS (5-12)

  • Day 1: New York holds the seventh pick in the draft. 
  • Picks: Eight (a first, a second, a third, a fourth, two fifths and two sixths, but no seventh)
  • Head coach: Aaron Glenn comes to New York hoping to recreate the magic he was part of in Detroit.
  • QB in 2024: The Jets just cut their starter, Aaron Rodgers. 
  • Division: The Bills are among the best teams in the NFL. However, the Patriots are still a ways away and the Dolphins underachieved in 2024.  

Which one would you choose? Not an easy choice. To me, Spytek has the hardest job given his division. The command situation gives me pause in Jacksonville, despite having Lawrence around. That leaves the Jets and Titans. I think I lean toward the Jets given the promise of Glenn, along with three picks in the top 100 vs. just two for Tennessee. Tough call, though. 

Getting to Know New Jets GM Darren Mougey

06 Thursday Feb 2025

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With pieces on new GMs Mike Borgonzi (Tennessee) and John Spytek (Las Vegas) completed the last two weeks, we turned to Darren Mougey, who’s taken over the same role with the Jets. It was easy to get takes (all of them positive) on Mougey, who’s been aggressively reshaping New York’s front office in his first few weeks on the job.

Here’s what his colleagues said about “Moug” this week:

  • “Really very smart. That’s one thing that really stands out, and he’s a good person. These guys are kinda hard to find sometimes, that have the personality and also a football mind. I knew right off the bat he’d be where he is, because I’ve been around so many GMs. I think he encompasses what you need in a GM. First of all, he’s a good guy to keep things together, he’s fair, he’s a pleasant guy, and he’s all football. Very likeable. He doesn’t say much, he’s kinda on the quite side, but he’s all football and he’ll definitely make the Jets a better program.” 
  • “Moug, as he is known across the League, is highly respected among scouts and coaches. He is an incredible evaluator with many years of experience scouting and playing. He is extremely detail-oriented, efficient and organized, and uses a very thorough process in all of his work. His leadership traits will make him a great GM and he has the personality to click with anyone and everyone. (I) have no doubt that he will be very successful in this next step of his career leading the Jets.”
  • “Always a good day to do a school call with Moug. Really sharp, good evaluator, has strong opinions on players, always positive with school staffs, easy guy to connect with. He’s always willing to help out another scout if they needed anything. Never afraid to roll up his sleeves to get a job done.”
  • “If you know Moug, no one is surprised he got the job. He’s a great person that is detailed and never afraid of the work that needs to get done. But what really separates Moug is he is really good person and he truly loves the game of football.
    Working with him for (almost a decade), you could always trust that the work would get done with Moug, and he is fun to just sit down and talk ball with because he  has the confidence to answer questions but still has a low ego.” 

  • “I would say that he is extremely bright, very smart, and has a good eye for talent. He is (also) very adaptable from the standpoint of being able to relate with different types of people, and I think that stems from just his experience in football and sports and being around just different guys in the locker room. So he’s very relatable. People gravitate towards him. Great personality. I would also say that he’s somebody that I think would be a collaborative type of guy where he would take input from different people and respect that, but yet at the very end of the day would be the guy that would make the decision . . . he does not come across to me as like an authoritarian-type leader where you know it’s his way and not really taking a lot of input. I could just see him being like a guy that would encourage that kind of culture, a collaborative culture . . . I think he’s gonna do really well in the job. I think he’s a guy that’s gonna be decisive when it comes to . . . making decisions. It looks like he and (head coach Aaron Glenn) are putting together a pretty nice coaching staff, a nice mix of young guys and veteran guys, so . . . I think he’s gonna do a really good job in New York. I’m excited for him, for sure.”

Before we go, a fun fact: the 2015 Broncos scouting staff featured Assistant Director of College Scouting Adam Peters, National Scout John Spytek, and Mougey, who was then an area scout covering the Southwest. Within 10 years, all three of them would ascend to the GM chair with NFL teams. 

Want to learn which other teams are “breeding” future GMs? Make sure you’re reading the Friday Wrap, which comes out Fridays (duh) at 7:30 p.m. EST. Register for it here.

Scouting the League Podcast: 10 More Questions for Nick Underhill

17 Friday Jan 2025

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If you’re passionate about the New Orleans Saints, stop reading this now and listen to this week’s Scouting the League Podcast. Rodrik and I welcomed Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, the leading service for Saints information, in my opinion. Nick and his team (including another longtime Saints beat writer, Jeff Triplett) have revolutionized how to cover an NFL team. It’s well worth the $89 annual subscription if you’re part of the Who Dat Nation. 

Anyway, we didn’t pull any punches with Nick and asked him to go on the record with his thoughts about how the team has been managed and coached, as well as his thoughts on who should be the next coach, the fate of several key Saints and other related topics. We don’t have beat writers on the podcast often, so when we do, we try to squeeze every ounce of information out of them that we can, as we’ve previously done with Fran Duffy (who covers the Eagles), Aaron Wilson (Texans), Ben Standig (Commanders) and others. As always, we’re not afraid to cover the tough topics, but if you’re looking for a podcast that rips into owners, executives and players, look elsewhere. 

Our hour with Nick felt more like ten minutes, and when we finished, I felt like I had a lot more questions I’d like to ask. Here are a few of them.

  • What position do the Saints address first in the draft?
  • You said you’ve “never seen (the fanbase) the way it is now.” Would Saints fans withstand a “get well” year with Spencer Rattler as the starter? What if it dragged into two years of real bottom-dwelling?
  • If Loomis had retired, would the team have stayed in the building for his replacement?
  • The team has always been aggressive about trading up. Do you expect that philosophy to change now that there are so many holes? Will the team ever have a “load up on picks” philosophy?
  • Cam Jordan didn’t seem to be on the same page with the team last offseason, losing weight to gain quickness, then being used inside at defensive tackle. What does this say about the organization? Was it more of a Dennis Allen situation?
  • Does Taysom Hill return?
  • Could Jon Gruden have fixed things?
  • What’s the first thing you’d do to fix the offensive line? The defensive line? 
  • Regardless of whether they keep or cut Derek Carr, should the Saints draft a QB in the first 100 picks? 
  • Is there even a comp for the current Saints, as they have a disastrous cap situation, a very old team, and a question mark at QB? Can you think of a team in recent history who came back from such a situation, and how long did it take? 

Hey, maybe we’ll bring Nick back and ask all these questions. But for now, one hour is all we had, and if you are interested in team-building in general and the Saints in particular, I encourage you to check out the podcast, as well as some of our other episodes. I think you’ll enjoy them. 

You’ll also enjoy our newsletter, which comes out Fridays at 7:30 p.m. EST. Register for it here.

Best Draft Award 2024: Who Are the Contenders?

02 Thursday Jan 2025

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On Friday, we’ll kick off voting for the Best Draft Award for 2024. It will be the eighth year we’ve presented the award (in order, the Saints, Colts, 49ers, Bucs, Broncos, Seahawks and Lions have won it, going back to the 2017 trophy), and it’s usually a tight vote.

While we at Inside the League don’t have a vote — only active NFL scouts get one — we do have to determine the finalists, and that’s not an easy task. It’s a cliche, but even getting selected as a finalist is a big deal, and we always go back and forth on the best five teams (we even took more than five finalists in 2021 and 2024).

Anyway, our job now is to determine which five teams did best last April, and we’re struggling with the choices. Here are 12 teams that we think have a pretty strong case, along with their best picks/UDFA signings.

Who should we pick? Obviously, there are some pretty strong choices here. It’s something we take seriously; we’d never want to omit a team that might have a case for winning it.

49ers Puni, Dominick (3/86) Mustapha, Malik (4/124) Guerendo, Isaac (4/129)
Buccaneers Barton, Graham (1/26) Smith, Tykee (3/89) Irving, Bucky (4/125)
Chargers Alt, Joe (1/5) McConkey, Ladd (2/34) Still, Tarheeb (5/137)
Colts Latu, Laiatu (1/15) Goncalves, Matt (3/79) Bortolini, Tanor (4/117)
Commanders Daniels, Jayden (1/2) Sainristil, Mike (2/50)  
Eagles Mitchell, Quinyon (1/22) DeJean, Cooper (2/40)  
Giants Nabers, Malik (1/6) Nubin, Tyler (2/47) Phillips, Dru (3/70)
Packers Morgan, Jordan (1/25) Cooper, Edgerrin (2/45) Bullard, Javon (2/58)
Panthers Legette, Xavier (1/32) Wallace, Trevin (3/72) Sanders, Ja’Tavion (4/101)
Raiders Bowers, Brock (1/13) Powers-Johnson, Jackson (2/44)  
Rams Verse, Jared (1/19) Fiske, Braden (2/39) Kinchens, Kam (3/99)
Steelers Frazier, Zach (2/51) Wilson, Payton (3/98) McCormick, Mason (4/119)

The conflict I struggle with every year is figuring out what’s better: one or two true impact players, or several players that contribute? My impression is that scouts value really hitting on Day 1 and Day 2, based on previous voting, though the award has been a funny thing. For example, the Jets had both the OROY (WO Garrett Wilson) and the DROY (DC Ahmad Gardner) in the 2022 draft, yet the Seahawks (who drafted starters at both tackle positions plus OH Kenneth Walker and DC Tariq Woolen) took home the trophy.

DMs are open at @insidetheleague. To find out who we chose, check out tomorrow’s Friday Wrap. If you aren’t registered yet, do that here.

2025 Next Wave Zoom Session: What We Learned

20 Friday Dec 2024

Posted by in Getting started, NFL draft, Scouts

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Last week in this space, we discussed the special event we had for all the aspiring NFL scouts who come in as part of our “Next Wave” program. Since it was really great, I wanted to use the space this week to pass along a few highlights. As always, we have preserved the privacy of the participants as some of them didn’t ask permission before volunteering.

Speaker 1, an NFC GM: We spent a little more than 20 minutes with our first speaker, who was really generous with his philosophy and methods when it comes to identifying interns, as well as the process involved in promoting them up the ladder. Most of what he told me was not surprising: the team mostly pulls from the recruiting departments of FBS-level schools (particularly P4); the most important attribute in a potential hire is initiative and attitude, a willingness to go beyond the call of duty; there is no specific degree they seek, and having a “diploma” or “certification” from one of the various scouting schools has no value; and while having a general idea about football schematically is important, having a scouting “eye” is something the team teaches to its entry-level employees.

Speaker 2, an AFC executive: Our second speaker took the second 20 minutes of the hour and was completely different from his predecessor in that he talked more about his own journey of 20+ years with one team. His discussion was helpful because it showed the value of doing whatever it takes. He started off not in a scouting position, but in video for a different team, and after living at home for meager pay, working on cutups and splicing film, he finally got a chance to apply for a scouting position with a rival team. He got passed over for the role he wanted, but due to his video skills, landed in the film department, and from there, he was able to work his way into player evaluation at long last. Also important: he emphasized that building a network is key, and one way he does that is by saving a contact’s spouse’s name along with the contact in his phone so he can remember to ask about the contact’s family when he’s passing through a school. I thought that was genius.

Speaker 3, an NFL executive: Our third and final speaker is one of the most respected evaluators in the game. His team drafted a young, promising passer in the last few years, and he discussed the process involved, going back to in-person evaluation that took years. He also talked about how to develop an eye for determining talent (he said it took him five years, even though the depth of his football experience is rivaled by few people in the business), and even solicited everyone on the call to send in their resumes. That was a first in our four years doing this, and was a special treat for everyone involved. 

It was a special night, and if you hope to travel the roads for an NFL team one day, I’m sorry you missed it. I hope you can join us next year. 

Here’s How We’re Helping Aspiring NFL Scouts Get Opportunities

13 Friday Dec 2024

Posted by in Getting started, NFL draft, Scouts

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Breaking into scouting isn’t easy. At the same time, the question I get most often is, how do I get a job in scouting? It’s a question I’ve addressed here multiple times (and quite frankly, I don’t know the answer), and I sincerely want to help, but there’s one thing we do every year that I think is missed by a lot of people seeking to work in the game.

December is when our “Next Wave” subscribers sign up for the year at a discounted rate ($75 per year vs. $29.95/mo). They get access to the site through the end of November, but there are other benefits. Here’s a rundown of what we offer, if you happen to be interested:

  • We’ve never drilled into scouting assistant hiring, but we’re planning to do that this month. Not every team even hires (or at least lists on its website) scouting assistants. Sometimes, that’s because state law sets up employer rules that make it nearly impossible, but for some teams, it’s simply choice. That’s not a big deal, but it’s helpful to know who’s who when it comes to hiring.
  • It’s also important to be able to predict who might have openings. Most scouting assistants have two-year deals, so if you know which teams have hired in the last year or two (and which haven’t), you can better target the teams with openings.
  • At the end of the day, of course, it all hinges on relationships when it comes to getting hired since there’s no certification/degree/whatever that gives you a leg up on everyone else. That’s why we bring friends from around the league on Zoom to talk to our clients. Often, those people share their cells and express a willingness to help. In the last three years, we’ve had scouts and executives from eight teams (Chargers, Jags, Vikings, Raiders, Lions, Ravens, Saints and Giants) join us, and we’ll have three new teams represented next week. We think helping people build their respective networks is the best way to get them through the door. Putting good people together is one of the most rewarding things I do.
  • It goes without saying that we also provide more coverage of jobs and openings in the scouting world than anyone else (in fact, I don’t know of anyone else who even covers these things). Having that kind of information is critical.

Want in for next week’s session? If you are an aspiring scout, we’d love to have you. Contact me at @InsideTheLeague (DMs are open) or through our website if you’d like more information. 

 

A Few Notes from a Busy Fall 2024

31 Thursday Oct 2024

Posted by in Agents, NFL draft, NIL, Scouts

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Today, I didn’t have any topics I wanted to spend 500 words on, but I had a lot of topics I wanted to spend 100 words on, so here’s a bunch of stuff I found interesting this week.

  • Has Pittsburgh cracked the code on how to intelligently integrate former NFL scouts and executives into the organization in a way that helps identify, grade and reward top performers? Maybe. Per this story, the Panthers have brought in former Bills GM Doug Whaley to help in doling out a $6 million NIL budget based on quality of play. Given the team’s success this season (7-0 entering this weekend’s game against SMU), maybe head coach Pat Narduzzi’s plan to pay players based on production rather than promise will be replicated elsewhere.
  • Mark your calendars: the final resolution of the NCAA’s $2.7 billion deal with the plaintiff attorneys seeking NIL compensation in a class action lawsuit (for players dating back to 2016) is set for April 2025. The agreement is expected to clear the way for a $20 million-per-school tranche of money to be shared with players who participated in NCAA athletics from 2016-21. It also clears the way for schools to begin operating in ways that closely mirror a pay-for-play model, rather than the current system (which pretends that players only get compensated for their respective names, images and likenesses). Bottom line, during a time when all eyes will be focused on the 2025 draft, we could see federal and NCAA oversight of NIL representation change in radical ways. The impact of those changes could be immediate. We will do what we can to prepare you, our client, for those changes well in advance. 
  • Based on feedback from new agents this fall, the stories haven’t changed much over the years. One agent was contacted by the alleged uncle of a star player, only the uncle wouldn’t tell the agent who the player was (he would only divulge the player’s school and home location, and offered that the player is a mid-round pick). The uncle said the player’s focus is newly certified contract advisors, for some reason. We’ve also heard of a runner in South Florida who’s tried to solicit members of the 2024 agent class and wants money up front, with a promise of players later. 
  • So far, the only head coaching changes this season have been made at the G5 level. Maybe that’s why no search firms have been engaged so far, at least as far as we know. Last year, 17 G5 schools made head coaching changes. Of the 17, less than half (eight) used assistance. Of the 14 P4 schools making changes, not surprisingly, 11 hired firms.   

One other thing. If you’re a new agent (or a veteran agent trying to figure out how to keep up with the exploding costs of player representation), you should check out today’s Rep Rumblings at ITL. We’re trying to finalize a program that you might find helpful. 

We’ll also discuss it in the Friday Wrap. You can register for it here.