Category Archives: NFL draft

Responding to a Dumb Tweet About Draft Decisions

09 Friday Feb 2024

Posted by in NFL draft, Scouts

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This week, I tweeted positively about a Patriots executive, Eliot Wolf, who seems on track to become the GM in New England after years of paying dues in Green Bay and Cleveland. Though there were literally dozens of positive responses from scouts, agents and others, there was also one knucklehead who blamed him for QB Mac Jones’ struggles over the last two seasons.

I know you can’t take people seriously based on one off-the-cuff remark on social media, but this kind of comment really bugs me. I guess it springs from a fundamental misunderstanding of how the draft works by people whose main claim to fame is making the playoffs in their fantasy league.

Anyway, here’s why that’s a dumb tweet.

  • Jones had a great rookie season. It’s not like Jones has never performed. In his first year, he threw for almost 4,000 yards with a 22-13 TD-to-INT ratio and a. 92.5 quarterback rating. He did that without a 1,000-yard receiver (Jakobi Meyers came closest with 866 yards). That’s pretty good for a first-year QB following a legend.
  • How a player is developed after the draft is critical to his success. Josh McDaniels has had his ups and downs professionally, but there’s no arguing that his 2021 season as offensive coordinator in New England wasn’t a good one. Prior to McDaniels’ departure to be head coach of the Raiders, Jones was seen as a rising talent and worthy heir to the Brady throne. Since then, Jones’ offensive coordinators have been a weird combination of two defensive coordinators (Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia) in 2022 and Bill O’Brien this past season. I’d argue that Jones’ confidence was pretty much crushed entering the ’23 season, and from what I’ve read of O’Brien, “nurturing” is not a quality that’s in his makeup. The point is, the player Jones was on draft day is very different from who he is today, and that has everything to do with how the team around him has encouraged his progress and helped him evolve. That’s not just true of Jones, but of every player ever drafted. 
  • There are no picks “made” by one scout or executive. This is the part that really drives me crazy. Yes, there has to be accountability on who picks whom, but how is Wolf responsible for the team’s picks that haven’t worked out? Wolf was no more than a consultant — a murky title, for sure — in the 2021 draft, but even if he was Jones’ champion, it doesn’t happen until all of the team’s braintrust has seen him play multiple games; has interviewed him multiple times; and has put him through various tests and evaluated his pro day. This doesn’t happen, and can’t happen, with just one guy making the pick. The Patriots’ decision to draft Jones (and every decision by every team) was collaborative. That’s an essential part of every draft for every team. 

I don’t know Eliot exceptionally well, but here’s what I can tell you: he is universally respected because he’s thorough and almost without an ego, but more importantly, he’s won everywhere he’s been. Now that he’s brought in one of the best pure talent evaluators in the league in Alonzo Highsmith, I’d be buying stock in New England’s future. 

For more on the draft, free agency, scouting, player representation and everything else that makes this a fun time of year, register for today’s Friday Wrap here.

What Mantooth77 Can Teach New Agents

26 Friday Jan 2024

Posted by in Agents, Getting started, NFL draft

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This time of year, I start hearing from the people who are taking the NFLPA exam that summer. They want to know what we offer in the way of exam prep, but we usually discuss the road ahead for new agents, as well. 

One of these pending agents mentioned that he’d heard about ITL on Reddit, which is a platform that I rarely use, so I checked it out. What I found was some sage advice from a person known only as Mantooth 77. His entire post is here. What I’ve done is to copy some of his responses to a question about his brief career as an NFL player representatives, and offer my comments. 

“I was an agent a few years ago. I went all out for a year, signed about 6 prospects and 1 FA veteran who was trying to get back in the league. Three of those prospects got mini-camp invites and 1 was signed to a practice squad. After a year, I found that my main business was suffering as a result of all the time and money I had to spend on being an agent, so I didn’t renew. I think those in the industry would tell you, for a first year guy, I did well.”

This is exactly what success looks like for a first-year, independent agent. If you’re aiming a whole lot higher than this, you may be in for a severely rude awakening unless you have some excellent relationships with players prior to taking the exam.

“When I had asked around ‘should I do it’ before I pulled the trigger, I didn’t get a lot of resistance. But then when I got out there, different story.”

This is so commonplace. Friends want to be encouraging, which is understandable, but it’s almost impossible to know what’s ahead unless you’ve done a really good internship under an agent. 

“Many agents sign guys the first year that don’t even have a chance. Trust me, I did. I’d see a guy made all conference or 2nd team in a smaller conference and think, this guy has a chance. But for whatever reason, the scouts don’t like him. Maybe he’s too small or too slow. Regardless, they all think that if you send them to the Disney World of training, they are going to light up Pro Day and make Scouts fall in love with them on the spot. So, if you sign a guy anywhere near worthy, you’re going to have to spend money to help him train for pro day.”

So many agents enter the business when they are not ready financially, then think they’ve thought of things others haven’t. They find out their ideas aren’t so original after all. You have to spend some money. There’s no getting around it. 

Agents: The league is run by the bigger agents. The newer guys, if they play their cards right and get lucky, they get a guy in the league. Let’s say the guy signs an UDFA contract after the draft. This is great for guys like you. Only problem is, guys like Drew you know who pray on guys like this. You bust your ass and take all the risk of getting the guy in the league. You’re praying that he gets 4 accrued seasons to be eligible for a veteran FA deal. That entire 4 seasons you better believe the bigger agents are pouncing on your guy Bob Sugar style. It is very very common that you lose that battle and you’re fired. The bigger agencies simply have more to offer in every way. In that case, you get paid out on the rookie deal, but the veteran deal is goners. You’re done.

This may be the most important paragraph Mantooth77 wrote. It’s pretty self-explanatory.

Players will sweet talk you but are 100% out there for themselves. And they will turn on you in a split second for someone better. And if something goes wrong (i.e. they don’t get a camp invite, etc…), it’s all your fault. That being said, I don’t really blame them. They’ve played their whole lives to get into the league, so everything is at stake. Beware of these guys, most of them are hustlers and you are just a means to an end. Very shallow relationship.

This is sad but very true. 

“Oh, and don’t allow yourself to get biased for any reason. Look first and foremost at HEIGHT/WEIGHT/SPEED. Say it to yourself over and over again. HEIGHT/WEIGHT/SPEED. If a guys HWS isn’t NFL quality, you’re wasting your time. They all think they’re amazing. All of them. “Just give me a chance.” They’ll sweet talk you into thinking they’ll blow out pro day with proper training. They rarely do.”

Training is important, but a player is who he is. No amount of training is going to cut a full second off their 40 time or add a foot to their vertical jump. 

I encourage you to read the whole post. I couldn’t have written it better myself.

For more on player representation and the ups and downs of being an agent, read our newsletter, the Friday Wrap. You can register for it here.

2024 Hula Bowl: A Few Notes

11 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by in Agents, NFL draft, Scouts, Uncategorized

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It’s been a great few days in Orlando for the 2024 Hula Bowl. Here are a few notes from the preparations for this year’s contest.

Foolproof scout lure: All-star games love to maximize the attendance of scouts because it gives them credibility, and the Hula Bowl has come up with a foolproof way to raise their numbers. Since I ran the game in 2008, the Hula Bowl has always run practices concurrently between the two teams rather than at separate times. This forces teams to send 6-8 representatives instead of 2-3 (or even one or two) just to make sure everything is covered. 

Today’s NIL craziness items: One of the best parts of going to all-star games is hearing the stories from the recruiting wars as well as the crazy NIL pitches. For example, this week, I was told of a player at a lower-tier SEC school who lost his starting spot midseason. He decided to enter the portal, but before he could, he found out the school’s collective would offer him $50,000 to stick around. They were offering him more than the median annual income for the average American just to make sure they had a quality second-stringer at his position.

On the other hand, I heard about an FCS wide receiver who was offered $250,000 to go to a Big Ten school, but who chose to pursue the NFL instead. I respect his passion, but I’m not sure I would have made the same choice.

One takeaway from hearing the NIL stories this week is that a loose, position-by-position “wage scale” is developing among schools and agents, especially the schools from the P5 conferences that have big budgets. I also heard that Memphis has been one of the most aggressive teams when it comes to adding players from the portal; apparently, the athletic director’s efforts to raise funds have been successful. 

Humbling: Another great facet of the all-star season is that I begin notifying the scouts who were voted as winners of the various awards we’ll present at our annual seminar in Indianapolis in about a month-and-a-half. The scout who will receive one of our bigger awards next month was obviously touched when he got the news. It was really cool to see.

What if?: The 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled to begin workouts Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Star in Frisco, Texas. If the Cowboys win a home playoff game against Green Bay in the Super Wildcard round of the playoffs, then win the following weekend and advance to the NFC Championship, they’ll need their field and locker rooms. The scuttlebutt around the team hotel this week was that the nearby University of North Texas is the “rainy weather” site for the Shrine Bowl.

Clearing skies: When you have all-star games in Florida, the threat of rain is always there. A lengthy thunderstorm Tuesday night meant practices moved indoors today, which created serious consternation among agents who wanted to watch their clients (indoor practices usually mean scouts only). But there’s good news: practices will be outdoors again Thursday. Hopefully, Tuesday night’s rain won’t make for muddy conditions tomorrow.

Impressing: I’m always asked which players are rising and falling, and I rarely get enough feedback to have an intelligent answer. However, one player who seems to have won a few fans is Western Carolina WO David White. 

If you haven’t already, make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter to get more scoop on this busy (and exciting) time of year. 

 

 

Need An NFL Agent? Here Are A Few Tips

28 Thursday Dec 2023

Posted by in Getting started, NFL draft

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If you’re a member of the 2024 NFL Draft class and you think you deserve a shot, but can’t seem to earn attention from agents, there are “dos” and don’ts” that will make it a lot easier to get signed. Here are some of them.

  • Google “Find an Agent NFLPA:” This will take you to this page, which lists all certified NFLPA contract advisors. 
  • Think local: You may want an agent with a national name, but the truth is, if you can find one who is located close to you, it’s going to be to your benefit. 
  • Take what you can get: If you find an agent who shows interest, don’t hold out for someone with a bigger client list or more experience. Remember, you’re doing the recruiting, not the other way around, so if someone is willing to work with you, don’t take that for granted.
  • Think of paid training as a bonus, not an entitlement: The best way to make sure no agent will touch you is to lead with your training expectations. The words any potential agent dreads most is, “what do I get?” If you’re the one seeking an agent, you don’t really get to ask that question. 
  • Be willing to share costs: You may have to pick up your own flight, cover part of your training, or help with the registration cost of an all-star game. That’s only fair. 
  • Be honest with yourself: If you weren’t a star, or didn’t play at a big school, or suffered a major injury (or all of the above), realize that an agent is not going to be able to get you into the first round. 
  • A deal is a deal: If your new agent is wiling to cover all or some of your costs, don’t come back later and try to “re-cut” your arrangement. Stand by your agreement.
  • Be careful comparing your deal with others: There are lots of reasons your former teammate, or someone you’re training with, or whoever, might be getting more covered by their agent. Remember, you didn’t even have an agent before all this started! Embrace what you got. Ultimately, scouts don’t care about fancy training or amenities. They only want to know how well you perform at your all-star game or pro day. 

I really hope you can find someone to walk with you through this process. There’s a perception out there that agents are unnecessary, or greedy, or incompetent. None of that is true, or, at least, it’s rare. After 20-plus years working with people in the industry, I wholeheartedly believe having representation is a must for aspiring NFL players. Best of luck.

 

 

Notes on NFL Scouting from This Week’s Zoom

22 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by in Getting started, NFL draft, Scouts, Uncategorized

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Every year, as a special feature for the aspiring NFL scouts who are part of the ITL family, we invite three NFL evaluators to join us on Zoom. It’s always humbling when these men — this year, we had an area scout, a national scout and a college director — are willing to give of their time during the week of Christmas. One of our guests even joined us from his office at the team facility, meaning he didn’t even leave for home until after 10 p.m. ET.

At any rate, it’s as much a blessing for me as it is the ITL subscribers listening in. It’s fascinating to not only hear their origin stories and their advice, but also the tips you pick up along the way. Here are a few of the nuggets from this year’s guest speakers (we don’t provide their names because some of them do it without asking permission of their superiors).

  • Our area scout described the art of gathering character information, especially when it comes to bigger schools that demand multiple visits. Let’s say we’re talking about a football factory like an Alabama, Michigan or Oklahoma. He likes to visit first in the summer, when optimism is high and everyone is excited. During this visit, he’s going to be handed 20-25 names (maybe more) from the pro liaison. He’s going to start digging on all of them, trying to get a good initial feel for them so he’s not starting fresh when he arrives the second time. He’s also gong to try to see their body types when they are at their strongest and healthiest. For his next visit, he’s going to try to show up around midseason. At this point, there’s plenty of film and the team has entered conference play, so the most talented players should have plenty of tape. He’s going to focus more on grading performance on the field. For his third visit, he’ll be arriving in late October or November. At this point, the die is cast for the season, and the draft-eligible players are on their way out, so coaches aren’t as likely to protect them. Everyone is wiped out; coaches are going to be at their most honest. This is where he gets his answers, especially on the players who he knows are character risks. 
  • I always like to ask scouts if they every considered coaching. Most say they have, or at least have since they saw how much coaches make compared to scouts. Our national scout guest showed admirable honesty in admitting that he thinks being a coach requires being “up” to help the players stay focused and aggressive, and he didn’t think he could do that consistently. Rather than betray the players, he opted for a career in scouting.
  • When he decided he wanted to pursue football professionally, our college director quit a promising job in the financial sector cold, with no backup plan. Instead, he moved in with his parents. His daily regimen became serving as a permanent substitute at his old high school; serving as a grad assistant at the local college; going home for an extended nap; working at a Fed Ex warehouse until 4 a.m.; going to the gym to work out; then back to school to sub. Eventually he got his big break, and now he’s got a great shot to be a GM someday.

It was an incredibly fun Zoom, and if you hope to be a scout in the future, I hope you will join us in the future. For more details on our Next Wave program, check out this week’s Friday Wrap. Register for it here.

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 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.

 

 

 

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.

New Agent Zoom Session VI: Here’s What We’ll Ask CGS Co-Founder Jose Jefferson

16 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by in Agents, NFL draft, Scouts

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Last night, we had our fifth Zoom session aimed directly at the newest NFL agent class. For almost two hours, we went into depth about the five major games that will take place in January and all the relevant details. We were joined by Brandon Stroupe and Mason Hays of APEC Fort Worth, one of our training partners. It was fun and, I hope, informative for everyone.

Tonight, we’re at it again, and this one won’t be as specific to new agents; in fact, we’ll have several veteran contract advisors as well as a few wealth managers sitting in. It makes sense. The College Gridiron Showcase, which will have its 10th edition in January, has changed up its format a bit. We’ll have CGS co-founder Jose Jefferson on to discuss what’s ahead and how this year’s event will differ from previous editions.

With the NFL restricting teams from evaluating all-star games that don’t adhere to their strict new rules announced this spring, changes were inevitable, and the CGS won’t be the only one affected. Here’s what we’ll ask Jose tonight.

  • The CGS was one of the first legitimate all-star games to share costs with the players in the game, as well as their representation. How have the NFL’s new rules changed this? What, if any, costs will be associated with this year’s event?
  • In the past, the CGS was a five-day affair. This year, it will be over a weekend only. What’s gone? Has anything been added?
  • The CGS has always brought in 200-300 players for evaluation. Will that be the case this year, as well?
  • The NFL has granted underclassmen access to three all-star games. The CGS isn’t one of them. Is there any way around this rule?
  • This spring, the NFL mandated that all all-star events must have an end-of-week game. Will the CGS have one? Is it even possible to have one under such a tight schedule?
  • The CGS has always been known for its interview session, which has been especially popular to NFL scouts. Will this year’s edition still include the hours-long interview availability session that other editions have included?
  • NFL teams have always showed up in big numbers for the CGS. Do you expect this year’s game to be every bit as popular with scouts as in previous years?
  • Where are we in the invitation process? 
  • Will there be any kind of spring league orientation to the CGS?
  • There are a lot of all-star games. What would you say is the main selling point for the CGS?

These 10 questions are the ones we’ll pose to Jose tonight. If you’re in the industry, you probably should join in. To do that, all you have to be is an ITL subscriber. You can sign up here, and we’ll get you registered ASAP as well as supplying the Zoom link for tonight. But hurry — things kick off at 8 p.m. ET, and we don’t want you to miss a thing. 

 

 

Here’s What Players NOT to Sign If You’re a New NFL Agent

09 Thursday Nov 2023

Posted by in Agents, Getting started, NFL draft

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Due to a pretty full schedule this week, I didn’t schedule a Zoom session for new agents. It’s the first week in about the last four that I haven’t huddled with new contract advisors, and I guess I feel like I’ve let people down.

That’s why I wanted to write a piece today that, hopefully, serves as a kind of substitute for a Zoom. Given that we’re mere weeks away from the end of the season for many teams, I thought I should look at recruiting. So, today, let’s look at the positions where players seem to have the least success making 90-man rosters and, even more, making it to the 53-man roster.

Center: If you follow what we do, you know we’re big advocates for signing offensive lineman, and that used to extend to centers, as well. I have learned the hard way that the guys in the pivot are just not as highly valued as tackles, definitely, and even guards. Only about a third of centers (technically, 36 percent) who signed with agents for the 2023 draft class actually made it to a 90-man roster via draft or signing as a UDFA. If you sign a center, you absolutely must sign one who has playing experience from guard to guard, and, even better, some time at tackle. Otherwise, you’re taking a big risk.

Cornerback: Signing a corner is really attractive because it’s a premium position, and if a player blazes an impressive 40 time, teams are going to at least take notice. If you’re an agent, it’s easy to talk yourself into signing a player who, if he has one special trait, has a chance at making a team. The issue is that there are an overwhelming number of people in the world who are between 5-8 and 6-2, and when they play football, very often, they play defensive back. If you’re playing the numbers, you better get a really good player at that size because there’s so much competition at that body type. You’re usually looking at 38-42 percent of all corners signed by agents actually getting to a 90-man roster (it was 38.08 percent in 2022). If you look at some other positions, the percentage is closer to 50 percent.

Wide receiver: Wide receiver is very similar to cornerback when it comes to scarcity. In 2022, 35 percent of receivers made it to a 90-man roster. Once again, if you get a really fantastic receiver, great, but if you merely sign a “good” one, odds are it’s going to be tough to get him on a roster. 

Kicker/punter: Training punters and kickers is a lot cheaper than regular position players. They usually spend a week with one of the kicking services, and it costs pennies on the dollar as compared to those who have traditional combine prep. However, teams simply rarely draft them. Yes, they are taken on draft day at times, but by and large, they are signed post-draft. Also, teams don’t carry backups at these positions, so you really must have an exceptional player to actually get him on a roster. One other issue: most teams use their special teams coaches to do their scouting for kickers, punters and long-snappers, so you can’t even appeal to scouts to get workouts, etc., as you do with all other positions. 

We’ll be back with two Zoom sessions next week. If you’re a first-year agent, or just an agent who is still learning the craft, why don’t you join us? We’ll have more details in the Friday Wrap. You can register for it here.