Category Archives: Scouts

Three Emerging Football Trends I Could See

14 Friday Mar 2025

Posted by in Media, NIL, Scouts, Transfer portal

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Between the NFL Combine, my reading of a book called The Price, and conversations with people across college and pro football over the last two weeks, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.

Here are three ideas that are coalescing in my head these days. I think they all could shift the direction of college and pro football over the next decade. Here goes . . . .

Fundraising, not player evaluation, will be football-playing schools’ highest responsibility: This week, UNLV’s athletic director admitted he hired a head coach without knowing how he’s going to pay him (before walking things back once it set off an Internet firestorm). That’s shocking. We’re seeing lots of GMs being hired lately with backgrounds in NFL scouting, but with donor fatigue at all-time highs, schools better have a plan for raising money.

The NFL will go from a partner of college football to a rival: Will the new enforcement rules begin to limit the money paid out to athletes for name, image and likeness? Will we see more collectives come under the roof of the school, like Colorado and UCF have done? I don’t know, and even if they do, I don’t know if that will curtail spending. Bottom line, college football is becoming more and more professional-looking, and you can’t deny the excellent quality of play. At some point, the dollars have to become limited, don’t they? Ultimately, college football teams don’t really need the NFL. Could college and pro football become contentious with each other? I don’t know. It’s possible.

Scouting will continue to become centralized: This week, the Rams, who were voted winners of the Best Draft Award for their work last April, announced new roles and titles for a dozen scouting staffers. Their new lineup includes six (6!) senior personnel executives — this title wasn’t even being used across the NFL until maybe five years ago — and one (1!) area scout. Does this mean they’re sending out one guy to make school visits in all 50 states? Of course not. However, it’s undeniable that (a) they are doing things differently and (b) they are having great success. We also learned this week that the Jaguars (with a new head coach and GM with Rams roots) will not hold a local pro day at team HQ next month. That’s another departure from most teams, but not the Rams, who never have one. If Jacksonville starts having success, other teams will start copying The Rams Way when it comes to the draft. That’s going to be a significant shift.

There’s a good reason to believe I’m crazy, and maybe none of these ideas will get traction. I really hope I’m wrong — maybe in five years, people will look at this post and laugh — but I fear I’m right. More discussion about the game is in today’s Friday Wrap. Register for it here.

Which New GM Has the Best Chances of Success Quickly?

14 Friday Feb 2025

Posted by in NFL draft, Scouts

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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.

Getting to Know New Titans GM Mike Borgonzi

22 Wednesday Jan 2025

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At Inside the League, we try to partner with the scouts, executives and administrators who do the evaluation of NFL players, both on their way up and while they’re in the league. Part of that is keeping a close eye on what’s going on in NFL front offices, especially when it comes to the GM seat.

We’ve previously polled our sources on NFL staffs about previous GM hires (here’s our report on Arizona’s Monti Ossenfort and Tennessee’s Ran Carthon, here’s our report on former Raiders GM Dave Ziegler, and here’s our post on the three GMs hired prior to the 2022 season), and with a new face in Tennessee, we asked around about new Titans GM Mike Borgonzi. The response was overwhelming and immediate, and he comes back as a little reserved but even-tempered, progressive when he needs to be, and hard-working. Here’s what people who’ve worked with him told us. 

  • “Mike Borgonzi has a high academic and football IQ, as you might expect from a Brown University graduate. (He’s) relatively calm and reserved, but has a feel for reading a scout’s view and separating facts from opinions. Has a scout’s eye when identifying a players traits but utilizes analytics to compliment, support, or confirm.”
  • “Nice guy. Pro (scouting) history, has never done college. Collaboration guy from the (former Packers GM) Ron Wolf system. Middle-of-the-road type dude. Speaks when spoken to type, with a small circle.”
  • “A grinder from the bottom up. Really worked and matured each step he made up the later. Respected and listened to inside the building. More (aligned with) traditional scouting. He’s a trust-his-gut (guy), but not afraid to be collaborative. I’d classify him as more introverted, but he will open up.” 
  • “Borgo as a person is very soft-spoken. In (almost two decades) working with him, I don’t think I ever heard him raise his voice to anyone. Really good person. (Also,) a great family man. Somewhat of an introvert with a close and small circle of friends. Old-school in his eval process, but does listen to analytics to a point. Really listens and trust his scouting/personnel department and will collaborate with them.”
  • “Mike is a highly detailed evaluator. Sees the big picture from a team-building standpoint, and has a clear vision on what plays at high levels in the NFL for each position. Has an old school, come-to-work mindset, but has a great grasp and feel for integrating the new trends in analytics/player tracking, etc. Is collaborative in getting a full grasp of what other scouts see and listens, but has his view as an evaluator. He is probably a blend of both old and new age scouting, and is a great communicator throughout the entire building. Will be a great partner for the head coach and assistant coaches.” 

  • “I would acknowledge how impressed I have been with him and his growth as a professional over the last decade. I’ve known him to be someone that is curious and approachable, as well a leader that recognizes that this is a people business first. He and I have had many conversations over the years around optimizing process and procedure and placing a premium on context when it comes to informed decision-making. I appreciate the tactical application to a well-vetted strategy has been a consistent element of our discussions.”

  • “Mike is a great person. He is smart and hard-working. He will be a great leader because he will set the standard, allow his people to work, and value their input. He ascended the right way, was authentic, and was not a self-promoter, just a good worker that took the right steps.”

  • “Mike is a high-level evaluator. On top of that, he is a relationship-builder. Guys will want to show up and work for him. I imagine he will implement a similar collaborative model like he had in KC. Mike has a lot of experience and knows what plays on a 53-man roster. I expect him to have success in Tennessee.”

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. 

Five Qualities Owners Want in GM Hires

18 Friday Oct 2024

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We’re getting toward midseason and the good teams are starting to sort themselves out from the bad ones. Maybe that’s one of the reasons the topic of new GMs came up in this week’s edition of the Scouting the League podcast. It’s something I hadn’t really given much thought until this week, but there are definite “traits” — as Rodrik described them.  

In the old days, you were looking for a guy with decades of experience, probably from within your own organization, to come in and “fix” the franchise – hire a head coach, draft all the players, sign all the free agents, and create a culture (Bill Polian, Jim Finks, Ernie Accorsi, Ron Wolf, Bobby Beathard.) Today, it’s very different. Here are things that I’ve observed owners to prefer in a GM candidate.

It’s important to come from a successful program: Most teams used to have a line of succession in-house, but more recently, owners look outside the franchise to a team that’s a proven winner. For the past 10 years, we’ve seen owners pick off the Patriots tree (Bob Quinn in Detroit, Nick Caserio in Houston, Jon Robinson in Tennessee, Monti Ossenfort in Arizona, Dave Ziegler in Las Vegas, Eliot Wolf in New England and Jason Licht in Tampa). More recently, we’re seeing them pick from the 49ers tree (Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in Minnesota, Martin Mayhew and then Adam Peters in Washington, Ran Carthon in Tennessee and Trent Baalke in Jacksonville). 

Having a background on the road is not enough: In the past, you were looking for a pure evaluator to run the draft for you. However, more recently, we’ve seen owners bring in cap guys to be part of the GM structure (Carolina) and we’ve seen more analytics-minded hires (Minnesota), especially with teams owned by “new guard” owners who are more from the business world than the football world. We’re seeing more and more scouts/executives come to us for CBA/cap work than we did five years ago. 

Youth and appearance: I think we’re in an era where it’s important to “win the press conference,” and it’s easier to do that with a hot new name, especially if that person is on the young side. George Paton in Denver, Jerry Jones in Dallas, Tom Telesco in Las Vegas, Chris Grier in Miami and Mickey Loomis in New Orleans are among the few over 50. You also want someone who looks sharp and professional. You don’t see any GMs who are overweight, and I think that’s because they are part of the face of the franchise. That may be unfair, and it probably is, but it’s still true. 

Good representation: Scouts always tell me they are lightly regarded within their own staffs but when they get accolades outside the team, that’s when owners/executives take notice. This is why it’s been cool to start the BART List to give the unsung scouts out there some recognition. Media can help with that, too, and media attention usually comes from the agencies, especially the bigger ones. This probably isn’t necessary until a scout gets to the director level; if you’re a scouting assistant, hold your horses and prove yourself first.

An impressive alma mater: You might not think that where you went to school matters when it comes to football acumen, but you may not think like the modern NFL owner. They are used to working with upper-level professionals with strong pedigrees, and they see their general managers as just such people. So if not Ivy League, a GM today needs a degree from Northwestern, Duke, Vanderbilt, or other comparable schools, at least in most cases.

We’ll discuss this topic and more in the Friday Wrap, our free weekly newsletter that goes out to members of the football industry. Register for it here.

There Are Many Roads to NFL Scouting Jobs

11 Friday Oct 2024

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Next week, we’ll start our team-by-team breakdowns of the front offices of all 32 teams. It’s our Know Your Scouts series, and it takes place each fall. The goal is to really drill into the scouting backgrounds of evaluators on all 32 teams with an eye toward providing tips that might help in getting a job.

Here are a few things people that reviewed last year’s Know Your Scouts series might have learned before “scout hiring season” (roughly March through July).

  • Most aspiring scouts spend all their time poring over film and rating players on social media, but learning other skills might get you a leg up. Consider that 15 current members of NFL front offices have video production skills and worked on that side either in the NFL, the college level, or the media. They include Jay Mandolesi and Dan Zbojovsky (Jets); Robert Haines (Panthers); Greg Reuveni (Raiders); Brian Hill (Rams); Casey Weidl (Steelers); Blaise Taggart (Texans); Mike Sholiton (Vikings); Bryan Chesin (Broncos); Minh Luu (Dolphins); Jeremy Gray and Matt Holland (Eagles); Sal Conti and Ben Martinez (Falcons); and Justin Markus (Giants). 
  • Being handy with the media doesn’t hurt, either. Alex Valles (Cardinals) once worked with broadcasters for the Red Sox. Marquis Pendleton (Giants) started out as a media services intern with the team. Same for Rob Hanrahan (Panthers), Ryan Monnens (Vikings) and Dave Bratten (Broncos). Ryan Doyal (Falcons) worked for NFL Films before making his way to Atlanta. Brad Obee (Eagles) worked for NFL Matchup on ESPN. Cassidy Kaminski (Chiefs) wrote for Ourlad’s from 2015-18.
  • There’s also equipment. Sam DeLuca and Blaine Gramer (Vikings); Dan Zegers (Browns); Zach Smith (Bucs); Alfonza Knight (Cardinals); Ethan Brodsky and Chris Hobbs (Chargers); Todd Vasvari and Andrew Hoyle (Colts); Chase Leshin (Dolphins); Casey Belongia (Patriots); Chris Nolan (Jets); Patrick Mularkey and Dakota Duncan (Lions); Josh Graff (Seahawks); Bailee Brown (Texans); and Martinez (Falcons).
  • Even a job in the marketing department can lead to a scouting career, as it did for Chris McGaha (Colts), John McKay (Rams), Justin Matthews (Saints) and Ryan Gold (Cardinals). 
  • John Mancini (Cardinals) even started out in tickets. He’s believed to be the only scout with such a beginning.

There are other alternate paths. Richard Sanders (Falcons) spent 10 years in the Coast Guard before pursuing football. Kathleen Wood (Browns) spent a decade-plus as a private investigator. 

The point is, get inside the building, then figure out a way to the scouting department. How do you do that? You can start by being prepared for that time of year; usually, hiring and interviewing takes place in March and April, though it’s better to get an early start on sending out your resume than a late one. Join us at Inside the League as we start breaking down the various paths scouts pursued on their way to their pro dreams with our Know Your Scouts series. I also recommend signing up for our free newsletter, the Friday Wrap. You won’t be sorry.