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Making friends and enemies

21 Tuesday Oct 2014

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October is always an interesting time for me because I spend much of it calling the parents of NFL draft prospects to offer my free newsletter. It’s a series that runs about six weeks and details the NFL draft process, and I launched it just last year. It was very well-received, so we’re rolling it out again this year.

Anyway, it takes me about two weeks to call all the names in my file of about 600 sets of parents. It’s a little bit of a logistical dilemma because we’re calling parents from sea to shining sea and involving every time zone. Whenever I do this, I realize I’m living the life my clients live every day. Though less and less recruiting involves calling someone out of the clear blue sky and proffering your services, being in the sports industry is all about making an introduction with three important traits: it’s brief, it impresses on the person that you are knowledgeable and worthy of knowing, and it makes you likeable. That’s hard to do, whether you’re knocking on someone’s door, calling their home phone number (not as many of those as there used to be), or any other forum where you’re communicating with someone in real-time and not sending a text or an email.

Today, I wanted to share a few notes and observations in hopes that the next time you’re in a ‘cold call’ situation you won’t feel so exposed.

  • So far, I’ve called the numbers of 349 sets of parents. I’ve probably made at least 100 more calls than that when you figure in the times I found two (sometimes three) numbers and tried both of them. I’ve got another 150 or so calls to make this week.
  • The longest period of time I spent calling folks was just under seven hours straight. That was a long seven hours.
  • The spiel I leave on voice mails is about a minute long. That’s probably a little longer than it should be.
  • Nine times I’ve called and they weren’t interested. I don’t know why, but that stings. I think there are two reasons you’d turn down free information: you’re afraid you’re getting sold something — I’m not — or the school has conditioned parents you to see all people not associated with the school as Ebola carriers.
  • So far I’ve been hung up on three times. Once I called, got cut off, then called right back and got hung up on. Turns out the first time I had been hung up on, too. I’m a slow learner.
  • I called one household last night and got the player’s father, who’s an ex-NFL player. He was pretty irate that I had called, and cut me off mid-pitch (though at least he didn’t hang up on me). It’s kinda funny because he played decades ago, and the game — and the draft process — have changed a LOT since he was going through. I guess he’ll have to learn on his own. Then again, maybe he won’t; his son’s not a hot prospect.
  • Sometimes I call and I’m greeted very warmly once they understand who I am and that I’m offering something informative and free. That’s always gratifying.
  • Seven times so far I’ve called and gotten a fax line. I usually stay on the line long enough to hear most of that weird noise the fax makes. I’m weird.

War Story Wednesday tomorrow. I’ve got something inspired by a phone call I got from an old friend this weekend. See you then.

The 2014 NFL lineup and the draft

17 Friday Oct 2014

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After dissecting the makeup of the NFL’s rosters as of the opening week of 2014, let’s wrap things by looking at the lasting value of draft position.

  • It’s probably no surprise that there are more first-rounders in the league (276) than any other round. That’s about 50 more than there are second-rounders (228). Given how much money first-rounders are making, plus the stigma attached to a team that has to cut a first-rounder, it’s doubtful this will ever change.
  • In the old days, the marquee rounds were seen as the first three. However, in recent years, there’s a perception that the pool of likely draft successes actually goes four rounds deep. That’s borne out by the numbers this year. There are at least 200 players drafted in each of the first four rounds still active in the league, and there are actually more fourth-rounders (214) than third-rounders (201). What’s more, the difference between the number of fourth-rounders and second rounders (228) is minimal.
  • Speaking in round numbers, each of the first four rounds make up about 10 percent of the league (though first-rounders approach 13 percent), while the final three rounds are about seven percent of the league each.
  • Undrafted free agents, as we mentioned a week ago, make up about a third of the league.
  • Rounds 5-7 seem far more disposable. What’s especially interesting is that the number of each of the last three rounds still active is about the same. In fact, there are more seventh-rounders active in the league (158) than there are fifth-rounders (154). There are more sixth-rounders than either (164).
  • The Browns (36), Saints (37), Bucs (38) and Panthers (38) seem to the teams most open to undrafted free agents. On the other hand, the Falcons and Titans (50 each) put the most weight on drafted players.
  • What team drafted the most players still active in the league? It’s the 49ers, and by a wide margin, with 59. The Packers are No. 2 (54). Rounding out the top five, it’s the Steelers (53), Ravens (51) and Texans, Patriots and Seahawks, all tied with 49.
  • Who has the least? The Saints and Redskins are tied with bringing in the least amount of talent via draft with 32 each. The Bears have 33 draftees in the league, while the Bills have 34 and the Browns and Colts have 37 each.

Totals as of Sept. 2014

Team Total
San Francisco 49ers 59
Pittsburgh Steelers 56
Green Bay Packers 55
Houston Texans 51
Philadelphia Eagles 51
New England Patriots 50
Baltimore Ravens 49
Seattle Seahawks 49
Cincinnati Bengals 48
Dallas Cowboys 48
Miami Dolphins 48
New York Jets 47
Atlanta Falcons 46
Denver Broncos 46
Minnesota Vikings 44
Oakland Raiders 44
Jacksonville Jaguars 43
Tennessee Titans 43
Arizona Cardinals 42
Carolina Panthers 42
San Diego Chargers 42
Buffalo Bills 41
Detroit Lions 41
St. Louis Rams 41
Kansas City Chiefs 40
New York Giants 39
Cleveland Browns 36
Indianapolis Colts 36
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36
Chicago Bears 33
Washington Redskins 32
New Orleans Saints 31

Inside the numbers: NFL high-schoolers from the states

16 Thursday Oct 2014

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We’ve spent a lot of time over the last week going inside the number of NFL players on rosters the opening week of the season. Today, let’s take a long look at high schools of active NFL players to see where most got their start on the gridiron.

Not surprisingly, we find that the Southeast is still the place where football players are bred, and the Northeast is the least, at least when it comes to HS-to-NFL talent.

  • Which state has the best high school football? Well, based on number of players sent to the NFL, it’s California, with 277 players in the league (based on Opening Week rosters). Florida is No. 2 with 255 players, while Texas is third with 242.
  • No other state has more than two hundred. Georgia is fourth with 125, while Ohio is fifth with 101.
  • The top six schools (California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Ohio and Louisiana) produced 1,078 of the 2,186 active NFL players, or 49.3 percent. The remaining 44 states produced 1,086.
  • Top six states in NFL players per capita: Louisiana (returning champions), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia. All SEC states.
  • You could probably win a lot of bets by asking people to guess which state produced the sixth-most players, just outside the top five. Though the Northeast isn’t necessarily known for football, it’s New Jersey with 71.
  • More on the lack of talent in the Northeast: New York is the third-most populous state, but is just 18th in the total number of NFL players with 40. It’s also seventh from the bottom in per capita NFL players.
  • Only one state has no NFL players. It’s Vermont.
  • North Dakota, New Mexico and Rhode Island have only one each. That’s as many as each of the countries of Ghana and Estonia have produced, and half as many as Germany and Great Britain.
  • Pennsylvania has a reputation for its high school football, and has produced a fair share of Hall of Fame quarterbacks, from Montana to Marino, but it’s barely in the top 10 with 65 players.
  • The Bayou State, Louisiana, is 25th in population, but sixth in NFL players (78).
  • Massachusetts is the 14th-most populous state, but has only produced 15 NFL players. That’s No. 32 among the states.

Insights on NFL players and career length

14 Tuesday Oct 2014

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On Monday, we dug into the roster makeups of all 32 teams going into the 2014 season, focusing mostly on size (specifically, height). Today, another look at the players who step between the lines on Sundays, focusing primarily on length of career.

  • It’s often said that it’s a young man’s game, but sometimes it helps to understand how, well, disposable NFL players are, as well as how finite a pro football career can be. Here’s an illustration: more than 21 percent of the players in the game are rookies (467). That’s more than any other class and at least three times more than any draft class after 2010.
  • The total number of players from the 2012 draft class (324) is equal to the number who’ve had careers of at least seven years. That includes all the players from the ’96, ’98, ’99, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’04, ’05, ’06 and ’07 draft classes.
  • The number of players in the league from the ’14, ’13 and ’12 draft classes is more than half of the total players in the league (52.3 percent).
  • After the ’08 class, there are no draft classes with more than 100 players still in the league. After the ’05 class, there are none with more than 50.
  • If you’re recruiting quarterbacks as clients, understand that not many make it to the second deal. There are 18 in the league from the ’14 draft class, 13 from ’13, 14 from ’12 and 10 from ’11. However, there are only five from ’10, four from ’09 and five from ’08. There are 29 total from all remaining draft classes beyond that.
  • Strangely enough, linebackers seem to have the best shelf life. There are 40 from the ’11 class still active, which exceeds all other positions. Wide receivers is next with 31. No one else has more than 30.
  • Offensive linemen seem to have a rather short shelf life. There are no offensive guards still active who entered the league before the 2005 draft. There are just four offensive linemen who entered the league before the 2004 draft.
  • While we’re at it, there are no cornerbacks, defensive tackles, wide receivers, running backs, tackles or guards who entered the league before the 2003 draft class. It just goes to show that when the speed (corners, receivers, rushers) or the maneuverability (tackles, guards, defensive tackles) go, it’s pretty much sayonara. So if you’re a player, or hope to be some day, focus on your legs, speed and quickness.

The long and short of 2014 NFL rosters

13 Monday Oct 2014

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On Friday, we took a look at the size, shape and composition of the NFL as it entered the 2014 season. Today, we’ll take another look at things and pass along a few more observations, focusing on heights.

  • Used to be that the primary metric for getting drafted, getting a UDFA contract, being signed off the street, or otherwise given a chance to play in the NFL was pure playing ability. However, as more and more teams go to objective measures and take an ‘analytics’ approach to scouting, size is becoming more and more important. Case in point: only 400 of 2,186 players on active rosters on opening weekend 2014 (18.3 percent) are listed under 6-0.
  • What’s more, excluding kickers, those under 6-0 play only three positions: running back, wide receiver and defensive back. There are also 11 LBs among the 398 as well as one long-snapper, but those are statistical anomalies.
  • Got a client who’s a little on the short side? Check out the Redskins, the only team with 20 players under 6-0. There’s also Tampa Bay and Cleveland, both with 19; Denver (18); and San Diego (17). Those are the five teams with at least 17 players under 6-0.
  • Also: There are a total of 10 NFL players 5-7 or shorter. The Bucs have three of them.
  • On the other hand, stay away from Oakland, the most size/speed-obsessed team in the league under former owner Al Davis and continuing into the era of GM Reggie McKenzie. The Raiders had only four players under six-feet tall on their roster on opening week.
  • Meanwhile, the Bears had 6, Bills 7 and Panthers 8. Eight of the 32 teams had 10 or fewer players under 6-0 among their 63 under contract (53 active plus a 10-man practice squad).
  • Giants KR Trindon Holliday is the shortest player in the league at 5-5.
  •  Chiefs OT Eric Fisher is one of seven players who are tallest in the league at 6-9.
  • The median height of NFL players is 6-3 (311 players). Next is 6-2 (288), then 6-4 (279).
  • The average height is just over 6-2.

Some observations on the league’s 2014 player makeup

10 Friday Oct 2014

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Every year, we compile a detailed report on the league’s active rosters (practice squads included) for our clients, based on the rosters for the first weekend of play. It’s a LOT of work, but always bears interesting info when we get it done. Here are a few things I thought were worth passing along:

  • There are only five players left in the league whose careers started in the 90s. Predictably, two (Adam Vinatieri and Phil Dawson) are kickers. Interestingly, Peyton Manning, coming off perhaps his best-ever season, is the second-oldest player in the league after Vinatieri, at least based on when he started his career (1998). Colts backup Matt Hasselback also launched his career in ’98. The last of the five? Oakland’s Charles Woodson.
  • Of the 2,186 players in the league, 791 (or 36 percent) are undrafted free agents. More than a third of the players on active rosters were not judged to be among the best 250 players in his draft class. That’s something to think about.
  • Among all the first-round picks still in the league, the biggest position group is (surprise) linebackers (37). Quarterbacks, one of the hardest positions to scout, are sixth (26). Running backs are ninth of 13 positions listed with 16; it’s interesting to see how the league has evolved as there are more safeties (20) than rushers or tight ends (10).
  • It’s exciting to hear about small-school players who find a place in the league, but statistically the number of players from outside FBS/Division I-A are minuscule. Less than 15 percent of all players in the NFL are from outside FBS (14.4 percent). If you’re DIII, you can pretty much forget it, statistically, as there are only 15 NFL players from the smallest NCAA division. There are only five from NAIA, which works out to .2 percent of the league.
  • There are 13 first overall picks still in the league. Of that number, nine are quarterbacks.

We’ll go inside the numbers a bit more next weekend. Have a great weekend.

A look at the cuts

16 Tuesday Sep 2014

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Every year, we at ITL like to compile the players cut by NFL teams, first from 90 to 75, then from 75 to 53 (after practice squad players have been added, of course). These are the players who are almost good enough, but not quite, and usually they’re the ones who are told they’ll be the first ones called when injuries strike.

They’re also the ones who are in most demand by other teams as well as other leagues; many of these players will show up on FXFL rosters in just a few weeks. Though these players get no press, they’re just a heartbeat away from making a 53-man roster.

The lists always tell a story about who’s in demand and who’s not in the NFL. Here are a few observations based on our list of the 716 players cut just under two weeks ago.

  •  There were 114 wide receivers cut, which is almost 20 more than any other position. This isn’t so surprising; the NFL has become a very pass-friendly league, and every team is hoping to take a flier on a player who has speed, size, or both, and could become a real difference-maker. It’s also worth noting that speedy players look the best at pro day, so teams are more likely to fall in love with them even without any real college production.
  • Second-most popular cuts were linebackers (89). Linebackers, like tight ends, are required to be super-athletic as well as sizable; I think teams are always tempted to bring in players who can run and jump but who might not have football figured out yet. Even with expanded practice squads, you can’t keep all of them.
  • It’s generally agreed that three states are the biggest hotbeds for high school football, and those numbers were borne out at cut time. California high schools produced 91, while Texas was the home state for 78 of them, and Florida bred 66 of them.
  • Three college conferences led the way as the Big Ten produced 92 players in the group, the SEC 82, and the ACC 79.
  • You’re always hearing about the small-school player who beats the odds and makes a roster, but the odds are pretty long. Five-hundred and sixty-six players (almost 80 percent) were from Division I/FBS schools, and 106 (about 15 percent) were from Division I-AA (FCS). There were 32 from Division II and just four from both Division III and the NAIA.
  • It’s interesting how quickly age catches up to you in the NFL. Of the players who populated NFL rosters up until final cuts, players from only two draft classes (2014 and 2013) had more than 100 released. No draft class since 2008 had more than 21 players represented.

Again, these are the kinds of numbers that may interest only me; analyzing the players who DIDN’T make it may make me a certifiable football nerd. Still, I find it interesting.

We’ll take an up-close look at the players who DID make it next week.

Commission sales

15 Monday Sep 2014

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I remember 3-4 years ago I was talking to my friend Josh Luchs in the weeks leading up to his speaking at my event at the combine.

While Josh is a very polarizing figure in the agent world due to the misdeeds he admitted to in a book he wrote a few years ago, he’s very insightful. At any rate, we were on the phone talking about the fascination so many have with the agent business, and how so many young professionals are willing to risk everything for such a volatile venture. “After all, it’s just commission sales,” he said, and I heartily agreed.

Ever look through the want ads, or sift through the jobs available online on job boards or other similar services? It’s mostly auto dealers and insurance firms looking for new salesmen. I remember several years ago I was the one looking at those jobs, and I remember the revulsion I felt and the frustration of seeing nothing available but sales positions. Maybe if you’ve been in that position, you’ve felt the same way. It’s not uncommon.

However, if that’s true, why are so many obsessed with the idea of working in sports? No matter what you do in football, you will be constantly pressured to find new ways to make money, usually at considerable risk. Very rarely do you get to focus on ‘operations’ — coaching, running a business, taking care of your client, even playing — without frequently having to step out of your comfort zone to solicit people.

I remember several years ago I was at a football clinic where then-University of Texas football coach Mack Brown spoke. He’s excellent in one-on-one situations, and always greets people he’s introduced to by first name. That’s because he’s received training on how to present himself at all times, and it (was) all in the name of ticket sales, sponsorship sales and every other kind of money-making effort associated with the Longhorns. I remember him listening to his presentation, and it was primarily a rousing promotion of the team’s chances that season. Of course, the reason he was at the clinic in the first place was to sell himself and his team to the high school coaches of Texas, who would in turn sell UT to its best players.

If  you think about it, Roger Goodell is a salesman, trying to protect his brand in the wake of the Ray Rice mess. FXFL Commissioner Brian Woods is a salesman as he tries to find sponsors of his league as well as owners to take a chance on a start-up proposition like the FXFL. Every time a college or NFL coach speaks at a fanfest or dinner, he’s trying to sell tickets.

Being an agent is no different. You’re basically investing money and effort up front (in the form of training and recruiting fees plus countless hours courting your prospect), then ‘selling’ your client to NFL teams, trying to draw up interest.

As always, I’m not trying to make the football business any less enticing, interesting or sexy, but I think it bears mentioning. You might be the kind of person who would never consider hawking cars or insurance, but if you aspire to work in football, you’ll probably be in sales, nonetheless.

The payoff

15 Friday Aug 2014

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I wanted to wrap our week-long interview with Ari Nissim with a few finishing touches. Let’s start with the downside. I asked the former Jets Director of Football Administration what he learned after his first year on the job. I wanted to know what his biggest misconception had been.

He said he’d had no idea that the job never really ends.

“The all-encompassing nature of the job is the part that is tough. People don’t realize the seven-day-a-week nature of the job, not only from August through January, but from January through May. With the Senior Bowl (late January), the combine (late February), free agency (early March), draft meetings (April), etc., seven days a week, there really isn’t much time off, and many of those days are 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.-type days if not longer.  I remember the first year at the Jets it was 7 a.m.–11 p.m. every day except Sunday. Talk about crazy times.”

It’s the kind of job no one takes for the pay, or the cache of working for an NFL team. It has to be a labor of love. Next, I asked Ari what the biggest payoff for the job was. When did he find himself saying, ‘man, this is fun’?

“There are so many. The job is all-encompassing, but it has so many amazing moments along the way.

“Being at Gillette (Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.) as we beat the Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs in 2011 was an amazing experience.  Many of the moments are just random.  Being on the field in Lambeau (Field in Green Bay) in 2006 as Brett Favre runs out for warmups was a cool moment, then being part of the night we traded for him two years later was another awesome moment.  Sitting and talking football with (Jets head coach) Rex (Ryan), or (other) coaches, can be surreal if you stop and think, ‘I’m talking football with NFL coaches.'”

So after a week-long interview with Ari, here, as I see it, are the takeaways:

  • Get into position to make as many relationships as you can.
  • Be on the lookout for a mentor (or two) who can advance your career and who is willing to help.
  • No matter how passionate you are about a career choice, there will be times when your passion is tested.
  • If you’re looking for a niche that is gaining in value in the football business, it’s analytics.
  • Getting an NFL internship, or job, or other professional toe-hold is just the start of the hard work. You have to continue to prove yourself and aggressively work to get ahead and/or stay ahead.
  • There will be a payoff, and maybe several, for all your hard work. They may not be headline-grabbing stuff, but they could be the kind of thing that you’ll remember the rest of your life.

 

The Future of Football?

14 Thursday Aug 2014

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As former Jets Director of Football Administration Ari Nissim described his job title and duties in Monday’s post, there was one thing he listed that caught my eye: he oversaw football metrics for the team.

We’re seeing a lot more of metrics in football as it spreads from its early beginnings in baseball. I believe people who are interested in a football career can’t pigeon-hole themselves as looking for established NFL jobs only, so I asked Ari where an independent-minded ‘football entrepreneur’ might place his chips. His answer didn’t surprise me.

“I think at this point it’s sports analytics,” he said. “There are many people trying to do it, but that is the avenue that I would look at.”

Also interesting: getting a handle on things such as metrics might be able to get you to a job as general manager, which in the age of fantasy football is most folks’ dream job. Ari has an interesting take on this.

“I think there will be more (Directors of Football Administration) as GMs as they, in many cases, have a better ability to relate to owners and thus come off better in interviews. The role of a football GM has also changed so drastically over time that the ability to multi-task and delegate is paramount, and I believe that many (Directors of Football Administration) have a better base in that from their professional training. With that being said, there are a exponentially more scouts in the NFL, thus sheer numbers and the importance of scouting will always be part of the equation.”

Don’t forget the importance of mentors in the process. I asked Ari who he’d say were the most influential people in his career, and his answer did not surprise me. They were Jimmy Sexton and Mike Tannenbaum.

“Mike was definitely the most helpful as he gave me the opportunity as an intern for the Jets. Jimmy Sexton taught me so much, (and) I have so much respect for him, not only in the business but as a person.”

We’ll talk about the fun parts of being in the football business in Friday’s post.