A lot of people asked me how I grade players and what variables I use in determining my board. So here goes. These are the factors I weigh into my decision-making and believe me when I write that I know there are tons I am missing. This is just the basic guideline that I use. I in no way think this template is something that anyone else should use, nor am I suggesting what real NFL scouts work with. These are just the guidelines I was taught by 2 former scouts and other tidbits I picked up along the way on my own. I’ve written them all down for the last 4 years, and I use them on my spreadsheets while I’m watching players to remind myself what I am looking for.
Physical attributes
The players’ size, strength, agility, weight, grip, strength, vertical, 40 times, wingspan, length, and hand size etc. All are studied ad nauseam and used to evaluate a prospect’s probability of success. Do they have strong knees, a strong core, and above-average strength in their upper body? Do they possess a strong core with the ability to be fluid, etc?
Level of competition
How did they fare when facing top-tier talent?
Ex: A WR had 12 TDs on the season but only 1 came versus top-tier talent. They will be playing against the best in the NFL.
If a prospect struggles in their games vs elite talent, that is a red flag for me and something that often doesn’t translate well in the NFL.
Key drills
Knowing which drills translate the most by position is very useful. Again, this whole process is measuring risk assessment and determining the probability of future success. Having a barometer in which to evaluate the results and how they compare to other successful players is very beneficial.
Ex: Edge Rushers and the 3-Cone drill. This replaced the 4-cone or box drill. Most use this drill to determine how translatable edge rushers will be getting to a quarterback on passing plays. This tests speed, agility, quickness, flexibility and body control. 7.00-second is the gold-standard for edge defenders.
Technique
How much of a player’s success has been due to his athleticism and the scheme and level of competition that his team plays as opposed to his talent and technique? Are they coachable? Do they show a willingness to learn and a desire to be the greatest? Projecting the traits a player has and how they will project at the NFL level is key. A sound technique usually translates well. You may read words like this player is “raw”. Typically this term is being used to describe a player who has a lot of talent but needs coaching. If the talent is there and teams are confident they can correct any mistakes they have noticed, a player’s skill sets and traits will usually win out in final evaluations.
Ex: A corner displays the speed, agility, and athleticism to cover NFL-caliber receivers but scouts have noticed he does not turn his head or hips around to play the ball resulting in penalties and completions. Most teams believe that is a technique they can teach. Traits win out, and the player is drafted.
A sample checklist of what I look for:
OL– independent hands, leaning, grip strength, balance, knee bend, sturdy in frame, athleticism, run blocking, pass blocking, scheme fit, agility, doesn’t cross over his feet, leverage, and are they a finisher?
EDGE– violent hands, explosive, speed/burst breaking stance, combative, disciplined, bend, length, pressure rate, where they line up, first step, transitioning from speed to power and vice versa, etc
WR– hands, range, flexion, routes, scheme dependent, separation, sink, vertical, outside, flexibility, speed, agility, acceleration, quickness out of breaks, size, blocking, breaking tackles, desire, etc
CB– backpedal, transitions well, hands, ball skills, swivels easily, hips, do they have heavy (slow) feet, change direction easily and quickly, PBUs, instincts, reads, physicality, durability, scheme- man, zone, etc
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Leadership and mental toughness
Players undergo numerous mental tests in addition to the physical ones. Teams have psychologists studying every social media post they ever made. Every interview is checked for “trigger words” using artificial intelligence to complete the process more quickly. Background checks are being done to determine if the player has any character issues or legal problems and a team of people is employed to project if their behavior suggests that they may have any issues in the future. And maybe more importantly, numerous conversations with coaches and players are held to learn about the prospect’s leadership skills and their mental fortitude. I try to read bios about every player I rank near the top just to learn more about them. For me, learning a player’s journey and discovering who they are is one of the most enjoyable parts of the process.
What happened vs. how it happened
Statistics are great, but without the context of watching the plays you do not have a good understanding of their true value or impact. What was the defense in, who were the players going up against, and were the big plays a fluke, etc.
Ex: A CB has 3 picks in a single game. Sounds great, but when you watch you notice one was off the hands of a receiver who should have caught the ball and the DB was out of position, another took a crazy bounce and ended up in a defender’s hand, and the third was a bad read by the QB who threw it right to the corner.
Scouting is more about predicting the probability of someone’s future success as opposed to what they have done. If a player’s stats have come via improbable plays versus talent, it is another red flag for me. You have to watch the tape and not just read box scores.
Character, work ethic, and off-field factors:
A strong work ethic is one of the first things I look for. I try to find what their teammates and current and past coaches have to say about their dedication. A lot of players have got by on talent alone and that will simply not work at the next level. Disciplined, dedicated, and mentally tough players typically handle the rigors of the NFL much better.
Many scouts employ background checks on players to look for anything that could be construed as a character flaw. Not all past behavior or incidents are indicative of future misconduct, but most teams have a grading scale of how they view past offenses and the risk they are willing to take regarding various infractions.
Injury history
This one is pretty self-explanatory. A player’s durability and how they treat their bodies is heavily factored into determining draft value as is the type of injuries they have suffered. Similar to the conduct grading scale, a lot of teams have one with injuries as well. The severity, frequency, and whether the injury could be easily reaggregated are heavily weighed into their determination.
The adage, the best ability is availability, is as true today as it ever was.
Networking and finding people you can trust
Nobody has the time to travel the country, and now the world, over to watch every prospect, so there is a level of trust you have to establish in discovering players to spend your time evaluating. Having a rapport with coaches and scouts from many teams is very useful. A quick text to someone whose opinion you value regarding a player could determine if you spend your time traveling and or watching film versus moving on and saving time. Knowing who not to use your valuable time evaluating is just as important as who you are spending hours studying.
Final Thoughts:
Watching films, attending games, combine testing, Senior Bowl, social media analysis, interviewing players and coaches, reviewing data and psychological evaluations, and much more are all heavily factored in. Now many teams are using AI in addition to human scouts, including simulating games and players via virtual reality. And with all of this technology and in-depth research, you still only know so much.
Even the best scouts in the world miss most of their evaluations, and I will miss much more than them. That being said, it is a fun process that requires a lot of your resources. If you do not have a passion and love for the sport, or the process, and are unwilling or unable to spend hours upon hours of your life dedicated to all of the details and time, this hobby is likely, not for you.
Again, this is just my elementary scouting guideline that I use as I go about watching and reading about players, and the information I have learned in the last few years since I started doing this. In no way am I suggesting this to be a scouting Bible or template, but I hope you find it useful.
I pretend that every rep on film is vs. the worst player in the NFL, and then decide if it could’ve worked vs. better players. That plus knowing how to evaluate specific stats goes a long way. Great article!