Posts tagged Rookie Draft

NFL Draft Scout’s Chad Reuter-Part III

July 27, 2011 0 Comments read Matt Waldman

Despite the low success rate of first-round quarterbacks, Chad Reuter explains why drafting a QB in subsequent rounds who turns out even as productive as Matt Hasselbeck is a rarity. Photo by Matt McGee

If you thought ESPN analyst Matt Williamson’s path to becoming a paid evaluator of talent was unusual, consider NFL Draft Scout.com senior analyst Chad Reuter. The Wisconsin native lacks a football background, but he managed to transform a hobby into a job because of his tremendous analytical skills, sincere passion for the game, and a veteran scout’s work ethic. In this multi-part conversation, Reuter and I spent a couple of hours discussing a variety of topics related to player evaluation.

In Part I of this conversation, Chad and I discuss why he enjoys studying offensive line play, evaluating technique versus results, and balancing these two behaviors with the craft of projecting a player’s future in the NFL. In Part II we covered Reuter’s path to studying football as a full-time job, a defensive position that is difficult to evaluate, and why “instincts” and “intangibles” may not be innate after all. In this segment, Chad and I discuss sabermetrics and football, the mathematical logic of drafting a quarterback in the first round, and the importance of tiers when building a draftboard.

Waldman: There’s a growing camp of sabermetricians in football as well as the football media. While many understand why Bill Belicheck might use data to learn the odds strategic decisions, there are others who believe football can never completely embrace the Moneyball route. It’s obvious that you are both fluent in statistics and the craft of film evaluation. What’s your take on these two camps?

Reuter: I think data analysis is little more than a study of history. And I think you have to be cognizant of history when you are evaluating players — not just on the statistical side, but grouping characteristics with guys such as similarities in styles, size, etc.

But you can’t be a slave to it. Continue reading →

Top UDFA TEs

July 26, 2011 0 Comments read Players, Tight End

Iowa State's Collin Franklin has the pass-catching skills to contribute as a role player. Photo by Go Iowa State.com

Due to the lockout, 2011 could be more difficult than usual for undrafted free agents trying to make it in the NFL. Yet, there will be players with the talent, the skill, and the work ethic to enter a camp and make the most of their limited opportunities. This week, I’m profiling offensive skill players who I believe have the ability to develop into quality professionals if they have been training hard enough in this crazy offseason to hit the ground running. Profiles of these players are excerpts from my publication, the 2011 Rookie Scouting Portfolio, available at Footballguys.com

Will Yeatman, Maryland (6-6, 273): In some respects Will Yeatman reminds me of the Bears’ Kellen Davis and potentially Rob Gronkowski. All three are big, strong tight ends with fluid athleticism and soft hands. Davis has progressed enough in the Bears offense that there are rumors this offseason that starter Ben Olsen could be dealt away.

Yeatman is a former lacrosse player with quick feet. He makes fast turns as a route runner and he has enough strength to carry a defender on his back for extra yards. He’ll also lower his pads into contact and its this type of agility and flexibility for his size that makes him promising. He catches the ball away from his body and he’s a decisive player who seems comfortable on the field. He finds open seams very well as a receiver and he has a skill for creating space against single coverage.

Yeatman has limited game experience because Continue reading →

Conversation With NFL Draft Scout’s Chad Reuter-Part II

July 26, 2011 0 Comments read Matt Waldman

Clemson's DeAndre McDaniel plays a position that Chad Reuter says has an underrated difficulty to evaluate. Photo by whateyesee13 http://www.flickr.com/photos/whateyesee13/

In this multi-part conversation, Reuter and I spent a couple of hours discussing a variety of topics related to player evaluation. In Part I of this conversation, Chad and I discuss why he enjoys studying offensive line play, evaluating technique versus results, and balancing these two behaviors with the craft of projecting a player’s future in the NFL. In this portion of our discussion we cover his path to studying football as a full-time job, a defensive position that is difficult to evaluate, and why “instincts” and “intangibles” may not be innate after all.

Waldman:Tell me about your background and how you got into this profession.

Reuter: I came into it kind of backwards. I’m not Mr. Athlete by any stretch. I was not a player. But I knew enough about the game. I think most athletes who get into scouting or work in a front office have the initial advantage of having played, but then they have to learn how to analyze what they are seeing when they are watching film. Obviously some of them may know their position, but they don’t know all of the positions. I came in backwards. I had the analytic skills and then I applied them to football.

I had a fan site called Packerdraft.com and I started in in 2000. I started applying my analytic skills to football in terms of what was being seen on the field, but also looking at the data side – analyzing trends and trying to figure out what some of the numbers really mean. So I started doing that and it earned me opportunities to work with teams doing some consulting. After a few years of that, I left my state government gig to do this full-time.

Waldman: What was that gig?

Reuter: I was a research analyst for the department of transportation. My education is in economics and public policy analysis.

Waldman: With that kind of education and position you must have a fairly extensive understanding of statistics.

Reuter: My job was more or less to ferret out information that was helpful for our decision makers in the building – not just putting a bunch of numbers in front of people. I spent a lot of time pointing to things that some people said had merit, but actually didn’t. Most of the time I was telling people that statistics could be misinterpreted and used to mislead people than actually used to help!

(Laughter)

I find it also being the same thing I do with football. Continue reading →

Top UDFA RBs

July 25, 2011 0 Comments read Players, Running Back

SAine — Brandon Saine is a terrific receiver from the backfield, but does he have the complete game to contribute in the NFL? Photo by Indiana Public Media http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfiupublicradio/

SpannPartIII — Chad Spann runs with the smarts, quickness, and toughness seen from the likes of Priest Holmes and Ahmad Bradshaw.

Chad Spann, N. Illinois (5-9, 198): Every year, I have at least 2-3 backs rated higher than most. Some of them are players who are drafted late or not drafted at all. Ahmad Bradshaw was one of them. Spann is another. He’s a fluid player with a high motor, a muscular bubble, and low center of gravity who can set up a defense to get an open lane and finish strong.

Spann ran through as many hits as any back I studied this year and he has a noticeably explosive burst from his cuts. He possesses a slippery but determined running style that has a lot of intelligent decision-making behind it. When I watched Spann, he reminded me of Priest Holmes Continue reading →

Conversation with NFL Draft Scout’s Chad Reuter Part I

July 24, 2011 0 Comments read Matt Waldman

Stopwatch — NFL Draft Scout Senior Analyst Chad Reuter and Matt Waldman discuss the science, craft, and art of talent evaluation.

If you thought ESPN analyst Matt Williamson’s path to becoming a paid evaluator of talent was unusual, consider NFL Draft Scout.com senior analyst Chad Reuter. The Wisconsin native learned about the craft of personnel evaluation from a decade of interactions with NFL scouts and general managers. Although he lacks a football background, he managed to transform a hobby into a job because of his tremendous analytical skills, sincere passion for the game, and a veteran scout’s work ethic. In this multi-part conversation, Reuter and I spent a couple of hours discussing a variety of topics related to player evaluation. In this portion of the conversation, Chad and I talk about offensive line play, evaluating technique versus results, and balancing these two behaviors with the craft of projecting a player’s future in the NFL.

Waldman: Are there any positions you enjoy evaluating more than others?

Reuter: I’m an offensive line guy. I love watching the line. I think it is one of the more under-appreciated positions in terms of scouting because it is not just about the physical or mental characteristics of the player. There is also a lot of differences with what coaches want.

Waldman: What are things the average person should appreciate more about line play? Continue reading →

UDFA QB Adam Froman

July 24, 2011 0 Comments read Players, Quarterback

Not a touchdown... — The most athletic QB in the 2011 Draft Class? Newton? Gabbert? Locker? Taylor? Maybe. But Adam Froman belongs near the top of this list. He can throw, too. Photo by algaedoc http://www.flickr.com/photos/by-ken/

This week, I’m profiling offensive skill players who I believe have the ability to develop into quality professionals if they have been training hard enough in this crazy offseason to hit the ground running. Profiles of these players are excerpts from my publication, the 2011 Rookie Scouting Portfolio, available at Footballguys.com

Adam Froman 6-4, 219: Froman is a JUCO transfer who really didn’t become a passing quarterback until he went to a junior college in Santa Rosa, California. He devleoped into an efficient JUCO passer and carried over that 60 percent completion rate during his next two seasons at Louisville.

There are other numbers that are even more impressive in the spring: 4.55 and 4.08. These times are his 40 and 20-yard shuttle numbers and they are among thebest of any QB in this class loaded with impressive athletes like Newton, Gabbert, Locker and Tyrod Taylor. Continue reading →

ESPN Analyst Matt Williamson Part III

July 20, 2011 0 Comments read Matt Waldman

San_Francisco_49ers-original — ESPN NFL analyst Matt Williamson discusses his transition from the NFL to major media. Photo by The Brit_2 http://www.flickr.com/photos/26686573@N00

ESPN analyst Matt Williamson is a former NFL scout for the Cleveland Browns. He agreed to talk about a variety of topics in a three-part interview at The Rookie Scouting Portfolio. In Part I, Williamson discusses an emerging NFL offensive trend with personnel and then explains the difference between scouting for a football team and a media conglomerate. In Part II, Williamson tells the story of his ascent to football’s biggest stage despite never playing the game. In this final installment, Williamson discusses his role with the Browns, his transition to ESPN, and the resources he uses to continue learning about the game and its players.

Waldman: What were your responsibilities with the Browns?

Williamson: I was equal parts NFL and college scout. I was in charge of the NFC West. I had to have a grade on every player in the NFC West at all times and be on top of all of the player movement for that position.

Then I had 20-25 schools: Penn State, Maryland, Marshall, West Virginia, Pitt, the New York area. More or less anywhere you could drive six hours from Cleveland. You put a circle around Cleveland – more east than anything – and that’s where I was. Then I was crosschecking on a lot of the other stuff, too. Everyone had their own region.

Waldman: You were there for the 2005 NFL Draft. Were you a part of that process?

Williamson: That’s the year we selected Braylon Edwards. We picked third in the draft. The war room leading up to the draft was amazing. I did speak my mind a little too much, but oh well.

Waldman: Why do you think that?

Williamson: Every GM or head coach is different. Some want more conversation about players in the war room than others. It’s something you have to get a feel for.

But it did surprise me how bashful some guys were. I mean, all of our reports were due well before we sat down to talk about these players so everyone knew what you thought of the player.

Speak your mind. The only way to be great and be able to sleep at night is to say what you think. You do that well on the air.

Waldman: Thanks. Without getting into too much detail, what was the basic scouting system like in Cleveland?

Williamson: It’s a standardized report that is entered into their system They still have them. I’m sure they can access my scouting report on DeMarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman, Pac-Man Jones, and all the guys I went to see.

Waldman: What were some of your favorite parts of the job?

Williamson: Like I said before, the war room leading up to the draft was great. So was game day. The intensity of it and being on the sideline was unbelievable – I really miss that. I also learned a lot from having the chance to drop into position meetings whenever I wanted.

Waldman: How did your time come to an end in Cleveland? Continue reading →

ESPN Analyst Matt Williamson Part II

July 19, 2011 0 Comments read Matt Waldman

071110-G-1103J-122 - Cleveland Browns Military Appreciation Day — ESPN Analyst Matt Williamson discusses his ascent from watching film for a high school recruiting firm in exchange for lunch to working for the Cleveland Browns as an NFL scout. Photo by U.S. Coast Guard http://www.flickr.com/photos/coast_guard/5435865047/sizes/l/in/photostream/

ESPN analyst Matt Williamson is a former NFL scout for the Cleveland Browns. He agreed to talk about a variety of topics in a three-part interview at The Rookie Scouting Portfolio. In Part I, Williamson discusses an emerging NFL offensive trend with personnel and then explains the difference between scouting for a football team and a media conglomerate. In this post, Williamson tells the story of his ascent to football’s biggest stage despite never playing the game.

Waldman: Tell me about your football background.

Williamson: I never put pads on in my life. I came from a rather nonathletic family. I played baseball and basketball like every kid, but I was never picked for an all-star game. I was never the first kid picked for a team. I am slow. But the love for football was always there.

When I was six years old and we would go on vacation I got preview guides and just read them the whole time. That’s all I cared about. I was a huge Steelers fan growing up here in Pittsburgh, and obviously football is “sort of big” in this town. I’m sure that had something to do with it.

Waldman: How did you get into scouting?

Williamson: I went to school at Pitt at Johnstown. Throughout college my neighbor owned a swimming pool servicing company. It was a really small organization all based on service. Every summer I would come home and work for him. Over those five summers I gained more and more responsibility and eventually I was running my own crew at the end.

I was a creative writing major. When I graduated, my grades weren’t great and I didn’t have a great direction. I didn’t know what I was going to do. So I bought the swimming pool company. The owner was an older guy and I got a great price on it. I was my own boss when I was 22 years old and I had an employee or two. It made money and allowed me to do whatever I wanted during the winters. Continue reading →

ESPN Analyst Matt Williamson Part I

July 17, 2011 0 Comments read Matt Waldman

FootballJayelAheram — ESPN analyst Matt Williamson joined Matt Waldman to talk football. Williamson, a former college director and NFL scout, shares his story and perspective on the game in this multi-part conversation. Photo by Jayel Aheram

Waldman: What is a positional trend in the NFL that you believe is really making a league-wide impact?

Williamson: One thing that I think is really becoming more prevalent and I think that we’ll continue to see much more of it is hybrid offensive players. People that come to mind are Aaron Hernandez, Dallas Clark, Reggie Bush, and Percy Harvin. Now Harvin doesn’t count as much as those others, but the rest of those guys are all in really good offenses with smart quarterbacks – which is absolutely a necessity.

The problem they present to defenses is how do you count them? If you are a defensive coordinator and Reggie Bush is on the field with a fullback, a tight end, and two wide outs are you going to call Bush a running back and just play a base defense against him? Okay, that’s cool… Continue reading →

Execution

June 29, 2011 0 Comments read Players, Tight End, Wide Receiver

Tony Gonzalez has enjoyed a long and productive career because as his athleticism has declined he still executes strong technique. Photo by Chemisti http://www.flickr.com/photos/chemisti/457300762/

While researching YouTube highlights for my last blog post, I came across a series of short videos on fundamentals for wide receiver and tight end. One set of these videos features former Packers, Chiefs, and Vikings tight end Paul Coffman, who does a fantastic job of demonstrating fundamental techniques for blocking, releases, routes, and pass catching. The other set has current NFL pros demonstrating the same fundamentals.

The difference between the two is that Coffman’s videos feature middle school and high school students executing these techniques. This may seem boring in contrast to the NFL stars, but there’s something to be gained from watching both, which is the vast difference in execution. This seems obvious, but it is vitally important when evaluating players. Coffman’s kids are still learning these techniques while the pros make everything look easy and effortless.

But “simple” and “easy” aren’t synonymous without years of practice. This is something to remember every time you watch a college athlete or young NFL player. Those prospects who make fundamentals look easy closer to becoming refined pros than those who are simply athletes with raw positional skills. Continue reading →