What do NFL Scouts look for in a player - for dummies
An intriguing process that takes place largely behind closed doors, the preparation for the NFL Draft is an exhaustive review of thousands of prospects, every game, every play, and every interview is analyzed. NFL scouts will often meet with coaches, teammates, and even family members to go as in-depth as possible, trying to find not only the most skilled players but also the best fits for their team. All this begs the question, what is it exactly that the scouts are looking for?
This question, of course, can be answered in countless different ways. In a 2020 interview with NFL Media Originals, Vikings GM Rick Spielman made it clear that he was looking for players who will "make an immediate impact on the roster," and the GM of the Ravens, Eric Decosta says it’s "all about risk vs reward." The problem is, these answers are nothing new, of course teams want impact players, and it certainly doesn’t come as a surprise that low-risk players are coveted in the League. So is there a definite “checklist,” so to speak, of exactly what makes an ideal NFL draft prospect?
The first thing any NFL team looks for and the most important thing to any scout doesn’t take place on the field, but consists of everything that happens off the field. Don’t believe me? Look at Laremy Tunsil, a star offensive tackle out of Ole Miss who had been considered “a locked in top 3 pick” for months, all of a sudden video of him smoking comes out, one thing leads to another, and Tunsil, who played as well as any OT could, is picked by Miami at 13, as the 4th tackle off the board. There are other things to consider here as well, is the player a natural leader? Can the team rally around him? These questions caused LSU safety Jamal Adams’ stock to explode, and could have been the reason the Dolphins picked ‘Bama’s Tua Tagovailoa over Oregon’s Justin Herbert, who teammates and coaches alike described as “Shy,” a trait NFL teams tend to shy away from, no pun intended.
Obviously, teams also take notice of what happens on the field, and this is where the real fun begins. The first thing to understand is that there are multiple types of prospects, and no, I don’t mean QB prospects and DE prospects, what I mean is that every pick, every player in the class can be put into a category. Part of the reason Laremy Tunsil, who I talked about earlier, was projected to go so high was that he’s what’s considered a “plug and play” prospect, meaning he would be slated to start even before training camp began. These prospects typically separate themselves from the pack with advanced technical skill, high football IQ, and an advanced understanding of the game.
Then there’s what’s known as an “upside” pick, a vast category that includes modern-day NFL stars like the Seahawks’ DK Metcalf, or the Bills’ Josh Allen, who enjoyed a long-overdue breakout in 2020. This group of players typically make a name for themselves with out-of-this-world physical traits but tend to give NFL scouts and GMs significant reason to worry that their production in the league won’t reflect what it was in college. DK Metcalf exploded onto the scene when, at 6’4”, 230 lbs, he ran a 4.33 40-yard dash and posted a 40” vertical leap, but scouts had reservations surrounding his 3-Cone drill performance, which fell short of even Tom Brady’s time. 2021 Prospect Jayson Oweh is a similar story, as scouts’ jaws surely dropped to the floor when they saw reports of the 270-pound defensive end running the 40-yard dash in less than 4.40 seconds, but NFL teams should worry about the fact that Oweh failed to register a single sack across 347 snaps in 2020.
Players that don’t fit into the proverbial “Plug and Play” and “Upside” categories are often called “developmental” prospects. QBs in this category are often the type of players who benefit from taking a year on the bench, whilst learning from a veteran, and Offensive Lineman in this group, such as Tristan Wirfs of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, often have shown that they have all the tools to succeed, but might need some superb coaching to help them get there.
While most prospects can be put into one of these three simple boxes, it’s important to note that some players might overlap two, or even all three of these categories, whereas others might be in a whole different group altogether. Pittsburgh’s DE Rashad Weaver can be considered a “plug and play” prospect, because he will certainly come in handy against the run on day one, but is more of a “developmental” player when rushing the passer. Whereas Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley doesn’t fit in any of these boxes, as his lack of experience against NFL-level competition rules him out as a “plug and play” option, but his advanced technical skill and quick processing ability make him an impractical fit for either of the other categories.
There is no clear-cut, conclusive way to scout NFL prospects, but, as is true of most things in life, the simple answer is often the right one. Grouping prospects like this can help us recognize which players might fit which teams, regardless of the scheme. A high upside player is always perfect for an already solid team with the luxury of being able to take the risk, where-as a developmental player is never a bad choice for a team looking to rebuild.
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