The Combine and Success!

How can one make a name for him self you might ask? Well two of these prospects almost broke Chris Johnson’s (CJ2K) all time 40-yard dash time.  The two kids really improved their draft stock as well as turned some heads were wide receivers Tavon Austin andMarquise Goodwin. Tavon was already listed as one of the best special team players going into the combine and had boasted he would be fast. He backed it up. Goodwin on the other hand was not exactly known. Now he has made a name for himself.

Another player that improved his stock was Dee Milliner corner back from The University of Alabama. He is listed as the top cornerback draft prospect. His only knock was his speed. According to NFL.com’s Around the League, Dee Milliner was the fastest cornerback at the combine. Why is this so significant? Well here is the video of his run and the response from the announcer. He was once a top 20 pick. Now he is a top 10 pick! Probably top five going to the Detroit Lions.

Agents who prepare their prospects properly understand these conditions. Milliners agents job was to find the one thing the teams would knock his prospect on and make sure Milliner succeeded at it. Milliner did! The bottom line is as an agent you become a parent to these kids. You have to protect, raise, help, and watch over them as if they were your own children. Their success is your success.

In my next post I will discuss the players that had a poor showing at the combine.

Interview with Cincyjungle.com Joe Goodberry

CincyJungle.com is an SB Nation website for the Cincinnati Bengals. It has been one of my favorite websites for a long time. Over the past few years I've gotten to know the staff there and become friends with a few of them. One of these fellows is Joe Goodberry. He is one of their writers as well as the lead draft analyst for CincyJungle.com for the past two years. He has also been covering the NFL as a whole for the past three years. You can see some of his amazing works by going to his blog on SB Nation and you can follow him on Twitter at @joegoodberry.

Our friendship extends beyond the mere fasciation of our beloved Cincinnati Bengals Football team. It goes deeper into a hobby we both have a passion for, sports scouting. He personally took me under his wings and has begun to teach me how to evaluate and analyze video of prospects. He has a natural talent for teaching others the job. He is knowledgeable and a great scout to learn from. I am honored to call a friend and mentor. Here is a recent interview I had with him.

Interview method: Email
Interviewed: Joe Goodberry of CincyJungle.com

Subject: Sports scouting

Date: 02/19/2013

1. How did you end up getting into sports scouting specifically for NFL college prospects?

-- I was always interested in the draft process as a teen. It seemed strange that so many wealthy organizations could make such bad decisions while others couldn't go wrong. There were so many variables and I couldn't consume enough information about the evaluation process. It eventually lead to my own ideas and differing opinions from those I looked up to in the business. When I got to know some of these scouts/evaluators, I began to realize I had the "eye" and you didn't need to be some former coach or player to do the job. It felt like a level playing field and my competitive spirit took over. I began watching and learning everything I could about one position until I felt like I could tell the story and project the prospect as if I've been following their entire career. From there, I moved on and grew into a more well rounded evaluator.

2. What is the hardest part of the Job?

-- Competing with the Mel Kipers and Todd McShays of the world. Their word has become gospel for the casual reader/listener. You're forever fighting for your opinion in a loud sports bar. It becomes stressful.

3. Other than yourself, whom would you recommend aspiring scouts follow on twitter and look into?

-- Everybody. The people you agree with will help strengthen your arguments and the people you disagree with will force you to become a better and more open-minded evaluator. Find the people that will listen to your thoughts even though they may not know your name. They're hungry for information as well and together you both can learn something.

4. Who are your top prospects this year going into the NFL draft? (Just a few positions)

-- My top five players currently are Chance Warmack (OG, Alabama), Luke Joeckel (OT, Texas A&M), Eric Fisher (OT, Central Mich), Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State) and Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State).

5. Who’s your favorite NFL team?

-- The Cincinnati Bengals. One of my earliest football memories are the tiger strip helmets in the Super Bowl.

6. Last year, you were featured on the Cincinnati BengalsWebsite, How did that come about? Was it a highlight moment for you?

-- They actually approached me and I was blown away. It was a dream come true. I've been reading that site and Geoff Hobson since I was very young. It was definitely a highlight of my limited experience.

7. What advice can you give to aspiring scouts/agents?

-- I don't consider myself a scout, because those guys are out there on the road and grinding night and day away from their families. They deserve the title, but if you're aspiring to get into an evaluation or representation football job, I would advise anyone to make sure it's what you really want to do. You have to love it because it can be a grind with short nights. There are plenty of unseen factors that might turn you away from doing it. Research the job and talk to people who've done it.