The Evaluation Process.

[manxman2601]

This is a must read on the process that NFL teams use throughout the evaluation process.

Not just throwing darts: A behind-the-scenes look at the NFL scouting process, and how players ultimately land on each team's draft board - SBNation.com

 

[manxman2601]

I enjoyed that so much I posted the link before I'd even finished it. Now that I have, I just want to say that it's about the best draft related article I've read. Brilliant insight.

 

[mayoclinic]

Really great read. Thanks for the link.

It's interesting how much the scouting process or many teams - the 'Newsome approach' described - is so much like what happens on this board. Guys go out and watch film of prospects and see something they like, then they bounce it around. When there's disagreement, people go back and watch more film and try to come to an independent consensus. We keep going back and continue to hammer on prospects and weed out those who don't fit. It's interesting how similar the basic approach is.

FWIW, here's an old thread discussing the Pats' grading criteria (including a specific qualifier for height deficiency):

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...93-patriot-reign-how-pats-grade-players.html

 

[mayoclinic]

A bit of a tangential issue, but a really excellent read today from Andy Benoit of the MMQB series on the potential red flags in evaluating free agent prospects:

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/03/05/nfl-free-agency-risks/

Lamarr Houston and Alex Mack stand out to be as free agents with no red flags except potentially their price.

 

[everlong]

Great article. I've read most of it in different places but this was very comprehensive. I liked adding in prospects from this draft and scenarios.

 

[BobDigital]

Interesting read. Here is my TE official draft ranking going by their system.

Ebron 7.1
ASJ 6.9
Aramo 6.6
Niklas 6.5
CJ 6.0

Also I had no idea the Patriots only had 75 guys on their board. I would think due to pure need they would have about 100 this year.

 

[manxman2601]

Interesting read. Here is my TE official draft ranking going by their system.

Ebron 7.1
ASJ 6.9
Aramo 6.6
Niklas 6.5
CJ 6.0

Also I had no idea the Patriots only had 75 guys on their board. I would think due to pure need they would have about 100 this year.

I like those grades. Don't have an issue with them although I'd probably bump Amaro and Niklas up by .1.

 

[manxman2601]

This is interesting from Phil Savage:

@SeniorBowlPhil: In the simplest terms, BB wanted to categorize the prospect as a "starter", "potential starter", "backup" or "camp body", no Round grades

.

This is in relation to BB not wanting scouts to grade prospects by round. The scouts would come up with the eval whilst BB and his staff would then decide which round a prospect should be drafted in.

 

[DaBruinz]

This article is nice in a few ways.

1) It mentions Daniel Jeremiah who was a scout for the Ravens under Ozzie Newsome. Newsome started his after football career as a Scout for Belichick and then because an assistant to the Belichick in 1993..

2) The way that Jeremiah describes the scouting process rings very similar to what we know Belichick does because of the book "Patriot Reign".

3) I dislike how the author gives credit to certain people for a particular "Way" when, in reality, they are basing their "Way" off something that someone else taught them. For example, the credit he gives to Newsome and Wolf when it screams of the way that Belichick has his boards.

4) They mention the drafting by volume vs. targeted drafting and use Seattle and the Patriots as examples. But they totally ignore that prior to 2012, the Pats had drafted 33 players in 3 years..

5) I feel fairly comfortable in saying that I don't believe the Patriots go into each draft with exactly 75 players. I think it varies based on the number of players they rate as 5.5 or better. The reason I say 5.5 or better is because 5.5 is what a back-up player rates. It may even be 6.0 and better with the "back board" being the 5.5s.

 

[manxman2601]

Here's a good complement to the article in the OP. It's a decent breakdown of the 8.0 point NFL grading system by Jerry Angelo.

NFL Draft 101 | National Football Post