My Scouting Methods: Offense

So I have decided to put into writing how I scout players and what exactly I look for at each position. There are some very specific things I look for in some positions, and other times when more general things are important. Sometimes I will admit when I have a feeling about players (Darren McFadden) that has no basis in scouting but overwhelms me and must be accounted for. Other times there is very specific criticism (Jimmy Clausen against the rush) that makes highly touted players fall. Generally speaking the difference between my analysis and others won't be large, but can be somewhat different.

QB: I've always felt a QB that wins in college will generally be a winner in the NFL. This isn't always true, as my favorite QB of all time John Elway never went to a bowl game but won 2 Super Bowls, so team must be accounted for. In addition to the ability to win, the main attributes necessary for good QBs are accuracy and poise. Arm power is very overrated with scouts. While a strong arm will help, many teams will overvalue that. Throwing a 18-20 yard out route is great, but anticipation and accuracy to place the ball are more important than the laser to put it on a spot. The NFL is based on timing more than anything, and QBs know their strength and when to throw to put the ball in a spot, so accuracy means so much more.

RB: While speed and strength are vitals parts of a RBs arsenal, vision is the most important skill a back can have. Vision isn't taught or learned, but an ability someone is born with. Even when I played football I knew that even if I was fast or strong, I didn't have the same vision as others to find the right hole and explode through. Along with vision burst is necessary to be able to go through the hole and pick up yards. The big home run hitters very rarely can pick up tough yards, but guys with good burst and vision will be able to contribute on every down and be successful in the NFL.

WR: This position is probably the greatest discrepancy between combine numbers and actual NFL ability. So much focus is paid to 40 times and vertical jumps, when in reality the best receivers run crisp routes and are agile. Getting in and out of breaks is more important than straight line speed. If you're running a 9 route ok, but otherwise running fast in a line won't help you accomplish much because no one runs straight on the field. WRs in a diverse offensive scheme have a leg up due to their familiarity with the routes of an NFL team. Today's teams require drags and short slants as opposed to streaks and skinny posts, so WRs must adapt to those routes to be productive at the next level.

TE: The tight end position is tricky to evaluate because every team uses their tight ends a little differently. Some prefer TEs that can block and run the short to intermediate routes. While others want someone to stretch the field vertically up the seam and split out as a big WR. So I really struggle to decide what exactly I look for, but it really depends on the team's offense. Usually I try to find a mix of WR and OT, someone who can help set the edge on the run, chip on DEs and LBs in pass protection, and still run routes well. Speed is a little overrated at TE because they generally are space creators when running seam routes as opposed to actually trying to get over top the safeties. So knowledge of pass coverages helps as well.

OT: Playing offensive tackle well is extremely difficult, because even if you win the one on one battle 90% of the time, you probably just gave up 2-3 sacks or hurries. When watching tackles I like to see a quick first step, whether it be backwards or forwards. After that a good slide with balance when pass blocking is necessary to set the edge. Arm length is nice to create separation but not the ultimate physical attribute. Seeing a thick core helps when anchoring. This is the position where it seems most like a stock show as opposed to a human being.

OG/C: The interior OL positions are about the same. The require a little more bulk and a little less speed than the OT position. Pulling guards generally aren't out past the hashes anymore with more power O plays and less toss sweeps and student bodies. The decent interior linemen can rely on brute strength to survive, but the best will use hand placement when dealing with bigger DTs and blitzing LBs. Watch someone like Steve Hutchinson or Alan Faneca, they don't just bull through guys, they keep people out of their chest. Agility is always nice, but again a thick core is usually the most important part.