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"Throw out all the rules"

Mr. Scot

By Mr. Scot,
in Carolina Panthers

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Mr. Scot Grand Master

Mr. Scot

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Mentioned elsewhere that Lady Cowboy Fan got me a book called "Scout Speak" by Neil Stratton of "Inside the League" for Christmas. It's about learning how NFL scouts evaluate talent.

IMG_20211226_103156558.thumb.jpg.ef9e25e24baacdca7cec3dc03345cf5b.jpg

Here's one of the first paragraphs in the book, Stratton explaining some of the core things he's learned in twenty years of scouting experience...

1. Throw out all the rules No matter what any scout says, there are none. As a fan, or as a young football professional, you will be told certain positions have to be certain sizes run certain speeds or have certain production. Maybe, maybe not. Scouting is, was, and always will be highly subjective. Trends, popularity, which players are deemed to be "safe" at what rounds, etc., matter far more to most teams and their scouts than they'd like to admit. But none of that matters...

I'd like to add "arm length" to that list of crap that doesn't mean anything 😕

Stratton goes on to explain why and add in some other cool insights into the scouting world.

With a forward by Jeff Ireland that includes some good behind the scenes stories, this is definitely a book I can tell I'm going to enjoy.

And throw in that right out of the gate, it says something about Matt Rhule's rules.

Edited by Mr. Scot
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CarolinaNCSU Proficient

CarolinaNCSU

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At the end of the day, football and evaluation should be simple but is convoluted by "forward" thinkers trying to find an edge.  Keep it simple. 

1. Can they play?

2. Are they smart/good teammate/etc.? 

3.  Oh yeah, can they play? 

When you start solely nixing players because of certain athletic or body measures, and not what's on their tape, you're going to fug up. 

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AU-panther Mentor

AU-panther

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Not to be an apologist for Rhule but BC had 32 teams pass on him for multiple rounds.  Why is that?

He probably had the best college tape of any of the OT prospects.  Why did 32 teams pass on him multiple times?

It's because of arm length.  So in fact, these scouts didn't "throw out the rules" or he would have been drafted before he was.

Rhule would be better served by not always being so open with his thoughts.  He would have been better served not saying anything or saying maybe they think BC's skillset is better served at guard, which would have came across as much more logical than just blaming arm length.

With that being said, I would definitely give BC a chance there to see what he can do, but to act like Rhule is the only person in the league who factors in measurables to decide where to play a player is ignorant.

 

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Mr. Scot Grand Master

Mr. Scot

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3 minutes ago, AU-panther said:

Not to be an apologist for Rhule but BC had 32 teams pass on him for multiple rounds.  Why is that?

He probably had the best college tape of any of the OT prospects.  Why did 32 teams pass on him multiple times?

It's because of arm length.  So in fact, these scouts didn't "throw out the rules" or he would have been drafted before he was.

Rhule would be better served by not always being so open with his thoughts.  He would have been better served not saying anything or saying maybe they think BC's skillset is better served at guard, which would have came across as much more logical than just blaming arm length.

With that being said, I would definitely give BC a chance there to see what he can do, but to act like Rhule is the only person in the league who factors in measurables to decide where to play a player is ignorant.

Stratton's point isn't that the majority of teams and scouts throw out the rules, but that they should.

As to why teams passed on  Christensen though, I doubt it's as simple as one thing.

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AU-panther Mentor

AU-panther

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Just now, Mr. Scot said:

Stratton's point isn't that the majority of teams and scouts throw out the rules, but that they should.

As to why teams passed on  Christensen though, I doubt it's as simple as one thing.

If he had some of the best tape in all of college football at the LT positions what else could it be?

Also his athletic testing numbers were elite.

The only thing left were his measurables.

Players get drafted on production, testing, and measurables.  He was elite at 2 of those, but he made it to the 3rd round.

 

 

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Mr. Scot Grand Master

Mr. Scot

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4 minutes ago, AU-panther said:

If he had some of the best tape in all of college football at the LT positions what else could it be?

Also his athletic testing numbers were elite.

The only thing left were his measurables.

Players get drafted on production, testing, and measurables.  He was elite at 2 of those, but he made it to the 3rd round.

School and level of competition, among other things...

The draft profiles of Christensen that I've read had him projected as a backup at the NFL level. Third round is pretty reasonable for that. 

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kungfoodude Grand Master

kungfoodude

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8 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

School and level of competition, among other things...

The draft profiles of Christensen that I've read had him projected as a backup at the NFL level. Third round is pretty reasonable for that. 

Yeah, he also got beaten like a snare drum by some guys that will never be NFL level players. That stood out.

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AU-panther Mentor

AU-panther

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Just now, Mr. Scot said:

School and level of competition, among other things...

The draft profiles of Christensen that I've read had him projected as a backup at the NFL level. Third round is pretty reasonable for that. 

exactly.  He was projected by scouts as a backup even though he had elite athletic testing and elite production.  What does that tell you?  Use some logic, the entire league had doubts about his measurables.

Yes, scouts do factor in level of competition when looking at the production aspect of the evaluation puzzle, but that alone didn't drop him that much.

Here again, I think it's stupid we aren't playing him at LT, lets see what he can do, what do we have to lose at this point but i think all of this "arm length talk" has kind of took a life of its own.  I've got bigger issues with Rhule than that comment.

If he would have said his physical traits are better suited for guard then I don't think people would have been so upset or it would have been as big of a deal.  Honestly most of the league agrees with that.

Personally, I thought he was a really good prospect at LG, with some of his quickness.  I know if he can be an average LT that would be an upgrade for us but personally, I thought his best chance of being elite was at LG.  I think the fan base would have been ok with that if we would have just committed to something.

 

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