How to Be an NFL Scout

Learn how to become an NFL Scout. Tips and advice from current NFL Scouts on what it takes to be successful in the profession.

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). Each team plays 16 games during the NFL’s 17-week regular season. Most NFL scouts are former college or professional football players, while others have experience working in player personnel departments. Scouting organizations hire street free agents and host tryouts to find new talent for their teams.

What Does an NFL Scout Do?

An NFL Scout is responsible for talent evaluation and recruitment of new players for their organisation. There are three types of scouting: regional, national and international. A regional scout covers a specific area of the country and is responsible for finding and evaluating local talent. A national scout covers the entire country and is responsible for finding and evaluating the best talent from across the nation. An international scout is responsible for finding and evaluating talent from outside of the United States.

Researching Players

One of the most important aspects of an NFL scout’s job is researching players.
They must be able to watch game film and quickly identify which players have the skillset that would make them valuable to an NFL team, and which players do not.

This requires a great deal of knowledge about thegame of football, as well as an understanding of what each NFL team is looking for in its players.

Scouts must also be able to effectively communicate their findings to those who make the final decisions about which players will be drafted or signed by a team.

Evaluating Players

Evaluating players is the most important part of an NFL scout’s job. They must be able to watch game tape and see beyond the numbers to identify which players have the skills and potential to be successful at the next level.

This is where experience and intuition come into play, as there is more to a player than just their 40-yard dash time or bench press reps. An NFL scout must be able to see how a player will fit into their team’s system and whether they have the drive and passion to be successful.

Scouting also involves communicating with coaches, trainers, and other personnel to get a feel for a player’s character and work ethic. This is just as important as their on-field ability, as a player who is talented but doesn’t have the right attitude can be a recipe for disaster.

Attending Games

In order to scout potential NFL players, scouts must attend the games of colleges and universities that they are assigned to. They typically work on a freelance basis for NFL teams, meaning that they are not employees of the teams, but rather contracted to do scouting work for them.

During the game, the scout will sit in the stands and take notes on the players on the field. They will note things like how well a player runs, how well they catch a ball, their blocking skills, and their overall athleticism. After the game, the scout will compile their notes and send them off to the team that they contract with.

How to Become an NFL Scout

National Football League (NFL) scouts are responsible for identifying talented football players and recommending them to their team’s management. NFL scouts typically have a background in playing football at the college or professional level. Many of them also have experience working in the NFL as coaches or in another capacity. If you have a passion for football and want to work in the NFL, becoming a scout may be the perfect job for you. In this article, we’ll show you how to become an NFL scout.

Prerequisites

While there is no one path to becoming an NFL scout, there are some common routes that many scouts take. Most NFL scouts have a background in playing football, either at the collegiate or professional level. This experience gives them a deep understanding of the game and what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

In addition to playing experience, many scouts also have a background in coaching. This helps them understand the Xs and Os of football, and how to evaluate players based on their on-field performance. Scouts who have neither playing nor coaching experience may be able to compensate for this lack of experience with a strong knowledge of the game and an extensive network of football contacts.

Whatever your background, if you want to become an NFL scout, you will need to start building your knowledge of the game. Start by watching as much football as you can, at all levels. Pay attention not only to the action on the field, but also to the commentary from analysts and commentators. As you watch, take note of the things that make some players successful and others not so successful.

In addition to watching games, read as much about football as you can. There are many books about strategy, tactics, and different ways to play the game. There are also biographies and autobiographies of famous coaches and players that can give you insight into their thought processes and how they approach the game. The more you know about football, the better prepared you will be to evaluate players at all levels of the game.

Steps to Becoming an NFL Scout

There is no one guaranteed path to becoming an NFL scout. However, most scouts have a background in playing football themselves, either at the collegiate or professional level. Here are some steps that may help you on your way to becoming an NFL scout:

1. Get a degree in scouting or a related field. While there is no specific degree required to become an NFL scout, many scouts have a degree in sports management or a related field. A degree will give you the opportunity to learn about the business of football and the principles of scouting.

2. Play football at the collegiate or professional level. Many NFL scouts have experience playing football at the collegiate or professional level. This experience can be helpful in understanding the game from a player’s perspective and evaluating talent.

3. Gain experience working in the scouting department of an NFL team. Many scouts start out working in the scouting department of an NFL team, often as an intern. This experience can be helpful in understanding the day-to-day operations of a scouting department and how to evaluate players.

4. Attend scouting events and combines. Scouting events and combines are opportunities for scouts to evaluate players in person. Attend these events to gain experience evaluating talent and networking with other scouts

Conclusion

The National Football League employs hundreds of scouts all over the country to find the best college football players, but only a handful of those will ever become full-time, professional NFL scouts. If you have a love for the game and want to work in the NFL, becoming a scout may be the perfect career for you. Follow these steps to increase your chances of becoming an NFL scout.

1. Get a degree in scouting or sport management. While there are no specific education requirements to become an NFL scout, most scouts have at least a bachelor’s degree in scouting or sport management.

2. Start working in the college ranks. Many NFL scouts begin their careers working for college programs, first as graduate assistants and then as full-time assistant coaches. This is a great way to learn the ins and outs of scouting while getting paid to do it.

3. Attend NFL scouting events. There are several scouting events held each year, such as the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, where you can learn more about what scouts look for in players and network with other professionals in the field.

4. Send your resume to all 32 NFL teams. Even if there are no open scout positions at the time, it’s important to get your name and information out there so that when a position does open up, you’ll be one of the first people they think of.

5. Be prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up. Like with most professions, there is a lot of grunt work involved in being an NFL scout, such as watching tape and traveling to games. But if you stick with it and show that you’re good at your job, you will eventually be rewarded with a full-time position with an NFL team