Was that a Dan Kadar sighting?

Not to be out-done by Dan Kadar's return to life, we felt it may be prudent to update the good people that read these (anyone?) on the status of the website.

This fall we've been lucky to add to our staff in the form of new scouts, writers and high school scouts. We feel like we have one of the deepest and most well rounded staffs on the Internet (watch out, Scouts Inc.).

New Scouts:
High School Scouts Nick Ironside and Caleb Johnson. Nick will be heading up our interviews, while Caleb will assist Flynn Hill in scouting.

Jeremy Pugh will be taking over the Big 12 North as a new college scout on the staff.

Luke Chandler has added the talented Matt Brown to his writing staff, in addition to newcomer Matt Feminis.

There's more on the way. Be sure to sign up for our free draft guide at nesdraftguide@gmail.com!

Scouting 101: Offensive Linemen Part 2 of 2

Hand Placement: Hand placement is extremely important for every offensive lineman, on every play. Hand placement dictates leverage, angling and even penalties. If a lineman's hands are too wide, it's holding. If he doesn't have the proper placement on the chest of the defender, a holding penalty can be called, or the blocker can lose the battle that happens on every play up front.

Ideally, the blocker will place both hands on the chest plate of the defender in a run blocking situation. Outside pass blockers are taught to punch, instead of initiating contact and trying to control the rusher.
Scouting Points: Look for a lineman that has quick hands and doesn't get too wide in his placement. Ideally, the lineman will control the defender by keeping his hands inside the shoulder and most likely on the chest plate of the defender. A lineman should have a wide base and a thin top when blocking. His hands should be up, almost like a boxer, when he comes out of the snap. Most lineman are taught to fire out of their stance and actually clap their hands together in an effort to teach them to keep their arms in.

Vision: An offensive lineman must be able to see the rush coming, or see the defender he's assigned to, on every play. Having exceptional peripheral and straight-line vision are important for a lineman. Tackles must excel at seeing blitzers coming off the edge, while guards and centers must be able to quickly spot and react to stunts, twists and zone drops.

Scouting Points: Short of giving an eye exam, there's not much we can do here other than watch. Most offensive tackles in college will be asked to block one-on-one with defensive ends, especially the good ones. A pro-level blocker will be able to recognize line stunts, twists and drops; but he must also be able to see the blitz coming off the edge and quickly react to it. This can be tested well in one-on-one situations.

Toughness: Every play is a literal fight for an offensive lineman. A lineman must have the mental and physical toughness to withstand a battle 60-75 times a game. Players are hit, kicked, gouged and slammed in to repeatedly. Injuries will happen almost every week. For a NFL team, a lineman must be able to stay in the game, every game, without losing his composure.

Pass Blocking Technique: This has been touched on in many of the sub-topics, but it all boils down to how well a lineman can actually block. An ideal pass block begins with a quick first step off the ball. When pass blocking, the first step is always back and usually with the outside leg. This gives the lineman leverage and balance. A tackle's first move is going to be to center himself with the rusher and to punch with his inside or outside hand, depending on the move the defender is making. A guard or center is going to also center himself, but instead of punching, he will actually make contact with the defender in an effort to control him. The lineman should have their knees bent and be taking small steps in order to control their balance and any leverage they have.
Scouting Points: Here we are breaking down every move the blocker makes. Does he have a quick outside step? How is his punch? Does he have the strength to over-power defenders? Every play you must look at the subjects listed here and evaluate the player.

Run Blocking Technique: Much like pass blocking, the first step is the key here. The run blocker will take a short step off the line of scrimmage and towards his defender or zone. The lineman will be looking to engage the defender and lock on with his hands on the sternum. This gives the lineman an area of contact to drive block the defender. It's key for the blocker to keep his head up, feet moving and hands in contast contact when drive blocking.
Scouting Points: Quickness off the ball, vision, strength and hand placement are the key here. We want the lineman to have a low pad level and to roll through his block, keeping his feet moving at all times.

Scouting 101: Offensive Linemen Part I

Scouting 101: How to Scout an Offensive Lineman
Part 1 of 2
Presented by BetUS.com

The much anticipated, and delayed, look at how to scout an offensive lineman starts here. I put this off for as long as possible while I tried to organize my thoughts and notes from the past five years, but here is my scouting how-to.

When scouting an offensive lineman, we are looking at many things at once. We must look at size, strength, hand speed, footwork, agility, hand placement, vision, reflexes and toughness. These are all things that must not only be scouted, but evaluated and compared to other players at the position. These traits all combine to make an offensive lineman a good or bad pass blocker and run blocker, which is what we are essentially looking for.

It is hard to sum up what makes a good offensive lineman, since the label consists of three positions. We will look at each position individually, and as a whole, when breaking down the many traits that make up an offensive lineman.

Strength: A good offensive lineman has to be strong enough to drive his man off the line of scrimmage and control his area in pass protection. Strength can be measured quite simply by watching a player. Does he drive his man off the ball? Does he routinely get pushed backwards by the defender?
Scouting Points: Watch the lineman's technique here. Does he dip and drive the defender, or is he trying to just shadow block him? We want a lineman that has a mean streak and likes contact. The ideal lineman will drop his butt and hips, bend his elbows into a "V" formation and drive his man with his hands inside the chest plate of the shoulder pads. Try not to look too much into a player's bench press numbers. Some players are just naturally stronger and better lifters. There are too many outside factors to consider as well, like arm length and form.
Tackle: Offensive tackles are usually long and lean, and because of this not as impressive when benching. The offensive tackle must have strong arms and hands, but his power still comes from his base. A tackle must be light on his feet though, so we do not want a heavy player here. Give up a little strength with a tackle if he has quick feet and hands. Tackles are not asked to simply drive block as much as interior linemen, so if you can find a tackle that excels in pass blocking but needs work in the run game, you can work with him.
Guard: The ideal guard will be naturally strong, especially through the midsection. Guards are asked to open the majority of the running lanes in the NFL, so they must be able to simply move the pile. Guards are generally thicker in their base, with shorter arms and more brute strength. A great example of this is Larry Allen. While he is still quite tall, he is very solid throughout his base and has extraordinary overall strength. Guards are not asked to do much in pass protection when compared to tackles. They also benefit from having the help of the center on most downs. Center: Centers are the weakest of the group, but strength is still key to their performance. With more 3-4 defenses taking over in the NFL, centers must be strong enough to handle their man one-on-one if needed. A good center is going to have very strong lower body lifts and be able to use that strength to gain leverage. A center is at a blocking disadvantage because his first responsibility is the snap of the football.

Hand Speed: Having quick and strong hands is essential to being a good blocker. One of the first drills we teach young linemen on the high school level is to snap their hands up from a three point stance. Having quick hands is a necessity for a skilled pass blocker. You must be able to mirror and shadow the defender, with the ability to quickly punch and slide the rusher. Having quick hands in the run game allows you to get on the defender before he is able to get "into" the lineman's body and drive him off the ball.
Scouting Points: This attribute is pretty easy to scout, but there is quite a bit of comparison involved. A great thing to be able to do is obtain a sideline view of the offensive and defensive lines. You can then study the snap of the ball, on both rushing and passing downs, and see which lineman is getting his hands up and into the defender first. The lineman should make one, solid movement at the snap of the ball; with either his lead foot coming forward or going back, depending on the ball, and his hands coming up with his shoulders getting squared. All Positions: Every position is the same here, all linemen must have quick hands in order to hold up against skilled pass rushers and run stoppers. Being able to beat the defender of the ball is key, and much like in a fight, whomever lands the first punch generally wins.

Footwork/Agility: You routinely hear in scouting circles that offensive linemen must have the feet of a dancer to excel on the edge in the NFL. While interior offensive lineman can be protected by each other, an offensive tackle is generally on an island in pass protection and must have the agility and coordination to counter a faster pass rusher.
Scouting Points: We get to see this on almost every third-down in a game. The offensive lineman takes a quick out step and punches, while the defensive end rushes with a hard outside move. How does the lineman adjust to this? Does his inside foot (right foot for a LT, etc) stay planted, or is he nimble enough to move and slide? Can he hinge step (opening up towards the outside to wall off the pass rushing lane)?
Tackle: A well rounded offensive tackle must be able to hinge-step, slide step and double step to be an adequate pass rusher in the NFL. Part of being able to scout this is knowing the terminology. A hinge step is where the lineman (left tackle here) steps away from center and out, and then swings away from the line of scrimmage. This is called a hinge-step because the player mimics a door opening by turning himself away from the LOS. A slide step is just that, the player takes a hard step left, or right, and then slides with their inside foot to block off a rushing lane. A double step can be called many things, but we always kept this simple. The player will take one six-inch step (right/left) and then follow that with another six-inch step by the same foot. This can be done with one foot and then the back foot following.
Guard: All guards in the NFL must be able to pull, trap and fold block before entering the league. The best of the best at these blocks is an agile guard that can get to the perimeter and is quick and mobile enough to make a play on the end or linebacker he is blocking. To do this, the guard must have a quick outside step. Some OL coaches teach a cross-over step when pulling (left foot crosses behind right, then pull), while others teach a slide step. I prefer the cross-over step, as it puts the OL's shoulders square to the target.
Center: You will not see a center pull, trap or fold block many times in a game. In fact you'll never see one pull, but centers must be agile enough to get upfield. In some blocking schemes the center will key on a middle linebacker every play if he is uncovered on the line of scrimmage.

All apologies...

My coaching seminar for the weekend was canceled and Sunday I spent the day in bed with the flu. I'm working to combine my notes and issue the HUGE offensive line scouting breakdown ASAP.

Thanks for your patience. Feel free to mock my ability to stay on track.

Extra Points- 6/20

I apologize for the lack of updates lately. I'm in the process of moving from one state to another for work and trying to coordinate a few other projects.

The offensive line scouting information will be started on Sunday and hopefully finished by Monday evening.

Scouting 101: The Tight Ends

How to scout a tight end

Scouting a tight end is a chore to learn and even not easy to actually execute. To be able to look at a college tight end and know if he'll be a good NFL player, there is so much to look at. A complete tight end must be one-part receiver, one-part tackle and one-part fullback. The player must be able to pass block, run routes, catch and run block. A complete tight end must be agile, strong and have respectable speed in the open field. Each team wants something different in a tight end, I'll mainly be looking at how to find a tight end to compete against a cover two defense and work as a blocker in the running and passing games.

Speed : As cover two defenses become more trending, and as 3-4 defenses take over the NFL, tight ends must be able to run as well as other skill players. We are seeing more tight ends like Vernon Davis, who can consistently run a 4.4 40 yard dash. Greg Olsen, a first round pick in 2006, runs a legit 4.55. When playing against the Cover 2, NFL teams want their tight end to be able to run the seam (or hashes) route and hit the area between the linebackers and safeties. It's important for a tight end to have enough speed to get into his route quickly, but also to make plays with the ball in his hands. Against a cover two defense, a tight end generally will have one or two men to beat at most before scoring.
Scouting Points: Quite simply, the 40 yard dash. Game speed is very important, as mentioned with the wide receivers breakdown, but players are judged and ranked according to their speed in the dash. Anything under a 4.7 will get you classified as a receiving tight end. Above that and it's best to add weight and learn to block. Game speed can be evaluated by watching the tight end in his release and in his routes. Does he look heavy and uncoordinated? Is he out-running linebackers? Does the defense cover him with a safety?
Pro Standard: Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers

Strength: Even though we are seeing more and more teams use their tight ends as pass catchers first, they are still asked to block on running downs and even some passing situations. A tight end must be strong enough to not only be an effective blocker, but also to be able to release off the line of scrimmage and beat press coverage from a defensive end or linebacker. A tight end's primary role in the offense is as a do-it all type player. He must be strong enough to be relied upon as a blocker and red-zone receiver.
Scouting Points : This is also tested at the Combine with bench press reps of 225lbs. Strength is not always measured best in pure numbers though. Some players are naturally strong, but cannot bench press well. Other players excel in the weight room, but cannot put that strength to use on the field. The best way to scout strength on a tight end is to watch him closely when blocking. A good indicator of his strength is if the team uses him as a blocker and how they use him. Does the team trust him to handle a defensive end, or is he asked to climb the ladder to a secondary block on every down? A good tight end should be able to block 9 out of 10 defensive ends on his own. You can also watch to see how the tight end does in one-on-one blocking. Does he give up ground or can he hold his own? I also like to watch the tight end release into his routes. If he is jammed at the line of scrimmage, does the tight end fight to get off his man or is he too weak?
Pro Standard: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers

Agility: Agility is so important for the tight end. He must be agile enough to be a good pass/run blocker, but also have the quickness and mobility to be a pass receiver. The complete tight end must be able to not only take short, quick steps in the blocking game; but he must be able to run for distance and stretch the field. Being an overall athlete is a must for this position, and more and more we are seeing former basketball players excel at the position because of the required agility.
Scouting Points: As I've pointed out probably every time, the three cone and pro agility drills are my favorite to watch to get a gauge on agility. On film or in person you can get a good look at how athletic the tight end is by watching him move in and out of his cuts and by watching his feet and hips in the blocking game. Does he stumble and lumber around, or is he quick and fluid in his movements? These are some keys to watch for.
Pro Standard: Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers

Size: Size may be more important for a tight end than any other skill position. To play here, you must be of a certain height and weight. A short tight end will not only struggle blocking, but will also have a harder time getting open and being seen in tight spaces. A tight end that is too skinny or lean will not be able to fight off jams and "box out" in the red-zone. Size matters here because the tight end must be so versatile. It is important to remember that a tight end is going to take a lot of hits from linebackers and will be asked to bang heads with blitzing 'backers and ends for most of the game. They must have the size to hold up.
Scouting Points: Size cannot be scouted, but there is an industry standard here. Most tight ends need to weigh at least 245lbs. There has been some change here over the past few years with Vernon Davis and others coming into the league. We have always used 245 as a standard and will still mark a report if a player is under that weight. I prefer that a tight end be at least 6'3", but I've seen others use 6'2".
Pro Standard: Kellen Winslow, Jr, Cleveland Browns

Catching: Being able to catch is what separates a tight end from an offensive lineman. In the high school and even college ranks, the tight end is generally a bigger player that has decent hands. Once you get into major college football and the NFL, you will find that the tight end is a very specialized position that requires a lot of attention. This is the one position in football other than a quarterback that demands a position coach for so few roster spots. Being able to catch as a tight end is a virtually must. In the era of 3-4 and cover two defenses, a pass catching tight end is no longer a last resort. The tight end is now becoming a one or two read in most offenses. Because of the athletic ability being seen at the position, and because of the openings in zone coverages, a tight end used as a receiver propels most elite offenses in the NFL.
Scouting Points: This is quite simple, as noted with the wide receivers. I like to chart catches and drops for tight ends just like with the receivers. One thing to note with tight ends is that many have the bad habit of body catching because they are usually going across the middle. This is a very bad habit and one that must be broken during rookie camp if it persists. Tight ends need to have strong hands that can pull the ball in when in space and when they are getting hit. Watching tight ends run the gauntlet in Indianapolis is very important to me because here I have a chance to watch them make multiple catches in a very natural environment for them, as most tight ends will be running horizontal routes versus a wide receiver you runs mainly verticals.
Pro Standard: Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers

Pass Blocking: Not many offenses keep their tight ends back as pass blockers anymore, but this is still a valuable asset in the tight end. If a tight end is kept in on a pass blocking assignment , he is generally going to be asked to do one of two things; he will either be zone-blocking or hinge-blocking. My terminology may be different from what you learned, so I'll break these down in the next section.
Scouting Points: Zone blocking is becoming more popular with the success of the Denver Broncos and college teams like Florida and Texas. A zone block asks the player to take a 45-degree step to either the strong or weak side (which is called in the play) and fill a "zone" or "gap". This is a very popular method because it essentially allows you to fill every possible rushing lane and lets you utilize quicker linemen. Hinge blocking incorporates some of the zone theory, but instead the player steps first inside to close down the gap and then opens to the outside to seal off any edge rushers. This is called a hinge block because the player should resemble a door being opened when he steps back and outside. Now that you have a basic understanding of these blocking schemes, you can watch and evaluate how well the tight end is pass blocking. Some things to note in pass blocking are: a) the blocker needs to keep a wide base and use his hands to punch at the defender; b) in pass blocking, you do not want to engage the defender or lock up with him, you want to keep him at bay and punch, only taking him to the ground if he locks up with you; c) most linemen are taught to block inside out, watch for this on film.
Pro Standard: Kyle Brady, New England Patriots

Run Blocking: Run blocking is where tight ends earn their paychecks. Most people look at the red-zone touchdowns as the role of a tight end, but the majority of NFL offenses still teach run blocking over route running. The tight end is the catalyst for most off-tackle and outside runs. Depending on the play called and the blocking scheme, the tight end can be one of the most important people on the field. Run blocking is an unquestioned skill that every tight end must possess or learn immediately. Being an effective run blocker is what keeps most rookies off the field.
Scouting Points: Just as there were a few techniques to look at with pass blocking, there are some with run blocking. I won't get into steps as much here, but some things to look for follow. The tight end needs to be the first man off the line of scrimmage on every play. He must anticipate the snap count and fire off into his man. Once he has made contact, the blocker must get inside leverage (on the chest plate in most cases) and drive his man in the direction the play calls for. This is where lower-body strength comes into play. The tight end must be strong enough to use his butt and legs to drive the defender. The blocker will take short, choppy steps in an effort to move the defender. This is where the term "rolling your hips" comes from. The blocker should be rolling through his defender by using his legs to drive block.
Pro Standard: Mark Bruener, Houston Texans

Footwork: Footwork sets up all blocks, routes and catches. Having sound footwork will help the blocker set up the correct angle and puts the receiver in the proper position on his routes. Tight ends must be nimble on their feet and have exceptional balance to be able to play the position on every down.
Pro Standard: Jeremy Shockey, New York Giants

Explosiveness: As mentioned above, the tight end should be the fastest player off the line of scrimmage. The tight end must be explosive on every play as to not tip off pass patterns and run downs. Every release should be the same within the first few steps. Quick burst is very important to the position and will be watched and evaluated heavily on film and the Combine.
Pro Standard: Ben Watson, New England Patriots

Route Running: Tight ends are expected to be able to run precise routes, just as receivers are. The how-to for receivers is a good read on route running, but there are some differences for the tight end. Most routes by the TE will begin with a straight up-field run. The TE must release hard off the line of scrimmage, and in most cases low to the ground. The TE will also need to be able to maintain consistency in their routes, despite running through and around traffic at times. The TE should fire straight off the ball, without trying to juke the DE or OLB. We want his first 5 yards to be a dead sprint.
Pro Standard: Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs

Extra Points....

Just a quick hit today, as I'm in the process of moving and finding that my time is pretty limited. We also have our first week of football camp for Missouri High Schools this week, and I'm coaching at a new school, so there's more time away from the PC.

We got a lot of comments about the QB rankings (ok, three), but I thought I'd address those.

- Michael Vick might have the strongest arm as far as dropping back and throwing the football, but he loses so much in force. Vick isn't as strong as Russell in the ability to force a ball into a tight spot. Russell may rival Elway for having the best "fastball" I've seen. This doesn't mean I think he's going to be a good QB, because I don't.

- McNabb should not be among the top in every category. When he doesn't choke in the Super Bowl, I'll call him clutch. He also lost three straight NFC Championship Games, people. Blame the running game or the defense, the quarterback takes the loss every time unless something amazing like a dropped pass happens in the wide-open endzone.

- How is Matt Leinart clutch you ask? The kid really turned it on the last half of the season and was winning close games and making big throws. There is a lot of projection to the clutch list, with Vince Young also being on it, but these two rooks really came in and impressed me.

- For those of you expecting to see the tight ends today, I'm hoping to get my notes together for a post tomorrow.