Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown

Ep. 46 - Matt Waldman - Honing Your Craft as an Evaluator: The Art and Science of Scouting

With the 2021 NFL Draft in the books, I decided to get my good friend - Matt Waldman on the show to discuss his process as an evaluator and how he's developed his craft in scouting.

 

Whether you're working at the high school, college or pro levels of football, we all must be able to identify, evaluate and project talent to an extent.

 

Matt, a former aspiring musician, writer and call center director, put the lessons he learned in the real world into practice and taught himself over the past 20+ years on how to assess NFL Draft talent.

 

Creator of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, Matt turns out the most comprehensive publication of NFL prospect analysis at all skill positions. Targeting fantasy footballers at the start, Matt's grown into one of the more respected evaluators in the NFL Draft sphere and I have a ton of respect for the work he does. If you have interest in checking out this year's post-draft edition of the RSP, click here for details.

 

As for the episode, we went deep into the weeds on developing a personal process for film watching, how we take notes, writing reports on players, self-evaluating previous misses, what compensating factors look like for prospects, defining the "IT Factor" and so much more in the episode.

 

What jumped out to me on this conversation was Matt's desire to accomplish two things in his scouting process:

1. Define everything:

• When you define EVERYTHING that you evaluate and what you are seeing, you create consistency in communication across the organization. From the grading scale, to the traits, to how you define different levels of talent, you've got to be on the same page as an organization on "how you want to build it".

Ask the right questions:

• Constantly evaluate hits and misses, and ask the difficult "why" questions. If you can't answer those, then it's time to reassess your process. The "what am I missing" mentality is critical to self improvement as a scout.

 

Also in the episode, you get a glimpse into Matt's personal growth and how he was able to teach himself over time how to scout. The quick bullet points for anyone wanting to grow as a talent evaluator:

• Watch as much film as possible: Matt described it as a game of "eye spy" early on
• When you come across things you don't know, seek the info: books, clinics, conversations, etc.
• Revisit your previous evaluations, see what you missed ("what am I missing" mindset)
• Be humble and open minded to learn from other evaluators that see it differently

 

The inflection point of missing on Dak Prescott's evaluation, might have been my favorite part of the show as Matt detailed his process, what he saw initially in Dak, how he grades traits in draft prospects and where he went wrong. The sign of a good scout is the awareness to know when you missed and learning from that mistake, and Matt breaks it all down for us.

 

Another great nugget of scouting wisdom, was Matt's description of compensatory factors and what he calls "winning combinations". There's more than one way to skin a cat, whereas one player may have a "breadth of talent" (wide range of solid skills) and another may have a "depth of talent" (limited range of excellent skill). This part of the show really goes to show that scouting is not an "inexact science", but rather a craft that includes a blend of both art and science.

 

In detailing that art and science, Matt uses the analogies of a chef and baker to breakdown two types of athletes: task oriented and creative. A baker locks into a process, follows every step to the "T" and requires the right environment, while a chef has the ability to work off schedule and improvise.

 

Listen to this one and I'm sure you'll have even more notes from this conversation. If you're obsessed with learning about the player evaluation process, this episode will be right down your alley. Hope you enjoyed it and see you all next week!

 

Be sure to follow Matt on Twitter at @MattWaldman, and don't forget to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for full show notes on all of our previous recordings!

Ep. 45 - Wade Phillips - Insights from a Coaching Legend on the NFL Draft Process

Draft weekend is finally here and this was a phenomenal episode with insights from longtime NFL coach, Wade Phillips on the draft process! From career advice, to team building, evaluating and war room stories, there's so much to take away from this episode.

 

From a topic standpoint, we talked about how Coach sustained success for such a long period of time, how he approaches players and scheme, his University of Houston playing days, why he got into coaching, and the involvement of coaches in the NFL Draft process.

 

In discussing the right mix of scouts and coaches in the draft process, Wade emphasized alignment. No matter what the decision is (or who it's made by), the entire staff and front office must be all-in and committed to moving forward in alignment. He also brought up the importance of knowing your staff, who is a good evaluator and who is a good coach.

 

As it pertains to the predraft process for NFL coaches, we also take a deep dive into the high volume of responsibility and catching up that needs to be done. The end of season review, free agency, players reporting and draft prospect film watching all come to a head during this time of the year. Coach Phillips broke down how he approaches his evaluations and weighting the different pieces of information -most important being the film, followed by football knowledge and practice habits.

 

All this and draft day favorites were discussed, so enjoy the show and enjoy the NFL Draft this weekend!

Ep. 44 - Mike Tannenbaum - A GM's Perspective on Team Building & the NFL Draft

For Episode 44, the second in our NFL Draft series for season #3, it was an honor and privilege to have a former NFL General Manager on the other end of the call! Mike Tannenbaum, former NFL executive, current NFL Front Office insider for ESPN and founder of The 33rd Team joined the show to share his insights on team building and the NFL Draft!

 

Boiling down his former role behind the wheel of a couple NFL franchises, Mike dropped this gem of a quote in saying that a GM is "The point guard of information." Phrases like organizational alignment, value and team needs peppered a conversation that zoomed in and zoomed out on the lessons Mike's learned from his experiences in the league.

 

Topics Covered in This Week's Show:

• The 33rd Team - An NFL Think Tank that approaches the draft like any other NFL organization
• The Value of Metrics in Draft Prospect Valuation - IE: arm length value, relative to position
• Mike's Book on how to run an NFL Franchise & Shifts in Positional Values over the last 5 years
• Family Business - End of the Day Personnel Meetings between Parcells and Tannenbaum
• Warroom & Front Office Stories from Mike's days as a Jet
• Advice for young, passionate people in the personnel space

If you're not already subscribed to The 33rd team, click the link above and do it for your own football knowledge. To find and follow Mike's work, check him out on Twitter and Instagram under the handle @RealTannenbaum, visit The33rdTeam.com or tune into ESPN's NFL Draft coverage this coming week!

 

Last but not least, Up Close In Personnel is brought to you by Warroom!

Used by teams in every P5 conference, all the way down to the high school level, they have packages that will take your program to the next level! For more information, as mentioned in the show, reach out to Moose Bingham at (801) 808-7754 or go to www.collegewarroom.com for more information!

 

For full show notes and links, head over to the official website of Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown & I'll see you all next week!

Ep. 43 - Dane Brugler - Ranking the Top Quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft

In a repeat appearance, we are fortunate to have the likes of Dane Brugler jump on air with us to talk through a STACKED 2021 NFL Draft class of quarterbacks!

 

This episode will kick off season 3 for "Up Close In Personnel with Alex Brown," and the goal is to spotlight evaluating and scouting around the NFL Draft from a variety of bright minds and perspectives across the league! Stay tuned for more draft-centric content as we near the 2021 NFL Draft and enjoy this week's material!

 

Topics covered in this week's show:

• Dane's Annual NFL Draft guide, aka "The Beast"
• Is Trevor Lawrence truly a "Generational Talent"?
• How should scouts separate skill from scheme & supporting cast?
  • Ex. 1 - Mac Jones & the perfect situation (elite OL, run game & playcaller)
  • Ex. 2 - Zach Wilson & how he can't control the opponents he plays
  • Ex. 3 - Justin Fields & the impressiveness in Ryan Day's playcalling
  • Ex. 4 - Trey Lance & the low passing volume of NDSU offense
• Why is Zach Wilson entrenched at the #2 slot on Dane's board?
  • "The single trait that separates great quarterbacks from good quarterbacks is the ability to make the great, spontaneous decision, especially at a crucial time." - Bill Walsh
• What makes Trey Lance so exciting as a prospect?
  • High IQ and FBI, exceptional physical traits in terms of arm talent and mobility
• Debating the #3 Overall Pick for the Niners:
  • Making the case for Justin Fields - elite traits and high ceiling 
  • Making the case for Mac Jones - arguably most accurate passer & best decision maker
• The Uniqueness of the 2021 NFL Draft
  • Potential to be the first draft where QB's go 1, 2, 3, and 4 overall
  • Also, potential to be first draft with 5 QB's in the Top 10 overall picks

It was a fun episode to record, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and I want to thank our first sponsor of the show - Warroom for backing us at Up Close In Personnel! Used by teams in every P5 conference, all the way down to the high school level, they have packages that will take your program to the next level! For more information, as mentioned in the show, reach out to Moose Bingham at (801) 808-7754 or go to www.collegewarroom.com for more information!

 

To find and follow Dane's work, check him out on Twitter at @dpbrugler, and be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and listening links!

 

Ep. 42 - Ed Jones - Going Beyond The Field

In this episode with returning guest - Ed Jones, we take a deep dive into what player development looks like from the structure and programming, all the way down to specific examples and success stories of former student athletes he's worked with!

 

Generational impact is the foundation of the "Beyond The Field" Program, and we start things off with what inspired Ed to launch the program publicly and help so many player development professionals in the process.

 

As mentioned in the show, Ed made the jump from Kansas to Baylor since our last recorded conversation and we discuss what his new role as Assistant AD for Player Development looks like! His responsibilities include mentoring student athletes, working lockstep with Head Coach Dave Aranda to establish Baylor's culture, and being the glue between staff and players.

 

The first main takeaway for this episode, is the importance of EDUCATING student athletes in their first year on campus - aka "Newcomer Orientation"

• Who are the people in our football program? Athletic department? On campus?
• How will those people interact, engage and impact the experience of your players?
• Where is everything located? Are we providing them answers to the test or tools to survive & thrive?
• What are program expectations, standards, etc.? You have to educate before you hold them accountable.

Continuing on that path of development, Ed broke down the three PILLARS OF DEVELOPMENT

1. Personal Wellness -helping players grow as young adults & prepare for success in life
2. Community Impact -creating opportunities for players to help impact others in the community
3. Career Development -providing tools, resources & guidance for success professionally

Within each of these pillars, we break down different aspects of what Ed describes as the "Learning Process" for student athletes. That is, what the progression of development should look like from freshman year to senior year.

 

I really enjoyed recording this one, not only because Ed is one of my best friends, but also because of his deep knowledge of this field. No matter what route we took, he had experiences, examples and stories to draw upon.

 

If you're interested in purchasing the "Beyond The Field" eBook, please visit Ed's website - BTFProgram.com - and follow him on Twitter at @EdJones2! Lastly, check back with UpCloseInPersonnel.com each week for updates, notes and links! Enjoy!

Ep. 41 - Brett Arkelian - Recruiting 101 for Specialists & How Colleges Evaluate Kickers

As I thought about this week's podcast, I realized we hadn't yet covered the wide world of special teams and recruiting specialists!

 

Quoting the great Rich Eisen, "Punters are people too!" and we intend to cover all things related to recruiting on this show.

 

Breaking down the recruiting process and more specifically what college recruiters look for in kickers, we are joined by Rice's Special Teams Graduate Assistant - Brett Arkelian. During this episode we talked through Brett's unique experience of going through the recruiting process as a high school, junior college and graduate transfer prospect.

 

We covered a lot of topics that will help recruits and recruiters alike throughout the episode, starting with the importance of mental training:

• As a kicker, you will have to deal with failure and adversity; be prepared for that moment and put yourself in difficult training circumstances so that moment doesn't overwhelm you.
• Secondly, you have to incorporate visualization into your process. Visualize yourself in the environment, walk through the steps mentally and rehearse the big moment until it's just another moment.
• Lastly, you'll notice the chip on Brett's shoulder as he even came up with his own acronym - FEWSIC. "For everyone who said I can't" is Brett's way of using the opinions of others as self motivation, and I loved it. Focus on being positive, but you can also use the doubts of others as fuel for your own internal fire.

When it comes to emailing, researching and reaching out to colleges, here are three quick tips for recruits out there (and this also applies to coaches or recruiters seeking employment from colleges):

1. Email at the very end or at the very beginning of a work day, as you're email will be the first one a coach sees
2. Make a good impression with the secretary and be consistent in reaching out
3. Focus on quality over quantity in your communication: personalize the message, find common ground, etc.

Also, here are five things that college recruiters need to assess when evaluating kickers:

1. Consistent, linear swing plane
2. Smooth in the approach
3. Limit in backswing
4. Locked out kicking foot (plantar flexion)
5. Height on the ball

This was an awesome episode to record, and I hope you learned as much as I did about kicking after listening through! To find and follow Brett's work, be sure to visit his website The Kicker's Bible | Iceman Kicking! Check out his podcast, the "Iceman Kicking Podcast" and pick up his ebook - "The Kicker's Bible!"

 

Thanks for listening and you can always visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and listening links!

Ep. 40 - Adrian Mayes - Leadership Lessons: Creating a Culture of Ownership & Accountability

The first person to give me a shot in college football recruiting, Adrian Mayes to this day is one of closest friends and mentors in the industry!

 

In this week's show, we take a deep dive into the mindset Adrian had when he took over the recruiting department at the University of Houston and peel back the layers of his approach to recruiting!

 

Starting off the show, we discussed what Adrian looked for when hiring interns. As he prepared for the role of director, he mentions that he studied the Ohio State and Alabama recruiting models for guidance.

 

What he looks for, is pretty simple and boils down to two points:

1. Look for people smarter than you
2. Find people with true passion and personality

 

 As you will notice through the rest of the show, Adrian takes pride in entrusting role and responsibility to his interns in order to create ownership within the department.

 

That brings us to the next big topic covered, which is how to create a team atmosphere in the recruiting department:

1. It all starts with ownership in what you're doing -taking pride in your work
2. And secondly, it takes accountability

 

Accountability, which is covered throughout this episode, is obviously enforced by the superior but needs to be reinforced by the individuals within the department. No different than a player-led team, you need your front line workers to hold each other to standards set by the supervisor.

 

When it comes to recruiting, there were a lot of takeaways as it pertains to the evaluation side of the business as well.

 

For Adrian, he is adamant about watching every player that high school coaches send your way. There are no such things as diamonds in the rough anymore with the proliferation of film and exposure, but you can miss out on players if you don't take the time to sit down and watch them.

 

Also covered was the topic of intangibles and evaluating the learning capabilities of a given recruit.

 

You can't take all exceptions with less than prototypical measurables, but it is extremely important to keep an open mind for the really good football players that love the game. If you like the player, be thorough about what he can and can't do, and see if he has traits to overcome those limitations.

 

In the words of Cincinnati Bengals DPP Duke Tobin, "The art of scouting is what deficiencies do you accept? Everybody is looking for the same positives…"

 

With regards to assessing a recruit's ability to learn ball and pick up concepts, Adrian does a great job of explaining how he teaches a recruit a specific concept, asks the recruit to teach the concept back to him and watches closely how the recruit executes those actions. Is he taking notes? After listening and taking notes, how does he retain and regurgitate the information? How was he taught by his coaches? What concepts can he articulate back to the coach? Etc.

 

All this and more is covered on the show, and it was a ton of fun to hit that record button! You can follow Adrian on Twitter at @CoachAMayes, and be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and listening links!

Ep. 39 - Vincent Marshall - Asking Better Questions & Knowing What to Look For in Recruiting

Joined by my good friend and former colleague, Vincent Marshall, this episode is as good as it gets in terms of recruiting knowledge!

 

A big takeaway from the show is Vincent's genuine approach to life and football.

 

Starting off the day with a positive tweet, getting into the office at 4:30am and being authentic in building relationships with players and coaches, his approach is one we all can learn from.

 

To kick the show off, he discussed what lessons in recruiting he's taken from his own personal journey as a dual sport athlete.

 

For the potential walk-on recruit:

• Focus on working hard regardless of the outcome
• Be prepared to not play a down and, if you give it your all and leave with a degree, you'll have no regrets

 

When it comes to the recruiting process, Vincent's step-by-step advice will be applicable to recruit and recruiter alike.

 

After building his list through highlight tapes, it's important to determine how a player is built mentally. Here are the questions that Vincent is asking high school coaches?

 

1. Will he block? Is that something he tries to be good at? (Evaluate film of this as well)
2. How are his grades? Does he perform in the classroom?
3. When coached hard, how does he respond? Ask scenario based questions to encourage the coach to paint a picture.

 

Next, we talked through "Profile Tapes" and what those are in recruiting departments. Highlights are supposed to look good, just like filters on social media.

 

Here are some quick tips on creating these hit tapes:

1. Find the stats if available
2. Pick out the player's best and worst three games of the season
3. Select 30 clips from each of those games, breaking down why it was one of his best or worst games
4. Be sure to evaluate effort away from the ball, interactions pre/post-snap, blocking, special teams and if he's playing on both sides of the ball

 

Lastly, Vincent went through how he evaluates a prospect's social media:

1. Look at the "Likes" section; what's important to them?
2. What do they tweet about and does it align with how he speaks to you as the recruiter in your relationship

 

All in all, this was a great episode to learn about a person I look up to, respect and appreciate for how much he has helped me in my own journey as a college recruiter.

 

You can follow Vincent on Twitter at @CoachMarshall, and be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com for complete show notes and listening links!

Ep. 38 - Marco Regalado - The "TikTok Coach" & his journey to College Football Recruiting

This is a show I've wanted to record ever since the middle of the pandemic! Due to NCAA rules, I am unable to record with current high school coaches (that are associated with recruits) BUT.... now that Marco Regalado has been named a Recruiting Analyst with Washington State University, we now are graced by his presence!

 

Jumping on the show after driving nearly 2,000 miles from the DFW to Pullman, Washington, Marco made time this weekend to talk about his amazing path from high school coach to college football recruiter.

 

In this episode, we cover everything from how Marco makes his viral TikTok videos to his love for the game of football and desire to help other people. What I enjoyed most about the conversation is how genuine Coach Regalado is as a person, how he embraces all of his past experiences and plans to put those lessons to use at the next level!

 

When giving advice to college football recruiters in dealing with high school coaches, here are two main points made my Marco:

1. Follow up with everyone!

• Good, bad, or indifferent, let the coach know you watched their prospects. Whether or not you sign the player is irrelevant, the coach just needs to be able to provide his player with constructive feedback.

2. Don't Ask Who's Offered!

• First off (we didn't say this on the show), you can easily check 247, Rivals, Twitter or ask the kid. Second, you have to trust your eyes and not your ears as an evaluator. Evaluate the student athlete and then do your investigative work.

As far as presenting yourself on social media as a college recruiter, Marco also gave great advice for how to put your best foot forward:

• Don't be vulgar -it's not attractive and not professional at all
• Be weary of opinions -you're representing more than just yourself
• Be yourself and have fun -don't take yourself too seriously!

I know Marco is going to do great things at the college level and I hope you took something away from this episode! You can follow him on Twitter at @CoachRegalado, and easily find him on TikTok!

 

For show notes and links, be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com, and thanks again for tuning in!

Ep. 37 - Joan Ryan - Unlocking The Concept of Team Chemistry

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Joan Ryan's new book "Intangibles" and break down what team chemistry truly is.

 

Chemistry isn't simply defined or contained, but there are two distinct types of chemistry -social and task chemistry. Social chemistry is what we commonly think of, in terms of social and emotional connectivity. Task chemistry is all about the job and having complete trust in your teammate on the field. Complete task chemistry is that "foxhole" mentality and pride in playing for one another.

 

And to create true chemistry, there are three stages that Joan outlines from the military model:

1. Trust: This is a foundational piece to Joan's philosophy on team chemistry, as no meaningful relationships can come about without the establishment of trust. We must begin by trusting our teammates and proving our own personal trustworthiness.

 

2. Bonding: The second step is bonding. Once trust is established, we are able to create a bond through the hardships and adversity we face as a team. The power of bonding and love for your teammates is the strongest binding force for team chemistry and togetherness.

 

3. Commitment: The final stage is commitment, and not commitment to simply a goal or vision but a commitment to each other. The "Just Us" mindset of the Golden State Warriors was Joan's prime example of a team committed to one another.

 

Within teams, there's also a variety of roles that leaders must be aware of so that they can communicate and lead at a high level. In "Intangibles", Joan lists seven archetypes that we detail on the show but it's not as simple as selecting a set number of archetypes.

 

Team chemistry is not like actual chemistry in that there's a specific formula for success. As stated in the book, "His role on the field is prescribed… His role in the clubhouse is not. He has to discover it. He gathers signals from teammates about what they value in him. They don't know they're filling a role. They just do it."

 

I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did in recording it, and encourage you as the listener to pick up her book "Intangibles" and follow Joan on Twitter at @JoanRyan.

 

For show notes and links, be sure to visit UpCloseInPersonnel.com, and thanks again for tuning in!