2023 NFL Draft It’s less than a week away, and scouts and coaches are still burning through midnight oil in preparation for a three-day event that could change the fortunes of their brands.
While we are busy finalizing our final draft, NFL executives go through an extensive “check and balance” process that allows them to make the right decisions as their team works continuously.
As a former NFL player and scout, I wanted to give you a preview of what your favorite teams will be up to over the next few days.
Here are five tasks every team is working to accomplish ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft:
1. Fill in medical information and background
With less than a week to go before the draft, NFL teams have all the information to complete each prospect’s profile. The medical team evaluated each player and submitted a series of scores that help determine whether a team will select the potential player or remove him from the selection table. While some teams may adjust a prospect’s level or round value to match the “risk reward” associated with any prior injury or medical problem, other teams will completely remove high-risk players from the table to remove the temptation to pick a talented but injured player. – promising.
In addition to the medical staff providing detailed reports, each team’s security officer will provide the HR staff with a comprehensive background report detailing any violations of the law and additional information. about any character concerns. The reports have been thoroughly researched and cross-referenced with the background information NFL Security provides to each potential client.
Decision makers will also ask university scouts responsible to cover a potential client’s area for any information they can provide from conversations with their sources at each school. Discussions with scouts and security teams will help the general manager determine whether a potential customer is a good cultural fit based on the owner’s established standards and preferences, especially especially on legal issues and misconduct.
2. Coaches and scouts adjust the final player rankings
Despite spending months reviewing movies, conducting rehearsals, and meeting with potential clients, coaches and scouts continue to engage in extensive discussions to determine if potential clients are interested. which capabilities are ideally suited as well as how they will be used and developed. Conversations can sometimes become contentious, with scouts and coaches backing their favorite prospects across the board. Whether giving HR staff new information or pointing out a prospect’s top games, final meetings before drafting allow reviewers to make the case for the prospect to ask. their likes.
In addition to participating in the debates, scouts and coaches will discuss development plans for top prospects to give raters a glimpse of how players can develop. develop over time. Scouts can advise coaches on best teaching practices that have worked with players in the past, while also providing some context for any issues that arise in the game. pre-drafting process.
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3. Reconnaissance staff conduct mock drafts to prepare for draft day situations
Each NFL team in the league will run through a series of mock drafts in preparation for the impending draft day chaos.
Despite the disdain by executives and scouts of the “entertainment” fake drafts that dominate NFL media this time of year, the process of conducting a draft in the war room allows decide how a draft feels like and which players might be available as the team works on the clock.
Additionally, draft day practice allows teams to conduct dress rehearsals with scouts and HR staff performing their duties to avoid making critical mistakes while the draft is live. With trade scenarios also included in the exercise, iterations allow decision makers to map out a pre-draft plan that will help them execute their tactics and strategies without giving in. under the pressure of time.
4. Call throughout the tournament to establish possible trading scenarios
Despite the impromptu feel of the draft day trades, the groundwork for most operations was established prior to the draft. General managers will call their colleagues to gauge interest in a move up or down in a given round to see if the potential commercial possibilities are worth serious consideration.
Armed with that information, the HR team will draw up a plan that will allow it to move up or down based on what outlook and what draft assets are available on draft date. While scenarios may never materialize, being prepared for every scenario is crucial to carrying out the plan that has been in place since the beginning of the season.
5. Contact every player on the draft board to confirm draft day contact information
The Scouts will spend the final days before the draft reaches every potential customer on their draft board. The phone calls that were part of the registration process let the team know that the prospect could be reached through the contact information he provided at the NFL Combine or his pro day. .
In addition, scouts will double-check information about the prospect’s representative and his draft day whereabouts to ensure the team can reach the prospect should they decide to hire. him or contracted him as a free agent after the event. While this tedious process is time-consuming, verifying the authenticity of this essential information is the only way teams can confidently pick up the phone to make a call that creates a heartwarming focal point in the day. selection night.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He regularly appears on “Speak For Yourself” and also splits the game for the NFL Network and is the co-host of the “Moving the Sticks” podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.
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