thought I'd share what I look at or am looking for when looking at draft prospects

maybe it'll help some of you guys out that watch film or highlights or college games, at the least, at least you know where I'm coming from as far as my evals. Or its just a long list of useless info. lol

BTW, this is not everything I look at obviously, but what I consider the 2 most important.

QB: Ball placement and leadership. Leadership is tough, but you can see who teammates react to him, body language and his ability to rally his team. Ball placement isn't accuracy. Example, WR makes a catch but has to slow down to catch it and is caught from behind. Its a completion, sure. But if he leads him just a bit further with better ball placement, he gives his WR the ability to make a play after the catch. With NFL windows smaller in the pros than college this is the #1 trait. Its also a #1 trait to many scouts I've heard interviewed. Thats why stats like comp % in a vacuum isn't the best way to evaluate a QB IMO.

RB: Vision and ball security. Again, does he see the holes opening, does he see a hole about to open, and can he hit those holes by trusting what he sees. Its easy to see (not on youtube highlights, but watching games it is). Ball security, turnovers are killers. It was my #1 concern with Kyren coming out.

WR: Precise route running and hands. You don't need to run a 4.3 if your route running is crisp and you can vary your speed (see Kupp, Cooper and Nacua, Puka) the other thing is obvious, doesn't matter how fast you are or how great you are running routes if your dropping balls or fighting the ball into your body.

TE: Blocking and hands. Hands I talked about with WRs, blocking is can you block or at least give a + effort.

OTs: Feet and hand placement. Can you move your feet quickly enough to handle speed rushers and also can you keep your feet under your body to handle power. Hand placement is huge, that punch is all about where it lands and is it powerfull enough to jolt an oncoming rusher. Right in the middle of the chest. Missing low or high or off to the side and you are at a disadvantage.

IOL: Awareness and balance. Are you aware enough to pick up stunts, help with double teams, aware enough to help when you see your teammate getting beat. Balance inside has a little to do with feet, but its more or less the whole body, So you don't lose leverage or get too upright and get bulldozed, or get caught lunging and are susceptable to a push pull or swim move.

IDL: Power and leverage. Can you stand your ground, can you push the pocket or take on double teams? Can you get under a IOL with leverage and make a play. AD and Turner run clinics on leverage.

DE or Edge: First step quickness and lower half flexibility. Speed kills and a lava hot first step puts OTs on skates from the get go. Flex from the hip down to the ankles, can they bend abound the corner sharply and flatten out to the QB? Power is great, but speed and flexibility can generate lots of power.

ILB: Block shedding and play awareness. Can they take on and shed a block or do they have to run around blocks? Also, do they understand what the play in from of them is trying to do and anticipate what to do next to make the play or at least gum it up. New age ILBers have to be able to cover as well, that would be #3. Range is great, but if you can anticipate, that'll make up for that.

CBs: Hip fluidity and speed. At some point you will get tested by a deeps speed WR, can you keep up? Hip fluidity. Can they smoothly turn their hips and stay in phase with the WR. Ball awareness is close behind. Can they turn their head and locate the ball?

S: Willingness to tackle and range: Are they willing run supporters? Can they play the whole field with their range or are they relegated to half the field? Obviously you want a S that plays the run well and can at least cover half the field and has the range to cover that half deep.

Anyhow, hope this helps as you guys get inundated with draft prospects in the next 3 months.

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Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way. - Ragnar Lothbrok