Jack Elway on Being a Football Scout

SPONSORED CONTENT: The NFL (National Football League) is one of the best-known sports leagues in this country. It manages 32 different teams, which everybody wants to play for. One way for young athletes to achieve that is to be scouted. In fact, football scouting is incredibly popular, particularly since the NFL Draft became televised. This has given people like Jack Elway the idea of better describing the career of football scout, thereby ensuring people know what they are getting into, and that it is the right option for them.

Jack Elway on Football Scouting

Some people believe that being a football scout involves little else than watching college and high school football games. In reality, however, it is one of the business’ toughest jobs. Before a scout can get into the NF, they have to work their way up there. This means taking on lowlier positions, often unpaid, and work in positions such as area scout. They have to work very hard and for a long time to build up a reputation that the NFL might even consider. Often, they will be moved on to bigger regions and particularly those that professional teams or colleges have expressed an interest in. Football scouts also have to show that they can manage travel, that they work hard, that they are good listeners, and that they have good judgment skills. Plus, they have to actually be liked by players and coaches.

Scouts have to get to know coaches and players on an individual level. This means that they have to watch almost every game, while at the same time building relationships with all the members of the team. Often, teams want to have scouts in many different parts of the country, which does mean that there are a lot of job opportunities available as well.

Of course, a good scout is also able to focus on many different skills. They are, in essence, a talent evaluator, which means they look at the power, agility, speed, versatility, and strength of players. They also need to understand the differences between the various leagues. Someone who is not very experienced yet, high school teams are probably the best place to start.

Football Operations

One other aspect of football scouting is football operations. This means working with the Pro Personnel Director, the Director of College Football Scouting, the Director of Player Personnel, and the General Manager. They, together, end up making the important decision when it comes to draft day. Hence, they expect a lot of their scouts, trusting them to have made the right decisions. They want to know the scout is aware of previous injuries, how popular there are, their salary cap, and so on. After all, if the team of operations makes the wrong decision, it will cost the NFL millions.

As you can see, football scouts do a lot of work and take a long time before they get anywhere near the big league. But if you have the passion for it, then it is also a fascinating and interesting career.