Potential Franchise Player - Possible Perennial All-Pro, and a guaranteed high First Round Pick.
Impact Player - Player who can change the course of a game and a consistent performer. Multiple Pro-Bowl possibilities and top ten selection
Quality Player - Someone who consistently gives good performances. Occasional Pro-Bowl appearances.
First Team Prospect - Player who has ability to make plays from the get go and start early into his rookie season.
Potential Starter - Usually a good athlete who must learn to be a football player or someone who is an “overachiever”. Quality early-to- mid round prospect with good long term potential
"Fence Prospect"- Player on the fence that has the skills and abilities but may need some time and patience.
Practice Squad - Late round or UDFA player who will develop and have his talents on the practice squad. Can find his way onto a roster as a special teamer.
Free Agent - Player who will make a 60 or 80 man roster.
Reading the stats
While it's difficult not to be redundant with scouting reports, we tried to cut down the wordiness when giving statistics. Here is how to read the stats line for the different positions.
Rushing Attempts/Rushing Yards/Yards per Carry/Touchdowns
Receiving:
Passes Caught/Receiving Yards/Touchdowns
Defensive Stats:
Tackles/Tackles for Loss/Sacks
Defensive Backs:
Tackles/TFL/Sacks/Interception/Passes Broken up (unless otherwise stated)
HEIGHT, WEIGHT & FORTY TIMES
Over the course of the past several months much is said and written about the computer numbers of prospects in the draft. You'll see several differences in these numbers from different sources. We try and be as accurate as possible and give these numbers based on the playing height, weight and speed during each players last collegiate season, not some pumped up artificial number.
There is forty speed and playing speed, playing weight and workout weight. The weeks and months leading to the draft is filled with prospects working hard to specifically add bulk, become stronger or get their forty time down. In reality many of these prospects cannot maintain this weight during the grind of a long season or do not play to the listed stopwatch speed; running backs don't run in a straight-line (which is how the forty yard dash is recorded), the bodies of both offensive and defensive linemen break down and cannot maintain the added bulk or, if they do, they will lose a good amount of quickness and speed.
Where pertinent in the players bio we spoke of either how they performed in recent individual or combine workouts to give you an idea of what direction they are headed.
Two-year starter who was named Second Team All-America after making 84 tackles (5.5 for loss) with two interceptions and a team-high 11 pass breakups as a redshirt sophomore. Had his 2016 season cut short after two games due to a season-ending torn meniscus. Started eight games as a true freshman and finished with 91 tackles (9.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups to earn ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
Pos:
Explosive safety who plays physical football. Keeps the action in front of him, does a solid job reading the action and plays with a nasty attitude. Breaks down well, displays the ability to defeat blocks and makes plays on the ball carrier. Explosive, quickly arrives on the scene and shows suddenness. Hard-hitting and always willing to lay his shoulder into ball carriers. Fast both in a straight line and laterally, has an excellent closing burst and displays himself as a solid open-field tackler. Has good range and covers a lot of area on the field.
Neg:
Plays back on his heels in coverage and must do a better job timing pass defenses. Lacks great skill over the slot receiver.
Analysis:
James did a solid job returning from injury, though he does have limitations. He should be very effective as a traditional strong safety or in a zone system but will need to be protected in certain coverage situations. With proper coaching, he will be impactful at the next level.