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 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 and led the conference with 127 tackles (9.5 for loss) while adding three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble as a junior. Redshirted the 2016 season after suffering a season-ending foot injury in the season opener. Tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles and made 97 tackles (6.5 for loss) with three sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles as a sophomore.
Pos:
Nice-sized, athletic linebacker with good upside potential. Patient, stays with assignments and quickly locates the ball. Quick out to the sidelines, has a burst to the action and wraps up tackling. Effectively uses his hands, slips blocks and displays speed in pursuit. Shows the ability to run with tight ends and ball carriers in coverage.
Neg:
Struggled with injuries in the past. Inefficient and does not always take proper angles to the action. Hesitant.
Analysis:
Sam is an athletic and versatile linebacker prospect with potential in a variety of schemes. He must smooth the rough edges of his game but comes with good upside and could start at the next level if he continues to improve his game.
