1 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: All right, we are here with Dan Colbert, the Shoothers 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,719 Speaker 1: Director of College Scouting and getting ready for the combine 3 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: and all the events that are taking place over the 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: next several days. And this is the culmination of a 5 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 1: lot of work for you and your staff. You've seen 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,319 Speaker 1: all these guys. You've seen more guys that aren't and 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: haven't been invited to the combine, won't be taking part 8 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: in it. What are you and your staff trying to 9 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: get done here over these several days in Indie? 10 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: Right, So this is one of the final pieces to 11 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 2: the puzzle. 12 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 3: This is a massive project that we've all been working 13 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 3: on since last May, honestly, So when we come down here, 14 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 3: you know, we just want to tie up loose ends. 15 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 3: You know, we're going to get verified heights, weights, arm lengths, 16 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 3: we're gonna get verified speeds. We're going to measure their 17 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 3: explosiveness with the jumps, so we will get some data 18 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 3: that we can use to gauge them against this class. 19 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 3: And you know, we'll get some historical context as well. 20 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 3: And then you know, we get we get to interview them. 21 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 3: So we're going to the scouts will meet with them, 22 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 3: the coaching staff will meet with them, so we're going 23 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 3: to get to know them on a deeper level. 24 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: There are a ton of first round picks that are 25 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: that are going to be drawing a lot of the attention. Look, 26 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: it's got the whole first day is the first round 27 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: right of the draft, so everyone's paying attention to that. 28 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: The fans are too. There's a lot of pressure for 29 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: you guys to get that pick right. With that pressure, though, 30 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 1: does it also come joy when you've picked later in 31 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: the draft and get a really good player who winds 32 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: up being a big contributor. 33 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt. 34 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 3: We definitely don't want to miss on any of those 35 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 3: first three round picks. 36 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 2: We expect those guys to be starters. 37 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 3: But as college scouts, you know, we called Day three 38 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 3: the scouts Day, so we take great pride in, you know, 39 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 3: having conviction about a player that's maybe selected later in 40 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 3: the draft that goes on to have success. That's kind 41 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 3: of how you make your name when you're developing as 42 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 3: an area scout. 43 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: So I want to take you back to last year's 44 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 1: draft because you've got three starters on the offensive line now. 45 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: Troy Fatina obviously was injured and we didn't get to 46 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: see much of him. But he's projected to be a 47 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: starter at right tackle, Zack Frasier at center, Mason McCormick 48 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: at guard. Three different players, three different parts of the country, 49 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: a couple of different levels, different leagues. I mean, Mason 50 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: mca is competing against different kinds of competition level. How 51 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: do you ascertain that these guys are going to be 52 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:08,079 Speaker 1: good fits for you guys? 53 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 4: Right? 54 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: I would say there's layers to the process. 55 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,679 Speaker 3: So early on, when we're first getting glimpses of who 56 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 3: these players are, we're not really breaking it down with 57 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 3: the fine tooth comb at that time. 58 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: We're more so breaking them, breaking them. 59 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 3: Up into groups, so you know, we'll have the high 60 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 3: level starters, the quality starters, the low level starters, and 61 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,399 Speaker 3: the backups. As we move further through the process, that's 62 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 3: when we begin to sequence them against each other. So 63 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 3: the picture just becomes clearer the more exposure that you 64 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 3: have to them, which is why you know, having another 65 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 3: exposure here at the combine is valuable. 66 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: Right, But it's one thing, right for guy to excel 67 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: one week and another guy to excel for four years. 68 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 4: Right. It's a really interesting. 69 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 3: Part of the process, right, And it's something that you 70 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 3: just get a feel for the more experienced that you have. 71 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: One of the things that I think is also important 72 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: and maybe a little bit overlooked by fans, is within 73 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: your own staff, right, getting that comfort level. But then 74 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: you don't want to get too comfortable. You want to 75 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: continue to push yourselves to get better. So so how 76 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: do you get that comfort level you've been on the 77 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: job for a few years now, and make sure that 78 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: you're continuing to grow as well. 79 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 3: Right, we have an awesome scouting staff. I think that 80 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: the area scouts are the backbone of you know, our franchise. 81 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: We only get seven picks in most drafts, but the 82 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 3: work that we do builds our database for the pro scouts. 83 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 3: So as these guys move from college to the pros, 84 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 3: you know, we're going to grade close to one thousand 85 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 3: players and have background on background information on a thousand 86 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 3: players from this year's class. You know, we spend a 87 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 3: lot of time together. We hire the right people. Everybody 88 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 3: is a culture fit. Just being around each other so 89 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 3: much and getting to experience that the highs and lows 90 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 3: that come with this job, you just. 91 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: They become your family. 92 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 3: Every year when we get into training camp, we do 93 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 3: something called scout school, so different scouts will take different 94 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 3: days to present topics to the group, and we're just 95 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 3: talking about current trends that are happening in the league, 96 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 3: and we'll talk about it as a group and to 97 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 3: see where we need to improve on because scouting is 98 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 3: constantly humbling. 99 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 2: As soon as you think you've got it right, so 100 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 2: you know you don't. 101 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, And I think it's fascinating too. 102 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: We talked to Shelvin White yesterday about the linking between 103 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: what you guys are doing and four years from now 104 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: a guy becomes a free agent. They have information to 105 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: fall back on. They're continuing to scout those guys at 106 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 1: the pro level. But it's an amazing process, way more 107 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: intricate than I think people sort of understand now. 108 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 4: As far as this year's draft, are there. 109 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 1: Strengths and weaknesses that you see in this collection of players? 110 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, probably can't get into too many specifics. I will 111 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 3: say the thing that's unique about this class is kind 112 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 3: of the culmination of all the COVID eligibility rules. So 113 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 3: last year, I think we graded six hundred players that 114 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 3: ended up going back to school, so we had a 115 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 3: really great head start on this year's draft. 116 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 2: Class. 117 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: So this year's media production team, you were nice enough 118 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: to let them follow you around a little bit. What 119 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: goes into a season for you? And do you have 120 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: any idea how many miles you're putting on? 121 00:04:58,839 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 2: Oh Man, a lot. 122 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 3: We're all road warriors, but we start traveling. We'll all 123 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 3: meet up at training camp. Like I said, we do 124 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 3: the Scout school and we kind of go over everything 125 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:09,239 Speaker 3: that we want to cover. 126 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:09,799 Speaker 2: Throughout the fall. 127 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 3: We'll all hit the road in August and we'll go 128 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 3: to the college training camps first. During the college football season, 129 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 3: I'll usually travel either Sunday or Monday. I'm going to 130 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 3: do three or four school visits Monday through Thursday. So 131 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 3: we do that schedule, you know, where it's four or 132 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 3: five days a week, maybe you're hitting a game on Saturday. 133 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 3: We do that from August until Thanksgiving, and then from 134 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 3: Thanksgiving the Christmas we're kind of getting all of our 135 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 3: evaluations finalized into the system, and then we start the 136 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 3: draft meeting process in December. January is when we get 137 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 3: exposure to All Star games. February we do more draft 138 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 3: meetings and we come to the Combine and it's Pro Days, 139 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 3: and then it's draft season. 140 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 2: So it's long days, short years. We're constantly on the road. 141 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 2: I don't know how many miles it is. 142 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: I would say on average, you know, it's probably like 143 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 3: one hundred and fifty nights out of the year where 144 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 3: we're on the road. 145 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,119 Speaker 1: That's a lot question for you as you get ready 146 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: for a draft. How important is it for you to 147 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: be scouting players who are fits for this year? So 148 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 1: Amarkn talks about this a lot, like the mentality, and 149 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: I think we understand that is he a Steelers type 150 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: of player? But within that is also does he fit 151 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: a scheme? Does he fit the offensive or defensive scheme? 152 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 1: Are there players you're elevating up that other teams might 153 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: have lower players that perhaps you're discarding be Gauts, he's 154 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: simply not a fit. 155 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 4: Is that part of your evaluation process? 156 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 3: I think you have to be careful not to discard 157 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 3: certain players because what happens is, even if they might 158 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 3: not be a scheme fit for us, your board should 159 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 3: still have integrity to it, meaning like if you start 160 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 3: taking all the players that don't necessarily fit our defensive scheme, 161 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,720 Speaker 3: then other players start rising up into places. 162 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 2: Where maybe they shouldn't belong to it. 163 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 3: So all of a sudden, you're looking at a guy 164 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 3: who maybe has seventh round talent in the fifth round. 165 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 3: So I think you just got to be careful. You 166 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 3: have to grave players for what they are. You give 167 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 3: yourself the option to look at them in certain places. 168 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 3: It doesn't mean you have to take them, but I 169 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 3: think you have to protect the integrity of the board. 170 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 2: Now. 171 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 3: Obviously those discussions are had, and they're had throughout the 172 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 3: draft meetings, and we incorporate the coaching staff, so we 173 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 3: do talk about that at length. I just don't think 174 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 3: that you can necessarily move them up or down the 175 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 3: draft board. 176 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 4: Dan, thank you very much for your time. Really appreciate it, sir. 177 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 2: Thanks Rob