1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: How many miles a year do you put on your car? 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: I don't. I just cover up the admin. What would 3 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:11,719 Speaker 1: you say as most rewarding part of being a scout 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: winning with people that you evaluated and fought forward and 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: you saw what they did and you knew what they 6 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: were going to bring to the team and they do it. 7 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: One thing you guys have as humilities. Yes, welcome into 8 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 1: the lounge for another episode with a great guest. We're 9 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: welcoming in West scout David Blackburn. He's been with the 10 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: Ravens this and now this twelve season and he is 11 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: in full swing right now, as is the whole scouting department. 12 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: They're talking about these prospects having meetings behind closed doors 13 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: that they don't let us into. There's are lots because 14 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: of us. But yeah, David Blackburn go to share a 15 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: lot of good stuff with us. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean 16 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 1: a lot of times we get questions from fans about 17 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: what it takes to be an NFL scout or how 18 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: do you get into that business, or how do you 19 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: work your way into the business of football then work 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: your way up to a general manager and all those 21 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 1: types of things, And so we wanted to bring out 22 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: David to kind of give you behind the scenes at 23 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: what it looks like to be an NFL scout, and 24 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: we want to jump into the interview with David. Also, 25 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: we got some good emails and an audio question this week. 26 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: As always, you guys can email us at the lounge 27 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: at Ravens dot NFL dot net, but we're not gonna 28 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: do any questions today. We want to save this for 29 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: next week because today we want to focus this interview 30 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: with David. Yes, so we're welcome to David. Thanks for 31 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: joining us, dude. The first question that we want to 32 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: ask you is what do you think of our mock 33 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 1: draft when we put together on Ravens seven round? What's 34 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: your take on that? And you know, obviously I'm pretty 35 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: spot on every year, so you don't have to give 36 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: you the kudos if you don't want to, but you 37 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: can feel free. Well. I always always get to confused 38 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: which one of you guys nailed it, you know, for 39 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: like two years in a row, because that was because 40 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: that was impressive. You know, that was impressive, So I 41 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: assuming it was g Yeah, it was because you know, 42 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: any if you see a seven round mock, I mean 43 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: you might as well just stop after the second round, 44 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: you know, or some some of them. You might as 45 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: well stop after the first ten picks, because there's I mean, 46 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: there's no way, there's no way of knowing, there's no 47 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: way of predicting, you know, two hundred plus players and 48 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: where they're going to go and whatnot. But I think 49 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 1: it's a fun exercise. You know. Well, my favorite things 50 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: real quick is so you used to work in the building. 51 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: Now you're out on the road. But when you work 52 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: in the building and you would see our mock drafts, 53 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: I always relished. After I hit a pick, you would 54 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: come down to our office and you would let make 55 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: know that once again he went over, you know for 56 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: seven over eight picks was that year. It's it's a 57 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: big deal. It's a big accomplishment. It's pretty good. You know. 58 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: It shows a lack of research and commitment to excellent. 59 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: Here's the thing, though, I'll give Garrett credit. He hit 60 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: madd Eveln Martha Browny back to back picks. But as 61 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: you were saying, right, you might as well throw old 62 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: out after the second round, so you would you would 63 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 1: even attest to late round picks when you hit those, 64 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: that's even more impressive, am I right? This borderline impossible, right, 65 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: So you just basically you're a possible for the common man, 66 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: but not for me. A guy who hit on Keith 67 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: Winning on the head, a guy who last year hit 68 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,679 Speaker 1: on Jermaine Aluminoire on the head. Those are the two 69 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: that he's hit in his history. So he sticks to it. 70 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: I mean that's not forget I hit Matthew Juden. So 71 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 1: you know, you know, if you want to talk about 72 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: late round picks, well, I'm one thing you guys have 73 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: as humilities. Yes, welcome to the podcast. I feel like 74 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: I'm in the draft room. I guess you should probably 75 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: be talking about David. So for you, David, I think 76 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: one reason we want to have you on here is 77 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: to talk about the life of a Scout. Sure, it's 78 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: a glamorous position. There's a lot of our fans would 79 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: love to be a Scout and they want to know 80 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: more about it. So can you kind of walk us 81 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: through right now what you guys are doing in your 82 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: meetings without giving away too much? You tail, sure, what 83 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: are you talking about out there? Well, first of all, 84 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: it's probably the least glamorous thing you'll ever do. I mean, 85 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:08,119 Speaker 1: it's glamorous and scouting. You know, they're they're on completely 86 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: ends of the spectrum, opposite ends of the spectrum. Right now, 87 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: we're really just going over basically our fall. You know, 88 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: all the guys we great died in the fall, plus 89 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: our cross check players and schools that we did based 90 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: on the grades. We'll go through, uh discuss them and 91 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: get them placed up on the board. Like the first 92 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: three days we're here, Like for instance, we got here Wednesday, 93 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: Thursday through Saturday, typically Thursday through Saturday, we go through 94 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: guys that you know are probably not going to make 95 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: our team or not be considered drafted, mostly going to 96 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:46,359 Speaker 1: be free agents or maybe late round types, you know, 97 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: depending on what happens with the front board is for 98 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:51,359 Speaker 1: the mechanics of it, I mean, do you literally just 99 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: throw a name up on the board, you say, okay, 100 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 1: se Kwon Barkley, What do you think, David, Okay, what 101 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 1: do you think? What do you guys go through and 102 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: you all talk about. Is that how it works? Well? 103 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: The actual the foundation for these meetings start in December 104 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: when we come in for our Christmas uh Christmas dinner, 105 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: we called our our Christmas meetings. December Meetings Top thirty 106 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: meetings where we come in, we'll meet, we'll have our dinner, 107 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: we'll see the game on on Sunday, and then the 108 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: following week here at the other facility, will kind of 109 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: trickle through and schedule meetings throughout the throughout the week, 110 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: usually Monday through Wednesday, talk about our our top thirty 111 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: guys based on everybody's rankings from their top thirty, they'll 112 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 1: set the initial board for those players and then all 113 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 1: the other players. They gotta make it great that we 114 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: didn't go over. We'll just we'll go through. Usually we'll 115 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: start off, let's say see Kwon Barkley for example. You 116 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: know Mark aza Veto is the area guy in the northeast, 117 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: and he'll read his report. Usually be the cross checker 118 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: that'll that will say that will go next, whether it's 119 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: it's probably Milt over the top of that area, maybe 120 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: maybe Joe's gone in there as the as the director. 121 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: And then any cross check, any cross checkers that are 122 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: signed to Penn State or running Backs, you know as 123 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: your cross check position across check school, then that person 124 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: will go. So they'll read like a full report or 125 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:09,600 Speaker 1: they're they'll say like, well, I don't really agree with 126 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 1: what Mark said about that, well, how we do it. 127 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: I think team organizations are different than how they do 128 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 1: their meetings. But we'll actually we'll read our summaries and 129 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: then afterwards we'll kind of have more of an open 130 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: table discussion about how we see and what. But yeah, 131 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: so that's that's that's kind of how we do it. 132 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: So you live in it in Phoenix full time? Yes, 133 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: how much of of your year is spent like going 134 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 1: out to school's watching practice, go into a school to 135 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 1: watch film. How much of your counter years is that? 136 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: It's a lot. My business, My busiest time is the fall. 137 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 1: So when we come in for a training camp right, um, 138 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: which is usually late July, we're here for about a 139 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: week and a half. Get a snapshot of the team, 140 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: see how guys are practicing playing, just see what the 141 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: team looks like. Um, we'll have our meetings as a department, 142 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: and we'll organize our all. We'll get our schedules together, 143 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 1: you know, book our hotels, you know, plot out you know, 144 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: the rest of our three or four months on the road. 145 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: And then in August that's when we we fly back 146 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: to our respective areas and start hitting up all the 147 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: different fall camps. Driving around so basically from when I 148 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 1: leave in at the end of July all the way 149 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: through August, September, October, November. I usually try to get 150 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: off the road about a week or so before Thanksgiving, 151 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: and then that allowed me some time to just be home, 152 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: bunkered in at home, to catch up on tape, late 153 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: tape from places that was at earlier in the year, 154 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: to kind of see if the players matching up to 155 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: how he was performing earlier in the year. Uh, you know, 156 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: get my get my sequence list together type. Oh man, 157 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: you gotta that's one thing you gotta. You gotta make 158 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: sure you're staying as current as possible because that work 159 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: will stack up on you, you know, because you've got 160 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just so many players, you know, and 161 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: like every area is different, you know, the the West 162 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: is unique opposed to any other area, just because it's 163 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: so vast. Man, It's it takes so long just to 164 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: get to a school. How many miles a year do 165 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: you put on your car? I don't I just cover 166 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: up the dominant. I don't even look ask Jeff Gary 167 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: he falls the expense reports. I mean, you you kind 168 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: of said it earlier, Like, you know, there is this 169 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: feeling that like a life of a scout is a 170 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: very glamorous job. You know, it sounds like that way, 171 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: But then I think we kind of through a day 172 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: of I mean, are you spending hours in a car 173 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: You're going from one school to the next, and you're 174 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: you know, racking up those miles and you're sitting in 175 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: to practice. I mean, like, is it it's kind of 176 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: a lonely life in those regards as you're going from 177 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: school to school and you know, you got drives, you 178 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: gotta go in, you gotta watch all the tape, you 179 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,959 Speaker 1: gotta talk to your sources, you gotta double check your sources, 180 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: get all the accurate information. Um, you might get sick 181 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,079 Speaker 1: on the road where you gotta you know, you gotta 182 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: buck up and you know, do your job. Still you're 183 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: away from your family, which that has become more of 184 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: a thing for me now now that you know, I 185 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: have a young family that's starting to grow, So like 186 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: that's probably the toughest man. And also just being detached 187 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: from your team. You know, you're a you're a you know, 188 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: you're a lone gun out there man. So it's it's 189 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: kind of lonely out there. But you know, you you 190 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: can out of sight, out of mind, you know, but 191 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: you got to make sure that even though you're not 192 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 1: a huge part of the process right now, you are 193 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: going to be you know, important at a certain point 194 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: in the future. So you gotta make sure you're doing 195 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: what you gotta do to have the information to make 196 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,559 Speaker 1: sure the decision makers, you know, have everything they need 197 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: to make the right decisions. So, you know, I think 198 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: it's just that discipline to be able to do your 199 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: job day in the day out, regardless of how you're feeling, 200 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: you know, how long you've been out there, how tired 201 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 1: you are, um to have a bunch of information in 202 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: an organized fashion down the line at a date where 203 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: nobody's constantly hovering on you, like, hey, how did you 204 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: get this in? You know, did you meet this deadline? 205 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: Because they kind of just leave us out there to 206 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: do what we gotta do. So and I think we gotta. 207 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: We got a lot of guys out there that are 208 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: really good in that regard and just in terms of 209 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: making sure that they're doing what they need to do 210 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: in spite of whatever adversity or stuff they have going 211 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: on in their personal life or even their professional life. 212 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: So yeah, I'm curious. So when you're going through this 213 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: process of evaluating, there's obviously the football component, but you 214 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: guys always trying to figure out kind of the player themselves, 215 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: know them academically, know them off the field, all that stuff. 216 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: How much would you kind of say, weighs into it 217 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: from a football standpoint and then also from the character 218 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: and off the field standpoint. How do you immerge this? 219 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: I think they go hand in hand, you know, I 220 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: think you have to you have to be leary about 221 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: letting the character affect the grade or the evaluation of 222 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: the player, because we have certain indicators to alert whatever 223 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: character concerns there. Maybe because first and form where you 224 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: got you get the player right? You know what, what 225 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 1: what caliber of talent? Is easy? Easy? A starter? Is 226 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 1: he an impact players? Your backup, is your practice squad, 227 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 1: developmental guy? So once you get him in that bucket, 228 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: then you know you factor in all the other stuff. 229 00:10:57,880 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: Or how good of a you know, how good of 230 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: a peron is he, How good of a leader is he? 231 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: You know what what type of makeup is he? How 232 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: how important is football? How how durable is he? You know, 233 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: how how smart is he? You know, those different types 234 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,959 Speaker 1: of things and and whatever you know doesn't line up. 235 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: You know, you you put the indicators to to alert 236 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: people that, hey, this guy has an issue here. You 237 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: know he's got he's got some sketchy in his background there. 238 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: You know, you know he's got some issues learning. You know, 239 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: so you you put those things there too, just say, Okay, 240 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: he's he's this caliber player, but he's dealing with these issues, 241 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: or he's that caliber player and he's just a special 242 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: special dude to where you know, hey he might yeah, man, 243 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: he may not. He may not have all this other stuff, 244 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: but I might bank on him just because he's got 245 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: that right makeup, you know, right, What would you say 246 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 1: is without naming names, one of the weirder like things 247 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,439 Speaker 1: you've ever found out about a player when you've been 248 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: scratching around for that kind of stuff, because you you've 249 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:56,719 Speaker 1: got to find out that nnny gritty yeah kind of 250 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: like us. You know, we we got to do our research. 251 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: But you're as many even go another level deeper. Well, shoot, well, 252 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: Brandon Williams, you know, my first year on the road, 253 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 1: he was he was empty and uh porter parties, you know, 254 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: like what, yeah, he's actually shoveling. You know, the content 255 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 1: of the Porter party exactly. You know, it doesn't get 256 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: any dirty or work than that. So, you mean, I 257 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: went to the school and you see, you know, he 258 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: goes he's a smaller school, and he doesn't have all 259 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: the you know, he doesn't have all the amenities that 260 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: you would have at a at a power five school. 261 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: But you know he's he's doing that. He's going to 262 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: the school, he's working, you know, inside doing that type 263 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: of job. And I think believe he was going back 264 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: and forth from his hometown or wherever his girlfriend was 265 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: staying because I think they just had a baby. So 266 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: you know, you see that type of stuff and you're like, man, 267 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: this guy is really really going above and beyond. I 268 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: mean this you're gonna talk about dealing with adversity, you know, 269 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: or or you know, overcoming stuff or having grit and 270 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: those types of things. Brandon kind of personifies that. So, 271 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 1: you know, you learned a little bit of things about players, 272 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: and you know, after a while, you see enough players 273 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: that have that type of you know, story behind them, 274 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: whether it's Brandon Williams or whether it's Buck Allen or 275 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: you know, those types of players and you see them 276 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 1: make it, you know, regardless of whatever perceived shortcomings or 277 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: deficiencies they may have is on the field and they 278 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: end up making and you're like, it gives you a 279 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: little bit more confidence to kind of project. Hey, this 280 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: guy reminds me of Brandon. You know, he's that type 281 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: of person. I think I like him. You know, he 282 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: might be able to make it even though he's not 283 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: super fast, super big or whatever. In a similar vein 284 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,079 Speaker 1: how you guys always talked about how you talk to everybody, 285 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: talked to weight froom coaches, you talked to their middle 286 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: school math teacher, like all that stuff. How deep do 287 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: you literally go on that? I mean, are you going 288 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: back to high school or you uh, talking to like 289 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: anybody and everybody? Like, how do you go through that process? Well? 290 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 1: You at first you got to navigate what the landscape 291 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: of the school is because you don't want to go 292 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: talking to people that you're not allowed to talk to. 293 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: And then you know, as you talk to people over time, 294 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,079 Speaker 1: you get to learn the source, Like you scoult the 295 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: player you've got scouted the source to you like, this 296 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 1: guy really know what he's talking about? Or does he 297 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: just love everybody? Or this guy he hates everybody that 298 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: you know, comes from this part of the country or 299 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: the state. You know. It's just so you learn, you 300 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: learn who the sources are, and the good sources are 301 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 1: the people who shoots you straight. But I think you'll 302 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: you you end up digging as as deep as you 303 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: need to dig in order to really get the essence 304 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: of who the player is. What would you say is 305 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 1: the most difficult thing to find out about a player? 306 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: You know, like like you're trying to know everything about them. 307 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: What is it difficult to really know their passion for 308 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: the game and how truly you know, excited about the game, 309 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: or difficult to know what they're like just their character 310 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: and leadership? What what's difficult to really understand? Well, you're 311 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: dealing with humans, man, So it's it's it's it's just 312 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: hard to deal with behavior or project behavior because you know, 313 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: just the history of leave. You got guys who acquire 314 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: boys in college and you know they're get into trouble. 315 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: You know in the league, people who might have had 316 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: red flags coming out, might have been character concerns. You 317 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: don't hear a peep out of them, you know, throughout 318 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: their career. So I just think trying to trying to 319 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: predict how a player is going to respond to a 320 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: situation they've never been in before. They've never been in 321 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: an ultra competitive environment where they're going against the best 322 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: of the best in their profession. They've never been an 323 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: environment where their tax bracket has jumped up this high 324 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: so quickly at this age and being so far away 325 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: from home, you know, or so people struggle with that, 326 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: you know, or I've I've never had access to all 327 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: the things that come with being an NFL player, you know. 328 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: Now I can go to this party, or I can 329 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: go to that, you know, I can take this trip, 330 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: or i can be around these people, and I've got 331 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: distractions pulling me away from what it is I'm actually 332 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: here to do. So all you can do is just 333 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: try to get as much information as possible of what 334 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: the players core is, What's what type of kid is, 335 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: what type of person is he? Well, how important is 336 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: football and how likely based on this you know, past 337 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: you know performance or past behavior, is he likely to 338 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: you know, acting act in a way that's outside of that, 339 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, that's that's so hard to to project, 340 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 1: you know. But and then also it's just hard to 341 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: find out maybe specific things if if a guy's had incidents, 342 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: they might try to cover it up because they don't 343 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: want to kill the kid. Or you know, there's some 344 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: there's some medical stuff that you know, they got hippa 345 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: laws as far as like academics or you know, injuries 346 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: or you know what, whatever medications you're taking, Like a 347 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: lot of that type of stuff. There's some privacy things, 348 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: so you're like legally not allowed to disclose. So you 349 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: just gotta trying to navigate through all that man and 350 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: try to get as much information as you're allowed to. 351 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: What would you say as the most rewarding part of 352 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: being a Scout. I'll tell you this, winning and winning 353 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: with people that you evaluated and fought for and you 354 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: saw what they did and you knew what they were 355 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: going to bring to the team and they do it. 356 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 1: I mean, that's why we're here, you know what I mean, 357 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 1: That's why we spend all this time away from our families. 358 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: That's why we're out here, you know. I mean, it's 359 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: we're out here grinding. You know, you're traveling, you're going 360 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 1: through the tape, you're staying up late. You know, you're 361 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: away from your family. You're not spending time with your 362 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: kids or your wife, whatever, whatever it is. You're doing 363 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: it to help bring players here that are going to 364 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: help us win championships. And when that happens, it's the 365 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: most fulfilling, most rewarding thing as a scout in my opinion. 366 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. It's just it makes you excited. 367 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 1: The gratification may come, you know, years down the road, 368 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: but when it happens, you feel validated, you feel vindicated, 369 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: you feel you know, recharged to do it. So well, yeah, 370 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 1: that's what you know, that's that's why you're part of 371 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: the team. You know that. I think that's like the 372 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 1: that's that's the thing. We all would want to play 373 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: in the NFL, right, you know, but we can't. But 374 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: we're part of this team in our own different ways. 375 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 1: So you know, what you guys do for the team 376 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: helps the brand and helps you know, our support. It 377 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: helps the fans get to know the people in the building. 378 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: You know, that's a big deal. It helps to connect 379 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: the team to the to the fans in the community. 380 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,719 Speaker 1: So that's how we we contribute. So I think, you know, 381 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: it's and I think that's kind of makes this building special. 382 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: You know, I'm curious, like on draft weekend, So you 383 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: obviously you get along those lines, like so you coming 384 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: on draft weekend and then the draft happens, it plays 385 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: itself out and something. Some years there's probably multiple guys 386 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 1: that you really spend a lot of time, and some 387 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 1: years you probably come and go and you may not 388 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 1: have a single guy that gets drafted that you really 389 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: spend a ton of time and just the way the 390 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 1: board falls. How do you leave draft weekend? I mean, 391 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: do you leave sometimes if it's like, all right, I'm 392 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: fired up. It took buck Allen and they took these 393 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 1: different guys, so I knew we're gonna be great, right, 394 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: Or do you say, man, like all East Coast this 395 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 1: year and you leave piss like? How does that? How 396 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 1: does scouts treat them draft? I think Eric, Eric has 397 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: a you know, good, uh, a good analogy for that. 398 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,639 Speaker 1: It's kind of like, you know, post artem syndrome, you know, 399 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: so like good batter and different. We could draft all 400 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: West Coast players, or we could draft no West Coast players, 401 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: or we could draft nobody that even looked at cross check, 402 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: you know area anything. You're there's gonna be a bit 403 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: of a letdown after a draft and the free agency 404 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 1: period afterwards, because you've spent nine months leading up to 405 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,479 Speaker 1: this part, you know, leading up to this event, and 406 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: it comes as long as it takes to get there, 407 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: it's quickly over and you're like, well, what now, what 408 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,239 Speaker 1: do I do now? And just like and you know 409 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: they're going and they're going to join the team and 410 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: you'll go back home, and it's gotta look around like 411 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: what I do now? But I do think that, you know, 412 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: you always if you if you've got players, you know, 413 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 1: you spend all this time evaluating them, and they give 414 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: us a platform to give our opinion and why we 415 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: feel that way. And if you really have conviction and 416 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: you think players are gonna come in and help you 417 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,120 Speaker 1: help the team, and you don't draft them or you jump, 418 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: you know, just that's just the way it ends up. 419 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: They don't draft anybody that you're passionate about, or even 420 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: sometimes you know, they draft players that you don't necessarily love. 421 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: You know, it's just like, well, you know, I hope 422 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: I'm wrong. Well then yeah, I didn't really like him, 423 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: and then we got him. We love him these ours 424 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: so and you know that's the thing. You gotta check 425 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: your ego at the door. You know, it's not about you. 426 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:22,479 Speaker 1: You know, all you can do is your job. You know. 427 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: If I don't if I don't get anybody selected from 428 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: my area, or they select people that I wasn't necessarily 429 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: fired up about, or they picked dudes and I was 430 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 1: just fired up about, it doesn't change, you know, how 431 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: you go about the job. You know, and then I 432 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,360 Speaker 1: don't think it even really changed. Maybe a little bit, 433 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,120 Speaker 1: but you're still going to have a letdown when it's 434 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: all over, you know, just because it's it's another year 435 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 1: in the books. It's a lot of energy and every 436 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: put into it, and you know it's over, and then 437 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: you know again then you're getting Ortz email two weeks later, 438 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 1: is what we're doing for next year's draft? Like, come on, Joe, 439 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: just finished spring practice here. Yeah, so you've really worked 440 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: your way up here and you continue to do so 441 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: and we'll continue to do so. Who have been really 442 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 1: your role models and scouting? Who's given you a lot 443 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: of advice over the over the years. And and as 444 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 1: a follow up to that, you know, how long did 445 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:17,120 Speaker 1: it take you to realize what a Ravens player looks like? 446 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 1: You know, who really instilled it? Well, that's easy. You know, 447 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: we were lucky to have such the Ravens. We were 448 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: lucky to have such great players, you know, on the 449 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: on our teams. And I'm not just talking about players. 450 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 1: I'm talking about dudes, hall of famers, all pros. I mean, 451 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 1: Ray Lewis, Edry Terrell, Says Hellodi not A, Bart, Scott, 452 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: Chris McAlister, Samari Roe, Todd Heat, Derek Mason, Uh, Steve McNair, 453 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: Trevor Price, Marshall, and Jonathan Willis mcgahey. I mean, if 454 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: you if you look at that team, there's probably five 455 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 1: Hall of Famers. There's gonna be five at least five 456 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 1: Hall of Famers on the team between Ed uh, Sugs, 457 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:06,120 Speaker 1: Ray Didn't and probably yonda. I mean, the point I'm 458 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: making is you want to know what the Ravens look like, 459 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: what a Raven is supposed to be, just look at 460 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 1: your own team. As far as like scouts, it's the 461 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: same thing. You know, a lot of the guys that 462 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 1: were here when I were here, they've they've moved on 463 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:20,200 Speaker 1: to the bigger jobs, and you know, big decision making jobs, 464 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: executive jobs, whether it's Joe Douglas, George was a GM, 465 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 1: Andy Whitel Lino vitale Um. You know, Ortiz has moved up, 466 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:32,919 Speaker 1: Joe has moved up, Chad's moved up. We had a 467 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: really strong room as far as like just veterans, you 468 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: know that they all kind of came up together. Jeremiah 469 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: Washburn was a really good scout for us. He's now 470 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 1: coaching in the league. So and Milk you know, Mills, 471 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,199 Speaker 1: who are who's our national guy right now? He was 472 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: the young guy you know in the room. And so, 473 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: you know, it was a really strong room though. That's 474 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,120 Speaker 1: how I learned how to handle myself in the draft room, 475 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 1: the information that I needed, how to present it, how 476 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: to be prepared, how to have draft room etiquette, how 477 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: to disagree without being disagreeable, or just knowing when I 478 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 1: needed to buck up a little bit, and then when 479 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 1: it was over, go hug the guy up after we're done. 480 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying, because we're on the same team. 481 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean it's it's easy. Oh yeah. And 482 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 1: Eric of course, So like we had a lot of 483 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: just really really good scouts in the room that came 484 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: up through the system, and so you know, that's that's 485 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,360 Speaker 1: always been there and I got I gotta shout out 486 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,159 Speaker 1: my boy Mark as a Vedo because you know, he 487 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: was my roommate. You know, he kind of just took 488 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 1: me in. He was he was here a couple of 489 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: years before I was, and just in terms of me 490 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 1: doing what I was supposed to do at an entry level, 491 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 1: you know, he was right there, you know, to help 492 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: me out and make sure I was I was on 493 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 1: the right track. And you know, give me some tidbits 494 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: here and there, and you know our friendship grew just 495 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: because we lived it was It was just really really good. 496 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: It was a good environment to foster, you know, young talent, 497 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,439 Speaker 1: and I think it still lives. To get into your 498 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: background a little bit, I want to talk about how 499 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: you became Acount a scout So from Indianapolis, like you said, 500 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: grew up playing football one of five, a state championship, 501 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 1: undefeated as a safety, playing baseball four years, basketball for 502 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: two years, and then you go to DePaul University, which 503 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: is not DePaul in Chicago. Yeah, and there's no way 504 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 1: that you can enunciate it to you can't distinguish you 505 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 1: de Paul people. Some people think something's wrong with you. 506 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,399 Speaker 1: So you got a degree in economics and a minor 507 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: in history. So how do you get go that track 508 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: and you play college football there you're a quarterback I 509 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,959 Speaker 1: want to say, corner, corner and team captain all that stuff. 510 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 1: So that route, I guess, how did that lead you 511 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: into becoming a scout? You know? Did you think you're 512 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:45,880 Speaker 1: gonna be Pat Moriarty because of the the economics background or what? No? Well, 513 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 1: you know, DePaul is a liberal arts school, so you know, 514 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,479 Speaker 1: it's not like you're gonna go major and scouting, you know. 515 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 1: So it's really just I was I was actually a 516 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: part of Management Fellows, which is their business and entrepreneur 517 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: uh program. So yeah, I had to take a certain 518 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: amount of economic course or business courses because I was 519 00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 1: a part of that program. And then when it came 520 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,640 Speaker 1: time to declare my major, I just ended up having 521 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: more credits and economics than any other one. Now, I 522 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: really wasn't as passionate about anything, right that. I was 523 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 1: just you know, trying to trying to go through my curriculum, 524 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: and I was like, well, I guess I was just 525 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,479 Speaker 1: I'll continue through the econ of route. But yeah, the 526 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:28,919 Speaker 1: economics degree is is cool because it's just kind of 527 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 1: it kind of teaches you more how to think or 528 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,919 Speaker 1: how to look at things or how to value things, 529 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: which honestly, as a scout or as a general manager 530 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: or whatever, building a team and whatever the case is, 531 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 1: it plays a big part because you're like, well, what's valuable? 532 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 1: What's something that you know? It just helps you, you know, 533 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:49,919 Speaker 1: put the pieces together, you know, if you're trying to, 534 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 1: you know, build your team. You think big picture. You 535 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: think big picture and and you know, think ahead. You know, 536 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:57,159 Speaker 1: think of problems coming down the road. Where if I 537 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,239 Speaker 1: do if I make this move, what other is are 538 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: gonna come down the road? But if I go that route, 539 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: you know, how is that going to change? You know, 540 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: the path going forward? And that different types of things. 541 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,880 Speaker 1: So if somebody's gonna say, you know, I would become 542 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: a scout, what would you say to them, Like, how 543 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 1: do they go about doing that? Well, One, you gotta 544 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 1: have a passion for for ball and and really you 545 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: just need to be working in ball some type of way. 546 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: You don't have to you you don't have to have played, 547 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 1: you don't have to have you know, just grew up 548 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:26,879 Speaker 1: around the game. You know, there's a lot of guys 549 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,640 Speaker 1: that are scouting these days that didn't necessarily play high 550 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 1: school or college ball. But you gotta have a passion 551 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:35,639 Speaker 1: for for the game, and you gotta be working close 552 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: to the game and some type of fashion to to 553 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:41,440 Speaker 1: continue to grow and learn and and you know kind 554 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 1: of just build your resume up and uh, just those 555 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 1: types of things. So you know, when I out of college, 556 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 1: I tried to you know, it's it's it's rare you're 557 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 1: just gonna get a job out of out of college 558 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:56,920 Speaker 1: just working with an NFL team. But I was lucky enough. 559 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: I had a lot of people in my corner that 560 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:01,440 Speaker 1: I knew from from with my my college coach, and 561 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,160 Speaker 1: he knew a lot of people. And there's act there's 562 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,959 Speaker 1: actually like four other people in scouting that went to 563 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: the Paul and when I was a teammate of mine. 564 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 1: But you know a lot of those guys they kind 565 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,479 Speaker 1: of helped me along the way. But you do need 566 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:15,360 Speaker 1: to be working in football. I think. I think it's 567 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: just like just like picking a player, right, Like how 568 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,960 Speaker 1: passionate is this guy? About how much does he? Yeah, 569 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 1: how much does he first of all, how doesn't how 570 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 1: much does he really want to work in football? How 571 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 1: much does it? How badly does he really want it? 572 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 1: What has he done to display, you know the fact 573 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: that he needs to be working in sports, and he'll 574 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: go through any links to work in sports. So you know, 575 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:40,439 Speaker 1: what kind of adversity or obstacles have you overcome? Like 576 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 1: I know, at a certain point I was, I was 577 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 1: substitute teaching them old high school. I was first of all, 578 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: I was living at home, you know, after after college. 579 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,919 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have been able to, you know, survive if 580 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,959 Speaker 1: I wouldn't, you know, living in my parents house. So 581 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: I'm substitute teaching after I initially had a job working 582 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 1: uh financial sales, and the lasted like nine months, and 583 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 1: then I got I got an opportunity to interview with 584 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,479 Speaker 1: the Cleveland Browns for a job, and I didn't get it. 585 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: And then a month later I got a phone interview 586 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: to interview for another position. I didn't get it, and 587 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 1: I was like, what am I doing working in financial sales? 588 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:17,439 Speaker 1: You know, this is I actually got an opportunity, you know, 589 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: the interview. I was like, well, what do I need 590 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: to do to make sure that I'm ready, you know, 591 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 1: for the next time, you know, the opportunity comes, so 592 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: I can punch through. So I quit the job, you know, 593 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: I said I need to work in football. So I 594 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 1: got a job substitute teaching at my old high school. 595 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,199 Speaker 1: I got a job as a g A over at 596 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: Butler University coaching dbs. UM. I came home and oh 597 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: and then you know, i'd go to class. After I 598 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 1: get done with practice, I come home, eat, sleep for 599 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: a little bit, wake up. Then I go work at 600 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: FedEx from like twelve am to four am, you know, 601 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: just to have some benefits because you know, it's it 602 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: wasn't a glamor, you know, so you know, I'm working. 603 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: I'm working in the day for some money. I'm getting 604 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: my football experience. You know. During the day, I'm sleeping 605 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: in them, you know, going to FedEx. So I did 606 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: that for like a year before something popped through. And 607 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: you know, when if you're if you're doing things like that, 608 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: you know, if you have a plan and you believe 609 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: in I mean, there's plenty of days while I'm stacking 610 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: cans at FedEx, I'm like, what am I doing. I'm 611 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 1: sure my mom loves this, you know, thirty five thousand 612 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: dollar a year education going and going into the trash 613 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: or I'm I'm fed X working. But no, man, there 614 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 1: was there was a means to the you know, to 615 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: the matters. I mean there, it was a means to 616 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 1: an end, so you know, and then when you get 617 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: the opportunity, you feel so and you're just like, there's 618 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: nothing that I wouldn't do to, you know, to succeed. 619 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: So you know, I think I think you know that 620 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: as a as a staff, the Ravens try to identify 621 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: those types of people because they know what a grind 622 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: or how unglamorous this this whole gig is, and then 623 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 1: the type of hours you're gonna have to be doing, 624 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: so like, if he's willing to do all that, this 625 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: should be a walk in the park. And that's how 626 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 1: it kind of was for me what you did here 627 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 1: on this one. All right, this is the last question. 628 00:29:57,720 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 1: You gotta give us quick scouting report on me and 629 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 1: making what's your quick Scott? Who would you draft? Yeah, 630 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: you gotta draft the draft. We're both on the board. 631 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: You're making a decision. Who are you drafted? I'm calling 632 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: another team to trade back. All right, that's a good answer. 633 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: I haven't thought about that one, but that's a good answer. Yeah, 634 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:17,280 Speaker 1: we should have put him on the spot. We should 635 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 1: have put them on We know we all out of trade. 636 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: You can't trade. No, nobody's the phone's not ringing, the 637 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: phone is not the clocks winding down. Nobody wants to 638 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: tango because nobody's training up to get us exactly sure, 639 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: So thanks again, and David, he's he's a great guy 640 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: who knows a lot about football work, has worked hard 641 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: to be where he is, um and I really enjoyed 642 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: the conversation with him, and I hope you guys said 643 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:39,360 Speaker 1: as well. As always, you can read us at the 644 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 1: lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot net and we will 645 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 1: be back with you next week with hopefully another great guest.