6.0 to 5.00 -- Franchise Prospect -- A player who can change the course of a game and a consistent performer. Multiple Pro-Bowl possibilities and top ten selection. Top five pick and very rare.
4.99 to 4.10 -- Quality Prospect -- Someone that consistently gives good performances. Occasional Pro-Bowl appearances.
4.09 to 3.75 -- First-Year Contributor -- Prospect that has the ability to make plays from the get-go and start early into his rookie season.
3.74 to 3.45 -- Future Starter -- A good athlete that must learn to be a football player or someone who is an "overachiever". Quality prospect with long term potential
3.44 to 3.35 -- Fence Player -- Prospect on the fence that has the skills and abilities to succeed but needs time and patience to develop those skills to the fullest.
3.34 to 2.99 -- Practice Squad -- Late-round player that must develop his talents on the practice squad and NFL Europe.
2.98 to 2.40 -- Free Agent -- Player who will make a 60 or 80 man roster.
As well as grading each player we give a prediction of where we feel they will be drafted. In a few situations there may be a player with a lower grade predicted to be drafted prior to a player with a higher one.
While some prospects grade lower presently, after a few seasons of development and maturity they should be better players in the long term. Factor in that drafting depends on a certain team’s needs, as well as the position played. Premiums are put on defensive line prospects as opposed to tight ends. Positions like guard and linebacker are sometimes seen as a "dime a dozen" opposed to cornerbacks or offensive tackles.
HEIGHT, WEIGHT & 40 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. The numbers associated with players are official height/weight/40 times from either combine workouts or individual Pro Day, but there is a side note.
There is 40 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 40 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. Where pertinent in the players' bios we spoke of either how they performed in recent individual or combine workouts to give you an idea of what direction they are headed. More importantly in the scouting report we give our opinions as to whether or not a prospect plays to his listed 40 time or weight room numbers.
READING THE STATS & REPORTS
While it's difficult not to be redundant we try to cut down the wordiness giving statistics. Here is how to read the stats line for different positions.
