When Pro Scout Meets Pro Scout Liaison On the Campus.

WITH THE NFL DRAFT approaching (as I write this), the pro scouts are busy tracking down every lead in their quest for the right kind of players for their teams.

Never has the hunt been so intense. With the competition for talent at an all-time level, the scouts have to work long hours at a demanding job and can ill-afford to make mistakes. They need help and part of my job at Texas Christian is to assist them as much as possible.

When a scout comes to meet with me, the first thing he needs is the team statistics. I have a copy ready for him plus our media guide. We also have a special room in which he can watch videos and work without interruption.

Most scouts bring along the data sheet they obtained the previous spring. They want to know the players' speed, competitiveness, body, character, learning, ability, work habits, performance on special teams, and injuries.

At some point during the day, I will help the scouts hunt down our team doctor and strength coach. They will want to learn about the athlete's medical problems and weight-room habits, as well as family background.

I will try to interview every senior prior to his season to gather the kind of information the scouts will be interested in. Most scouts will refer to their data sheets and the new information as they go along.

The different scouts will be coming by day after day. Some of the organizations will send two scouts, one right after the other. This is called the cross-check. One scout might have a player on the bubble and need the opinion of another scout before pulling the trigger on a player. One scout might project free-agency, another might project third or fourth round.

Some teams won't always crosscheck, but they will double-check. The scout will come out early in the year and then return to re-evaluate. With jobs on the line, the scout has to be right on the players he chooses.

I can answer just so many questions for the scout. The players really have to sell themselves. I ask all of our senior players for two phone numbers and a copy of their class schedule. This will enable me to set up a time for them to come by and shake hands with the scout.

The meeting is especially important for the players who are on the bubble. Such players must be willing to work out anytime after the season. I advise my bubble players to send the NFL office a resume of their playing career, including their workout schedules.

The league office will forward this information to every NFL team. This kind of handout will familiarize the NFL scouts with all the players -- players they may have overlooked.

It is easy and rewarding to work with the scouts. By always being honest and helpful, you can build a relationship with the scouts and keep them coming back to evaluate your talent year after year, as well as return in the spring to time and work out the players.

You cannot lie about the players. It will damage both your reputation and the school's.

Some scouts will spend one to three days at your school, breaking down film and watching practice. You should make the players available to the scouts without neglecting your other duties.

Like most programs, we have a pro timing day at which the scouts will put our kids through a combine-like workout. It can be awesome.

The scouts will weigh the kids, stretch them, and run them. They will also work the players at different kinds of drills and check their skills in one-on-one confrontations. They may throw passes to some kids, watch others block, or kick.

I usually try to prepare my kids in the months leading up to this timing and running session. It will usually be their last chance to impress.

At the end of the workout, the scouts will ask some general questions and then ask for the draft-day telephone number of the players. Unfortunately, not everyone -- or anyone -- will make the cut. When the pro timing day goes bad, the talk will shift to free agency and club invitations.

With all the NFL background checks and research, the process of screening for talent may appear awesome. But the bottom line is that everything really begins with pro scout meeting pro liaison in a little office on campus the spring before!