Tag: scouting

Saints have met with one of the best kicking prospects in the 2025 draft class

The Saints were able to meet with one of the best kicking prospects in the 2025 NFL draft class during Shrine Bowl week:

The New Orleans Saints were one of the ten teams to meet with top kicking prospect Andres Borregales during the week leading up to the East-West Shrine Bowl, per The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler. This is a huge opportunity for the Saints in the upcoming draft, as Borregales is a special player and one of the best kicking prospects in recent years.

Over the course of his four year career, Borregales has made 183 of his 184 PATs (99.5%), and 74 of his 86 field goal tries (86.0%), but what is so special about him is his development to kicking from range. In those four seasons he has made 7 of 10 field goal attempts from 50-plus yards, and 17 of 21 from 40 to 49 yards. Meaning on kicks of 40-plus yards he is making 77.4% of them in his collegiate career.

The development from range has grown over the years however, and in 2024 he was able to hit a field goal from 56 yards out, which may have been good from another five to seven yards out as well. He has led the ACC in PAT attempts and makes previously (2024) and field goal attempts and makes as well (2023). In his four collegiate seasons, he has accrued 405 total points, tied for 52nd all time in college football scoring.

Interestingly enough, his brother José Borregales was also a placekicker with Miami previously, and Andres was the one to come in and succeed him when he went on to the NFL in 2021. José would go undrafted in 2021 and sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two seasons on the practice squad, before moving on to the XFL and CFL in ensuing seasons. He would end up 85th on the all-time college scoring list as well. 

While the Saints do already have Blake Grupe and Charlie Smyth, you can never have enough kicking competition to try and improve everyone in the room. Borregales would absolutely be up to the task of competing for a starting spot, and potentially winning it.

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Aaron Glenn rejects the defensive specialist label: ‘I’m a coach’

Aaron Glenn refuses to be boxed in as ‘just’ a defensive coach: ‘I understand the offense just as well as a number of people’

There are people who believe hiring a head coach from an offensive background is the way to go in order to build a Super Bowl-winning team. Just don’t bring those people around Aaron Glenn.

When considering his future prospects this week, including a potential path to becoming head coach of the New Orleans Saints, the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator was quick to bring up Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin as examples of defensive-minded coaches who won Super Bowls.

That’s not a worry with the Saints. Mickey Loomis made it clear the team will look at coaches from all disciplines.

Additionally, Glenn doesn’t want to be viewed as ‘just’ a defensive coach. He told reporters this week that, “I’m a coach. I just happen to be on the defense. I understand the offense just as well as a number of people.”

Glenn refuses to be boxed in: “If you’re going to hire me, you’re going to hire a coach, not a defensive coach. I’m going to talk to the offense just as much as I’m going to talk to the defense.”

That’s the difference between a coordinator and a head coach, though there are coaches who spend more time on one side of the ball. It makes you wonder if Glenn will call plays.

He’s been around Sean Payton and Dan Campbell. Campbell doesn’t call plays which allows him to be everywhere. Payton is a renowned play caller. His focus is on the entire team, but the offense has to receive a larger percentage of his attention through the week.

Glenn has a couple of influences to take from, and it makes his eventual approach as a head coach interesting to watch. He has a background working in scouting, too, which is a rare thing for many coaches these days. The Saints may have a front-row seat for seeing how his unique process plays out.

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New Orleans Saints among teams in attendance for Georgia vs. Tennessee game

The New Orleans Saints were among the many teams in attendance for Saturday’s game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers.:

The New Orleans Saints were just one of many teams represented at Saturday’s Southeastern Conference clash between the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 11 Georgia Bulldogs.

In addition to New Orleans, there were also scouts in attendance for the Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears.

Who exactly the Saints are looking at here could be anyone’s guess, and is obviously impossible to provide a definitive answer for. And especially when it comes down to a pair of programs that both put first-rounders in the NFL — something Georgia does every year and will continue to do in 2025.

Among the most major prospects to watch for the 2025 cycle include quarterback Carson Beck, defensive back Malaki Starks and defensive lineman Mykel Williams, just to name a handful.

It will be interesting to see what happens come April with the college football regular season beginning to wind down and the 2025 NFL draft closer than it appears.

Georgia and Tennessee remain tied at 17-17 at the half, but the Bulldogs pulled away in a 31-17 win. The Saints have drafted players from both schools in recent years, most notably Alvin Kamara and Alontae Taylor from Tennessee, so they could have been eyeing the next member of the black and gold at this SEC showdown.

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Chiefs scouting report: Colorado State Rams WR Tory Horton

Colorado State Rams WR Tory Horton is a top prospect to watch for the Kansas City #Chiefs in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs face roster attrition at wide receiver this coming offseason. Several contributors hit free agency, and Rashee Rice faces potential fallout from an off-field incident this past spring. Fortunately, the 2025 NFL draft includes plenty of talented receiving options.

Colorado State’s Tory Horton offers a safe floor as a prospect because of his upside as a special teams contributor and favorable physical traits. He returned a punt for a touchdown in three consecutive seasons, which is rare for a receiver with a 6 foot 3 inch, 185-pound frame.

Colorado State runs many shallow crossing routes for Horton, but he ran and won on more vertical routes during his time at Nevada. His long strides and burst help him stack corners and generate vertical separation against press coverage. Horton lacks elite speed but offers more than enough to do damage downfield and after the catch.

Horton tracks the throw well and makes impressive adjustments while the ball is in the air. He posts examples of playing above the rim and dominating cornerbacks but needs to maximize his size and arm length at the catch point more often.

Horton moves with surprising fluidity for a slightly high-cut player. His athleticism lets him take advantage of cutback lanes after the catch and find hidden yardage. He makes the most of catch-and-run situations with his creativity.

Colorado State’s offense doesn’t ask Horton to run a full route tree. That’s an area of his game he must develop early in his NFL career.

Horton sat out Colorado State’s Week 4 game against UTEP as he healed from a groin injury. The Rams play their next game against Oregon State on Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Steelers hire Max Gruder as assistant director of player scouting

The Steelers hire a former Pitt LB to be their new assistant director of scouting.

The Pittsburgh Steelers brought in former Philadelphia Eagles Andy Weidl to be the assistant general manager and now the team has brought in one of his former employees. Pittsburgh has hired Max Gruder to be the new assistant director of player scouting.

Gruder knows the Steelers franchise well having been a linebacker at the University of Pittsburgh from 2007-2011 and put together a solid career. He joins the Steelers after scouting stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. Gruder was signed as an UDFA by the Atlanta Falcons but despite being highly productive in college, couldn’t carve out a name for himself as a player in the NFL.

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NFL insider: Scouting community ‘raved about’ Commanders’ 2024 draft

The scouting community loved Washington’s draft.

There haven’t been too many people who didn’t like the Washington Commanders 2024 NFL draft class. Sure, some thought that general manager Adam Peters may have reached on a player or two, but almost everyone agrees that the Commanders came away with a strong class.

Washington selected nine players, led by No. 2 overall pick, quarterback Jayden Daniels. While Caleb Williams went No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears, some teams reportedly liked Daniels more.

The Commanders made most of their noise on Day 2, with five selections, including three in the second round. With their three second-round picks, Washington selected defensive tackle Johnny Newton, cornerback Mike Sainristil and tight end Ben Sinnott.

It’s an impressive haul that should help the Commanders this fall.

According to longtime NFL insider Adam Caplan, now with Pro Football Network, the scouting community “raved about” Washington’s class.

This was one of those teams that the scouting community raved about when they reviewed this draft. Daniels was the No. 1 or 2 graded QB for this draft by several teams, so the Commanders did well here in terms of value.

Newton and Sainristil should start early on, and Sinnott, while some teams had a lesser grade on him, we’re told, will eventually start. Teams loved his versatility and he’s coming off a really good set of Senior Bowl week practices.

Coleman, we’re told, should wind up playing inside at guard, and he’ll have a good chance to start over time.

The Commanders lack good depth at ILB, so Magee, if he has a strong preseason, will have a good chance to make the roster.

Where Caplan is incorrect is about Coleman. Peters said he would begin his career as an offensive tackle. Some may think that the Commanders reached on Coleman because they missed out on the top tackles, but that’s not the case. Several teams believe Coleman can be an effective tackle. He is an elite athlete with the length and wingspan of a tackle.

Of Washington’s nine picks, you could make the case that six will be immediate contributors in 2024.

Lions promote Brian Hudspeth to Director of College Scouting

Hudspeth was Detroit’s assistant director of collegiate scouting in 2022

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The Detroit Lions have filled a front office vacancy from within the organization. Per Aaron Wilson, the Lions have promoted Brian Hudspeth to the director of collegiate scouting position.

Hudspeth has been the Lions’ assistant director of collegiate scouting for the last year. He first joined Detroit in 2018 as a national scout. Hudspeth started his NFL scouting career with the Atlanta Falcons back in 2001. He’s also had scouting tenures with the Texans and Buccaneers.

He fills the hole left behind by Dave Sears, who left after the season to join the Arizona Cardinals as that team’s assistant GM.

Gianluca Pascucci: ‘The U.S. is going to have the edge, but it’s not granted anymore’

After a six-year hiatus, adidas Eurocamp was back in Treviso, Italy, as the only sanctioned NBA pre-draft camp outside of the United States. As HoopsHype has already spoken to Jabari Smith and Bennedict Mathurin at Eurocamp, basketball executive …

After a six-year hiatus, adidas Eurocamp was back in Treviso, Italy, as the only sanctioned NBA pre-draft camp outside of the United States. As HoopsHype has already spoken to Jabari Smith and Bennedict Mathurin at Eurocamp, basketball executive Gianluca Pascucci, who serves as the scouting director for the event, was nice enough to talk about the event, give insight to draft preparation, and more.

Scout: Kyrie Irving blew off Steve Nash’s Nets play calls 10 times in one game

In the Nets’ Oct. 29 loss to the Pacers – one of the last games before Kyrie Irving was suspended – the All-Star guard didn’t just wave off the play called by then-coach Steve Nash. On 10 separate occasions, Nash called a specific play and the scout …

In the Nets’ Oct. 29 loss to the Pacers — one of the last games before Kyrie Irving was suspended — the All-Star guard didn’t just wave off the play called by then-coach Steve Nash. On 10 separate occasions, Nash called a specific play and the scout watched Irving do something entirely different.  That wasn’t simple creativity, something to be expected from the uniquely electrifying All-Star. No, it was double-digit defiance.  “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” the scout told The Post. “Nash would call something, and he’d run the opposite. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Source: Brian Lewis @ New York Post

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Charania on Irving: There are relationships that need to be sorted out, also in the locker room
sportando.basketball/en/charania-on… – 4:57 AM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Defiant Kyrie Irving blew off Steve Nash’s #Nets play calls 10 times in one game nypost.com/2022/11/08/def… via @nypostsports – 10:55 PM
Jeff Stotts @InStreetClothes
Re: Zach Collins: The fibular head is the proximal end (near the knee) of the outer lower leg bone. I have two other examples of non-displaced fractures of the fibular head in the NBA: Tyson Chandler and Steve Nash. The average time lost in these two cases is 22 games (48 days). – 10:13 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Shams on Kyrie:
“There are relationships that need to be sorted out, not only between Kyrie and management in the organization as far as the ownership, but also the locker room. He’s been away from the team for about a week now, so that is a big amount of time he’s been gone.” – 7:49 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Top 4:
— Steph Curry
— Kyrie Irving
— Paolo Banchero
— Desmond Bane
Guess the stat. pic.twitter.com/xcCFT61RhZ – 7:28 PM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Kyrie Irving, Adam Silver have “productive,” “understanding” meeting nba.nbcsports.com/2022/11/08/kyr… – 7:12 PM
Ben Rohrbach @brohrbach
So, I spent the past week trying to connect the dots of Kyrie Irving’s many conspiracy theories for @The Vertical.
Here’s where I landed: https://t.co/Vo9ExXTzyf pic.twitter.com/2IrM9iEXG3 – 6:53 PM

Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Kyrie Irving meeting with Adam Silver paves way for ‘potential path forward’ #nets nypost.com/2022/11/08/kyr… via @nypostsports – 6:40 PM
Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
ICYMI: Jaylen Brown says Players Association has issues with conditions Kyrie Irving must meet to return to #Nets bostonglobe.com/2022/11/07/spo… via @BostonGlobe – 5:26 PM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
AP source: Suspended Kyrie Irving meets with Adam Silver (from @AP) apnews.com/article/225917… – 5:08 PM
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Sources: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Kyrie Irving met this morning and the sides had a productive and understanding visit, paving the way for the Nets and their suspended star to work through his steps on a potential path forward. – 4:53 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Nets status report vs. the Knicks Wednesday :
Irving (team suspension) – OUT
Warren (left foot – injury recovery) – OUT
Watanabe (left ankle sprain) – OUT – 4:02 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Nets Status Report for tomorrow night’s game vs. New York:
Irving (team suspension) – OUT
Warren (left foot – injury recovery) – OUT
Watanabe (left ankle sprain) – OUT – 3:56 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Nets status report for tomorrow night’s game vs. the Knicks:
Irving (team suspension) – OUT
Warren (left foot – injury recovery) – OUT
Watanabe (left ankle sprain) – OUT
#Nets #Knicks #NBA #NetsWorld – 3:56 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets status report for tomorrow against the Knicks: Irving (team suspension) – OUT
Warren (left foot – injury recovery) – OUT
Watanabe (left ankle sprain) – OUT – 3:51 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Is Kyrie Irving done in Brooklyn?
🏀 @RealJayWilliams weighs in on Kyrie’s future with the Nets #NetsWorld
@Rick Kamla | @adaniels33 pic.twitter.com/xwD6RQ7ZkM – 3:12 PM

Erik Slater @erikslater_
ICYMI, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver met with Kyrie Irving this morning off the heels of his suspension.
Be on the lookout for potential news there. – 1:18 PM
Ian Begley @IanBegley
“I would love nothing more than to sit down w/Kyrie & discuss the similarities between our communities & how we can work to support each other…This is a time for love, not hate.”
Michael Dube views last week as an opportunity for growth/understanding: https://t.co/PfBOqo3F0Y pic.twitter.com/9SJKj9pEJ3 – 12:22 PM

Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
When will Kyrie return to the Nets?
Odds via @betonline_ag pic.twitter.com/HhABBxLqeu – 12:09 PM

Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Now on @njdotcom
Celtics star, NBPA VP Jaylen Brown says Kyrie Irving’s reinstatement requirements are too stringent nj.com/nets/2022/11/c… – 9:26 AM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Kevin Durant had made 62 straight free throws – his last miss was back when Steve Nash was coach – but missed a huge one with :05 left: “I got to make that. That’s the game. We’d probably still be playing right now.” #Nets – 1:52 AM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
End 3Q: Jazz 115, Lakers 98. Utah is 15-28 from 3. And with that buzzer-beating 3, Rudy Gay has passed Steve Nash for 90th on the NBA’s all-time points list, with 17,388. – 11:56 PM
Tas Melas @TasMelas
Steve Nash just wanted more time to watch the next best Canadian point guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. – 8:34 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
League sources say there have been some “strong voices” urging Joe Tsai to back off the Nets’ intent to hire suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka as Steve Nash’s successor given the considerable turmoil Brooklyn has already faced this season.
More to come: marcstein.Substack.com – 9:09 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Jeff Van Gundy is not a fan of the Nets parting ways with Steve Nash
@Frank Isola | @Brian Scalabrine pic.twitter.com/6qitffW0ed – 11:10 AM

More on this storyline

A source close to the situation told The Post that Nash was “technically the coach,” but that no matter what game plan he gave the Nets, “they did whatever they wanted.”  Irving was not the only culprit. There were rampant busted coverages, including Ben Simmons letting a screener slip to the basket thinking Royce O’Neale would take him, though he didn’t. There was Kevin Durant fussing at Joe Harris after a made basket because he felt a pass should’ve come his way. Example after example of disarray.  “They were the most dysfunctional team I’ve seen [in years],” another scout told The Post. -via New York Post / November 9, 2022
Nick Cannon is comparing Kyrie Irving’s suspension conditions to the savage practice of buck-breaking done in slavery. On Tuesday (Nov. 8), the 2 Hate or Not 2 Hate Podcast, which appears to be cohosted by Cannon and Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, shared a snippet of the debut episode on Instagram. In the clip, the duo discuss Kyrie Irving being issued a five-game suspension for sharing an anti-Semitic documentary on social media. Nick, who has faced his own anti-Semitic issues in the past, defended the Brooklyn Nets point-guard. -via XXL Mag / November 9, 2022
Nick Cannon responded, “So in that same statement as, ‘Those are the tropes that dehumanize Jewish people,’ the same buck-breaking…” He was then cut short by Greenblatt and asked to define the term “buck-breaking.” “The slave masters would bring the buck, the one that gets out of line, so all the other slaves would see, lash after lash, show them the power to set an example,” Cannon explained. “This is what you must do to fall in line. So, when we see the six things that Kyrie must do to get his job back, that’s dehumanizing.” -via XXL Mag / November 9, 2022

Matt Babcock: So, what else is needed …

Matt Babcock: So, what else is needed to succeed if one possesses NBA talent? I’ll tell you (at least a little), it’s called “The Formula.” This past week, I was invited to be a part of Formula Zero, where NBA superstar Damian Lillard, better known as “Dame,” and his longtime coach and mentor, Phil Beckner, welcomed a group of 20 high school and 20 college prospects, to Portland, Oregon. Upon arriving, they held an introductory meeting and dinner for the Formula Zero staff. I quickly learned that this was entirely different from any other camp. Actually, I realized it’s not a camp at all. It’s much bigger than that.