Traveling across the nation, moving from motel to motel, working all hours of the day and night, speaking with a myriad of different people, all to determine which players should represent the Kansas City Chiefs.
A scout's job never stops; it isn't just limited to football season it's all year round. The Chiefs scouting department is already out doing their research and looking towards next year.
"We whittle things down through the Senior Bowl, the All Star games, the Combine, individual workouts, our meetings, we watch film on players to make sure we are all on the same page with the coaching staff and then there's the draft," Marvin Allen, Chiefs Director of College Scouting, explained. "It's a big process that helps to find players that will fit our system."
Recently, the team's scouts were at the NFL Combine, evaluating, interviewing and working with potential NFL players.
"This is a chance to do medical and physical testing, a chance for the coaches to work them out and a chance to interview them," Chris Ballard, Chiefs Director of Player Personnel, said. "The Combine is a big piece of the puzzle for us…this is an important step in the process."
The Chiefs have a determined scouting department. They find the athletes in their years before the limelight, before the record-breaking stats, before the Hall of Fame. They put in the hours all year long and are sure to be very thorough.
"We see these players on film, but it's hard to tell how fast they really are, or how explosive they are, this time really helps define what they can do athletically and mentally," Willie Davis, Chiefs Scout, noted. "The combine is another step in the process for these guys to show us what they can do and what they can bring to the team."
The Chiefs scouts know the importance of getting the full scope on and off the field. It is not solely about athletic ability, it is also about the athlete's reputation, work ethic, and character. Chiefs scouts dig deep to be sure that any athlete entering Arrowhead Stadium is worthy of wearing the red and gold.
"We want to see how a player fits, what kind of player he is, what kind of goals he has, how he acts in the locker room," Allen commented. "We have specific needs for our team…we're grading guys specifically for the needs of the Kansas City Chiefs."
The team's scouts are in the midst of their busiest time of year, preparing and working towards the draft.
"It's a bunch of moving parts until the draft day," Allen said. "We feel that by the time we get to the draft, we will be able to fit our needs specifically."
The scouts work together with the Chiefs coaches to find the best players available and the best players to represent the Kansas City Chiefs.
"We're all in this thing together, trying to give the coaches the type of player they are looking for," Dom Green, Chiefs Assistant Director of College Scouting, noted. "We try to help guide them as far as who to focus on and watch. It is a team effort here in Kansas City, which Coach Reid and John (Dorsey) have stressed since day one and it really is. It's all a chance to find the next pieces in the puzzle."
