Sept. 21-27

This week, we learned that Damond Talbot, who has served as the Hula Bowl’s Executive Director since 2021, will not return for the 2025 game. What’s more, per the information we’ve gathered, none of the game’s evaluators will be back, leaving a big void at the top of what was the No. 3 all-star game in the pre-draft cycle. 

Ownership remains in the hands of Nick Logan, who’s retained the game since taking the reins for the 2007 contest. We don’t see any change there, but plenty elsewhere. Here are some of the major questions facing the Orlando, Fla.-based game which has become an important part of the scouting path since its return in January 2020. 

Who’s the new point of contact?: All we know is that it won’t be Talbot, who made it official with a social media post this week. There does not appear to be an obvious line of succession, but that’s not unusual. In 2007, former Falcons scout Joe Dan Rogers served a one-and-done term heading the game, followed by ITL’s Neil Stratton doing the same in 2008. We’ve heard at least one former NFL scout has approached Logan about helping out in 2025. At this point, that’s all we know. Talbot presumably will return to running respected website NFL Draft Diamonds, which is a platform devoted to spotlighting small-school prospects around the nation. The site is known for its interviews with hundreds of prospects in each draft class. 

Is there any hurry to replace Talbot?: Well, it’s not early, that’s for sure. Generally speaking, if his successor has to start from scratch, he’s got a lot of work to do. Normally, invites start going out around the first of October and acceptances start coming in not long after. In today’s all-star landscape, where every invitee is instantly celebrated on social media, there’s no time to waste in finding another executive director. Ultimately, an accepted invite to a rival game doesn’t necessarily mean the invitee won’t opt for the Hula Bowl, an early start is always better than a late start.

Was the game productive for scouts and evaluators?: Absolutely. Last year’s game, with practices held at UCF’s practice field and indoor facility and players lodged at the sprawling Caribe Royale Orlando Resort, workouts were state-of-the-art and interviews were conducted in the lobby of a clean and modern hotel. As for the players themselves, though the talent doesn’t reach the level of its predecessors like Dorsett, Marino and Montana, players like Kansas City OH Isiah Pacheco (7/251, 2022, Chiefs), Buffalo DC Christian Benford(6/185, 2022, Bills) and Dolphins DC Kader Kohou (undrafted out of Texas A&M-Commerce in 2022) have filled out the game’s roster in recent years. Of the 124 players on the 2024 roster, 120 made it to camp this summer, if only as a rookie mini-camp tryout member. 

Who picks up the slack?: The Fort Worth-based College Gridiron Showcase – which shares the second weekend of January as the date for the 2025 event – and Tropical Bowl – which shares the same host city – immediately move up in the pecking order. Both games have leaner budgets than the Hula Bowl but more history, having each been played annually for almost a decade (the CGS was launched in 2015, the Trop in 2016). Like the Hula, both have had stable ownership (co-founders Jose Jefferson and Craig Redd remain atop the CGS, while Michael Quartey continues as the owner of the Trop). 

Do we even need the game?: Without a doubt, if you care about building out a roster from top to bottom. Though the smaller all-star games don’t often produce Day 1 and 2 draft picks, respectively, they regularly send more than a hundred players each to NFL camps. With more and more schools accepting portal transfers and talent aggregating at the big schools, scouts often have to spend more time evaluating the players on P4 (and even G5) prospect lists. This means deserving players at smaller schools don’t get the same level of attention they used to get. 

What does it mean for agents and players this year?: For starters, fewer opportunities. Since 2023, we’ve gone from six legitimate, well-run all-star games (the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in addition to the Senior, Shrine, Hula, CGS and Trop) to five, and if the Hula doesn’t return, four. Also, like the Senior and Shrine Bowls, the Hula Bowl has been an all-expenses-paid endeavor for its invitees. If the game doesn’t return in 2025 – and right now, there’s no way of knowing its status – this probably means playing in an all-star game will be pricier for players not invited to Mobile or Frisco. Both the College Gridiron Showcase and Tropical Bowl require players to cover their own travel to and from the game, as well as to help with the cost of lodging and feeding the players. 

Though the Hula Bowl will feel the loss of Talbot, who’s ably run the Hula Bowl during his time in the executive director’s chair, we’re rooting for the game and hope it returns for 2025. However, given the uncertain financial model of all all-star games, we’re not writing anything in pen. We’ll continue to monitor things with hopes the Hula’s 100-plus roster spots don’t evaporate. 

Talbot’s exit was not the only big story on the minds of football professionals this week. The news that the quarterback of an undefeated team would step away from the field voluntarily due to NIL commitments that might or might not have been made rocked the world of college football this week. Matt Sluka’s decision to redshirt this season (he’d played only three games) and reenter the portal this fall (he originally came to the Rebels from Holy Cross) brought into sharp focus a problem that was only hinted it previously: what leverage do players have when a school doesn’t follow through on its promises (perceived or otherwise), given that play isn’t (technically) attached to play and performance on the field? What’s more, will Week 4 become the new “week to watch” as players guard over their redshirt eligibility? And finally, will Sluka’s actions prompt a wave of other players making the same decision this season (as USC’s Bear Alexander did)? 

We don’t know. Hopefully, what Sluka’s actions ensure is that we move closer to a true national standard for compensating players, whether that involves actual pay-to-play or whether a different accord is reached. For now, we remain in a holding pattern thanks to Judge Claudia Wilken’s reluctance to approve a settlement of litigation against the NCAA that would, presumably, settle the matter once and for all. 

Here's what we do know: despite his success on the field so far, NFL riches aren’t readily on the horizon for him. “I didn’t write him given what transpired this week ultimately, but I would lean towards not more than that (anyway),” said one scout. Said another: “I haven’t been through yet, but I haven’t heard of anyone that has him as even a priority guy. Which honestly makes me understand his decision even more from a financial aspect. If he doesn’t get his $$$ now he may never.” A third agreed: “Did not write him first time through.” One scout was more bullish, saying he “won’t pass a lot of the eye test but (is) a better prospect between the white lines” and comparing him to Las Vegas’ Gardner Minshew and Houston’s Case Keenum. 

Now here’s a look at what else was happening in the business of college and pro football this week.

Fall break: Our four-session NFL Agent Basics Course concluded this week with Zoom sessions Tuesday and Wednesday. It wrapped up four Zooms designed to go an hour each (all of them have gone at least 90 minutes). They were timed to tutor new contract advisors on how to make the best decisions and manage their money in advance of things going live in four days (Tuesday, Oct. 1). Here’s a look at what we covered this week:

• Tuesday, our focus was on training, its costs, combine prep vs. pro day prep, what a player expects vs. what you should provide, and many other topics over 90 minutes with guests Dave Spitz of California Strength and Christian Kranz and Shane Costa of Generation Sports Group. Costa and Kranz discussed their experiences with trainers over the years and the best ways to encourage better results from their clients, as discussed specifically by Costa here.
• Wednesday, Rodrik David of the Scouting the League Podcast (and a former Titans and Falcons scout) joined the session as the topic turned to the NFL player evaluation industry. In this clip, Rodrik discusses the art of building trust with an NFL evaluator and the quid pro quo nature of the industry. 

These meetups of dozens of new agents continued two previous sessions held the previous week. The first two covered money and spending (with guest speaker Chris Turnage of UA Sports) and recruiting and signing your first client (guested by Aston Wilson of Agency1 Management Group). If you are a new agent, we think these sessions will answer almost every question you’ve always had about what happens after you pass the exam. All four videos give you about six hours of content dedicated to you, the new contract advisor. Get access to all four for $350 (tax included). We think you’ll love it. 

By the way, if you’d like to get a sense of Tuesday’s breakdown of the training landscape and what mistakes to avoid, check out this week’s edition of the Succeed in Football blog. Wednesday, ITL’s Neil Stratton made nine points about training and combine prep that might have been missed in Tuesday’s episode. Whether you just want to get a sense of what content we provide, or you’re a more seasoned agent seeking validation on what you’ve seen in the training sphere so far, give this week’s post a read.

Continuing on culture: One of our themes with the Scouting the League Podcast over the last month has been building a locker room where everyone is bought in and committed to winning. It’s what some would call culture. Is it something that is a byproduct of having outstanding players and talented coaches? Or is it something that must be established before everything else, and that ultimately makes everyone better? To find out, we sought input from former NFL executive Jack Easterby, who’s spent time with the Jaguars, Chiefs, Patriots and Texans in a variety of roles. Today, he has a consulting firm and works with various sports entities around the world as he helps them identify their problems, then solve them. Jack drilled into the practices that develop a sustained framework of success for any team. Here are a few highlights:

• On the challenges of establishing a culture (21:00): “When you enter an organization, there are some challenges that you are aware of, that the organization or group or the university is definitely dealing with. You know that. There are certain things that are in the showroom, so to speak, where you’re saying, these are things we’re going to need to address . . . and then there also that are in the stockroom, they’re behind the door a little bit, that you have to get to and work through.”
• On the key culture drivers in New England not named Belichick or Brady (31:39): “Not enough has been made of (TE) Rob Gronkowski’s leadership. His personality is different from what many might say is typical of a captaincy.” 
• On Belichick’s attention to detail (51:35): “He would bring up which way the field is lined, so that the sun was blocking the returners’ (eyes), and making sure they were used to that, or kicking in the wind, and going in the stadium and practicing (that), and he always brought up so many things . . . in the end, it helped us be better.”
• On which teams are the culture leaders in the NFL (54:11): “I really have to give (Bills head coach) Sean (McDermott) a lot of credit for what he’s done in Buffalo. . . I have to give him and (GM) Brandon (Beane) a lot of credit because they went into that organization and they had not been successful in the postseason and had not been successful in the division . . . and they went in there from Day 1 . . . to get them relevant and playing hard. . . I love what Houston’s done. (GM) Nick (Caserio) has done a great job, (head coach) Demeco (Ryan’s) done a great job. . . those are two that come to mind.”

Don’t miss Jack’s take on the leaders in the New England and the players, coaches and executives who are building organizations that withstand injuries, bad drafts, off-field incidents and other bumps in the road, but who win anyway. Want even more insiders talk on the game behind the game? Binge every episode as Rodrik and Neil talk to former executives, coaches, trainers and players about the things that matter most. More of a visual person? Check out the Scouting the League YouTube channel and watch everyone in action here. 

Catching Up: Brian Zeches, 41, has spent more than a decade in scouting between the Chiefs, Commanders, Falcons and now the Senior Bowl. We caught up with him last week.

• Where are you living and what are you doing now?: “Still living in the Atlanta area and helping some friends out with projects, but primarily being a dad.”
• Do you miss the job? What do you miss most?: “Most of all, I miss the meetings where you get to go over players, give your opinion and set the targets. I thought it was great to be able to hear others give their opinion on guys I had evaluated and debate what you may or may not agree on. I always enjoyed the meeting on final cutdown day when you go over the waiver wire to discuss who you think can help the team. The initial round of draft meetings was always enjoyable when you get to hear the area scout paint the picture of a player that you may know only from seeing them play on TV, or know little about.”
• Do you keep in touch with any of your former colleagues?: “I do stay in touch with friends that I used to work with as well as people from other teams I was fortunate to meet in the business. This time of year, it's more just checking in and saying ‘hi’ since people are on the road or busy with advances.”
• Do you go to any live games (HS/college/pro)?: “My kids are old enough that we started going to high school games this year. Georgia has great high school football and is a fun atmosphere for them. I am going to try and make some college games this fall depending on how the schedule shakes out.”
• Are there any players you love to watch and/or feel close to due to your work in the game?: “It's always fun to keep track of guys that there were healthy discussions on both good and bad to see how they turned out. It's interesting to see if your eval on a guy turned out to be right or wrong and figure out why. Individually, I enjoy following guys that maybe weren't the most highly regarded, but I had a hand in signing. There were two guys in particular in Washington that fit this category and who have ended up as Pro Bowl players, which is great to see.”

Review the latest from other former NFL scouts and executives by accessing our Catching Up archive here. Want to hear from a former scout, or know someone who may be interested in being interviewed? Let us know.

Congratulations!: This week, we learned the new head coach (Ken Whisenhunt) and GM (Jim Monos) for the UFL’s Memphis Showboats in the 2025 season. We especially pass along a hearty well-done to Monos, the subject of our Catching Up feature in March of 2021. Monos is a veteran of the Saints, Eagles and Bills scouting staffs and has served at the executive level in the XFL and Alliance of American Football (with the San Diego Fleet). Hats off to both Whisenhunt and Monos as they get the Showboats ready for 2025.

Blake’s best bets: As we discussed last week, last week, we debuted our new regular feature in which former Titans scouting executive Blake Beddingfield spotlights five (or more) prospects who caught his attention during his weekly film review. Last week, his list included players from California, Western Michigan and Cincinnati. This week, his seven players came from Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, USC, Baylor, Auburn and Tennessee (yes, sleepers go to big schools, as well). The list included three under-the-radar defensive linemen, two running backs, a linebacker and a wide receiver/return specialist. As you know, Day 1 and Day 2 players are mostly spoken for in modern draft classes, and the fight is for rising Day 3 types. We’re doing our best to help. Want in? Just sign up for ITL and start getting a weekly look at the players no one else knows about.

Good news, bad news: As we mentioned last week, we’re trying to check in with scouts more regularly regarding their schools visits. Here’s the feedback we got this week.

• “Kansas is really good. (Jayhawks Director of Scouting Scott) Aligo really lines it up for you. Some of these places, they bring everyone to you, but the pro liaison sits in on everything. Are they really gonna be transparent? The message is all one voice. But at Kansas, it’s just you and them. Plus they feed you, too, which is clutch.” 
• “Add Tennessee to the list of schools that suck for scouts! Twenty minutes at practice and lie about players or say 'can’t talk about him.'"
• “Indiana is the frustrating one right now. I haven’t been in there yet, but they have changed their visitation policy in the middle of the season and caused a lot of scouts to have to rework their schedules on the fly. I’m not sure how it is when you actually get in, but they have made it hard to get in.”
• “Really good visits: West Virginia, Notre Dame, Purdue, Virginia, Wake Forest, Syracuse. Not so great but not terrible: Rutgers. Really good surprises: Michigan State, Clemson, North Carolina.”
• “Good visit: Florida is really good to us. They are detailed, bring everyone to you and give us access to whatever we need, good people. Bad visit: Rutgers tries to treat us well and they are decent people, but we get no information. Surprises: North Carolina has become a better visit; Brian Simmons is a former scout and really detailed, (and) he knows what we need. (Also), Boston College used to be one of the worst visits, (and) you had a hard time getting any information, (but) they have gotten a lot better. They give you more access and (Director of Football Performance) Craig Fitzgerald is a great person.”

Got a school you want to celebrate? Got one you want to complain about? If you’re out on the road, we want to hear from you (anonymously, of course). Email us here or text ITL’s Neil Stratton. Let’s get the word out. 

Agent changes: Thursday, we broke out the 10 players who made changes in their representation (or, possibly, whose agents made the change) since last month. Among the 10, two of the “changes” were going from no agent to hiring representation. We also saw a former first-rounder, Texans DC Derek Stingley, switch from the agency that has represented him since he was drafted No. 3 overall in 2022. Among the 10, three were defensive backs (two corners, one safety). By the way, the same number of players switched representation last year during the same period, and both were comparable to the numbers from 2022. 

Agents by Total Clients: This week, we rolled out our first look at the contract advisors with at least 10 active clients in the league. As promised, the numbers were far smaller than they were before cutdowns. There were 104 contract advisors with 10 players in the league per this week’s count, compared to 143 in late August. Is your name on the list? Check out this week’s report to find out. 

Big break in the Bayou City?: If your client isn’t already on a roster, but wants to be, consider the Free Agent Showcase ahead next weekend (Oct. 4-5) in Houston. Friday’s optional event will be held at the Courtyard Houston Intercontinental Airport, 15838 John F. Kennedy Blvd, and will include a meet-and-greet with coaches and staff; early jersey assignment; and early player measurements (height/weight). Saturday, the showcase kicks off at 9 a.m. at C.E. King High School’s indoor facility located behind the football field, 11433 East Sam Houston Pkwy N. Registration check-in starts at 9 a.m., and payment ($200 cash) is due prior to measurements and jersey assignments. The showcase hotel discount rate ($109 per night) includes free airport shuttle and breakfast, and the hotel (SpringHill Suites Houston Intercontinental Airport, 15840 John F. Kennedy Blvd) is next door to the Courtyard Marriott. To register for the hotel at the $109 rate, click here.

Next week: Here’s hoping the coming seven days are known more for what happens on the field than off. We’ve got plenty coming up.

• Our Rep Rumblings will cook as usual as we begin to hear more about player decisions on all-star games, agent decisions and the like. We’ll also track everything else related to the business in our popular reports. 
• We had a better week in our Profile Reports this week with UTEP, Toledo, Troy, Tulane, Tulsa, UCLAand Utah State. We’ve got 12 reports left to go. We’ll tackle Utah, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Techand Wake Forest at the minimum next week and hopefully more.
• Will there be more players suspending play due to NIL-related matters this week? If so, it sounds like something we’ll tackle in the Succeed in Football blog. 
• We’ll take another whack at updating the Scouts by Area Grid next week. Here’s last year’s. We also hope to update the NCAA head coaches and agents grid. We’ve got lots of changes we need to make over last year’s list.

The seasons (pro and college) are roaring and there’s never a dull moment, as usual. Let’s take it all in together.