More Than Metrics: Here’s The Key To NFL Draft Success

Months of metrics and data comparisons finally get put to the test this week when we hear these eight simple words: “With the first pick of the NFL Draft…”

The team, player name, and video highlight reel that follows those eight words will kickstart a seven-round mad dash of NFL franchises attempting to acquire the best new talent for their respective rosters. This year, the annual spectacle will undoubtedly feature recognizable names like projected top pick and former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, former Ohio State playmaking quarterback Justin Fields, and Heisman trophy-winning wide receiver Devonta Smith.

Elevated by collegiate awards, these top prospects are over-analyzed like theories in a quantum physics lab. We’ve measured height and weight and even calculated the speed and rotation of a thrown football as it leaves Lawrence’s fingertips–upwards of 61 miles per hour, by the way.

But I’d argue the most game-changing part of a team’s ability to navigate the Draft successfully is how well they measure “the immeasurables.”

Competitive fire, for instance, is a quality that cannot be evaluated through a battery of drills or 30-minute group workout sessions at the NFL Scouting Combine. Yet, there’s no question that competitive fire has fueled quarterback Tom Brady to seven Super Bowl championships in a 20-year career.

The teams who select talented players rich with intangibles like competitive fire, grit, and strong leadership typically benefit from the draft more greatly than those who focus on stats and pedigree.

In business, the fancy resume with a Who’s Who of Fortune 500 companies in their work history is excellent, but what you should really want to identify is whether that job candidate will be a competitive contributor for your organization. Are you confident that this flashy prospect will show up to work and put forth the maximum effort, or will they do just enough to coast from paycheck to paycheck? Will they join your company with the intent of having the nicest car in the parking lot, or will they help drive a company culture focused on a greater purpose?

For the past decade, one of my companies—180 Communications—has worked with college athletic programs and NFL Draft prep organizations to help top prospects think through how to answer questions about their intangibles. Sadly, too many players enter the big stage bragging about how fast they can sprint 40 yards for a team without giving any thought to the overall impact they can bring to a team or a community. There’s too much at stake in these elite decisions to become enamored with a player’s shell rather than their mettle.

If you’re the person looking to become the star player on a big stage, give thought to how you can best articulate what you do that others might not necessarily see. What qualities can you bring to a new company that are less obvious than your past job titles and degrees?

If you’re the business leader looking to make an elite personnel decision, you must ensure you’re asking the right questions. Get a pulse for whether or not that recruit is willing to stay late to help the team reach its goals. Ask the questions that clarify whether that new addition will need to be the center of attention. Then reflect on your current team dynamics to envision whether your new piece will enhance your efforts or disrupt it altogether.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are tasked with contemplating the first pick overall. A quarterback has been selected with the top choice for three straight years–Heisman winners Joe Burrow (2020), Kyler Murray (2019), and Baker Mayfield (2018). All three are still leading their respective teams. However, in the past 20 years, only six quarterbacks taken number one overall lasted longer than six seasons with the team that drafted them.

Being able to throw a football 70 yards on one leg with no shoulder pads looks impressive, but consistently showing up and leading your teammates in whatever way possible in 4th & Goal situations is the intangible appeal. The immeasurable components of a new addition are the real prize.

Selecting someone void of the intangibles can quickly change your narrative from a surefire, culture-building first-round pick to a brutal, franchise-busting mistake. Here’s to hoping this year’s teams have diligently ensured their quality metrics are more than just numbers.