Every April, around the time of the NFL Draft, our coaching staff takes part in an exercise that has become a tradition within our program.
We put on our General Manager hats and conduct our own team draft.
This year was no different.
Coaches were handed the roster in alphabetical order and asked one simple question:
“If you had to draft your own team, who would you take first?”
Then came the next pick. And the next. And the next — until every player on the roster had been selected, including the final pick, who we certainly do not refer to as “Mr. Irrelevant.” Brock Purdy taught the football world an important lesson there.
What makes this exercise valuable is how quickly it exposes the true state of your roster.
Faster than combine numbers, offseason workouts, or even depth chart meetings, you discover something important: coaches do not simply draft the most talented players first.
They draft the players they trust most to help win games.
For me, I want players who practice and play with energy, effort, and enthusiasm while consistently demonstrating intelligence, toughness, and a strong work ethic. Talent may get a player noticed, but those other traits are what get players drafted early.
Your first 10–15 selections usually reveal the culture of your team.
Those are often your experienced players, projected starters, and the athletes who best represent your program. They possess both the measurable and immeasurable qualities every coach covets.
The next 10–15 players typically reveal your depth.
These are developing players who may be called upon at any moment. Most are fully bought into the culture, but may still be growing physically, technically, or mentally.
The remainder of the roster generally falls into one of two categories: prospects or problems.
The prospects are players who are still developing — new to the culture, the game, or the weight room.
The problems are players who have not yet fully committed to the standards and expectations of the program.
That is where difficult conversations sometimes begin.
Coaches cannot continue investing in players who refuse to invest in the team.
I often remind our staff not to focus on what they think, feel, or hope about a player, but rather on what they consistently witness.
Deal in certainty, not potential.
Interestingly, while we do not draft by position, positional value naturally reveals itself during the exercise. Quarterbacks tend to rise because the offense runs through them and they touch the football on every play. Offensive and defensive linemen climb draft boards because games are still won in the trenches.
We never reveal the results of the draft to the players, but it is important they understand the philosophy behind how they are evaluated. Ultimately, those same principles will shape the first depth chart posted at the conclusion of Week One of Training Camp.
The ultimate goal is to build a roster where coaches struggle to separate players because so many possess the measurable and immeasurable traits that winning programs are built upon.
Football is not simply about collecting talent.
It is about building a team full of players every coach would confidently draft.
Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!
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