Grading is very subjective, and depends a lot on which categories you apply the most importance to. Obviously, arm strength is more important to a quarterback than running ability, so you will have to weigh all observations differently before applying a grade. You cannot simply give a quarterback a score of 5 for running ability and a 3 for arm strength and average it out to a grade of 4. I suggest you grade each player in each facet of the game, then develop your own formula that varies by giving more weight to the more important areas of the game.
Start by creating a folder on your desktop called Draft Prospects. When you are ready for your first scouting report, open a new text file in this folder using the player's name, last name first, for the file name to make it simple to find.
The layout of the page is not important, but I like to keep them consistent so I can quickly locate all the data. In each scouting report I include all the information in the database on that player, including his NFL Combine workout numbers. I also re-write all my notes on all aspects of the player's game in an easy-to-read format. This step is not really necessary unless you plan to make your reports available for others to read.
Starting with the next lesson, we will learn to analyze each position on the football field in more depth. Lesson three will teach you what to look for in a quarterback.
