2013 RSP Update
I’m well into publication mode with April 1 approaching fast. Thanks to all of you who read the blog, follow me on Twitter, and purchase the Rookie Scouting Portfolio publication. Available for download every April 1 (no joke) for going on eight years, the RSP is an online .PDF publication devoted to the play-by-play study of NFL prospects at the offensive skill positions. The publication has a menu that bookmarks the document so you have two types of analysis. The first portion is a magazine-style, pre-draft analysis of 120-150 pages that includes position rankings, player comparisons, skill set analysis of each position, and sleepers.
The second portion is where I show all my work: between 700-800 pages of grading reports, play-by-play analysis of every player and game I watched, and a glossary that defines every criteria in my grading reports. My readers who want the bottom line love the first half of the book and appreciate the transparency of this section. My hardcore readers love the fact that they can dive as deep as they want into these raw play-by-play notes.
Included with the RSP (since 2012) is a post-draft document between 50-70 pages that comes out a week after the NFL Draft with updated post-draft rankings, tiers, team fit analysis, and fantasy cheat sheet with value analysis (Russell Wilson was calculated as the best value last year). Fantasy owners can’t get enough of it.
The RSP is $19.95 and I donate 10 percent of each sale to Darkness to Light, a non-profit dedicated to training individuals and communities on the prevention of sexual abuse. Past years of publications (2006-2012) are available for $9.95 and I also donate 10 percent of each sale to D2L. You can prepay for the 2013 RSP now.
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RSPWP2 Update
We’re into the sixth round of the second Rookie Scouting Portfolio Writers Project. We have recruited a writer panel of judges to grade the teams once we’ve finished the draft.
To follow along you can access the draft room any time and choose a team to read commentary on their selections.
One of the biggest questions I see about this project is What is the purpose?
- Build a winner this year?
- Build a long-term winner?
- Beat everyone else drafting?
The primary answer is we want discussion. Takes on players and how they fit into scheme. Interaction among some of the best people writing about football online in a variety of formats: news, strategy, advanced stats, and fantasy sports. Yes, fantasy sports writers have a rightful place at the table. I’ve had a lot of request for a grid format to view the draft picks. As we get into the middle rounds of the draft, we’ll make an Excel table available for download and update it periodically for your viewing pleasure.
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Football Reads
- Word of Muth: Free Agent Interior Linemen – His word on this subject is definitely the good word.
- Futures: Sean Renfree – I think there’s a good argument for David Cutcliffe’s proclamation that the Duke quarterback is the steal of the draft.
- A Look at The Best Receivers to Change Teams – A good look at the data behind it.
Non-Football Reads
- A Mother’s Death Tested a Reporter’s Thinking About End of Life Care – With gay rights and marijuana legalization taking root, I think the right to die movement will be the next big discourse in the U.S.
- Americans More Distracted Behind The Wheel Than Europeans – A recent study shows people think they are better at multitasking than they really are – and I know I suck at it.
- How to Win Any Climate Change Argument – In case the fact that our Navy is moving forward despite the protests of some of our Congressmen doesn’t do the trick for you.
Views – South Carolina Tight End Justin Cunningham
He’s not Jimmy Graham, but Heath Miller is a pretty good ceiling of comparison if you ask me.
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