Move the Chains: Keys to Unlocking a Pro Career for the Undrafted Player
By Alvin V. Grier
Courtesy of http://www.Get2TheLeague.com
&
Elite Sports Agency:
Copyright 2012 Alvin V. Grier
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com to purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
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Praise for Move the Chains
"As an undrafted player, you may only get one shot, if you get one at all. There's no such thing as a "how to" guide on playing in the NFL, but this book might be the closest I've seen."
-Larry Lee, former V.P. of Football Operations - Detroit Lions
8 year NFL Veteran Center - Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos
“…I appreciate the author's personal testimony as well as his usage of his experience to teach others how to put themselves in the best possible position to continue their dream of playing in the NFL.”
-Roman Oben, 12-year NFL veteran, Super Bowl XXXVII champion, offensive tackle
New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Diego Chargers
“You have that hope of getting drafted, but your chances are slim to none, even if you were a standout player in college. If you get a shot, you’d better be in shape and ready. Move the Chains steps you through the right way to prepare yourself.”
-Reggie Swinton, former NFL Wide Receiver/Kick Returner/Punt Returner
Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons
"If you have the talent to play pro, Move the Chains will not only help you get a shot, but it'll help you get prepared for it too, which is just as important."
-Nigel Tharpe, 2001 NFL Undrafted Free Agent Defensive End - Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks
"By the time you're just 27 or 28, you're already over the hill in the eyes of pro football personnel, so you don't have a lot of time for trial and error. Alvin's tips can help you make sure you get it right from the beginning."
-Carlton Brewster, former NFL/NFL Europe Wide Receiver
2006 NFL Undrafted Free Agent - Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints
"The world of pro football is a cutthroat industry. If you went undrafted, you may not get a second chance, if you're lucky enough to get one at all. Move the Chains gives you the information you need to maximize every opportunity you get."
-J.D. Franklin, former NFL/Arena Linebacker
1990 Undrafted Free Agent - Kansas City Chiefs
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Table of Contents
What Does “Getting a Shot” Mean, Exactly?
Four Doses of Reality That You Need to Hear, But May Not Want to
Chapter 1: Motivation! Players Who Went the Long Route to the NFL
Chapter 2: What You Can Learn from the Stories of Players Who Went the Long Route to the NFL
Lower-Level Professional Accolades
Chapter 3: Are You an NFL-Caliber Player Right Now?
How to Use Draft Scout to Gauge Your Draft Stock
How to Use Draft Scout to Gauge Your Chances of Landing an Undrafted Free Agent Contract
Chapter 4: Increasing Your Chances of Getting a Shot at the NFL—Overview
Chapter 5: What NFL Scouts Are Looking For… Why You Should Know, and How to Find Out.
How to Get Better at What Scouts Look For
Chapter 6: Marketing Yourself to Pro Football Teams
What You Need to Market Yourself to Pro Football Teams
How to Put Together Your Videos
How to Find the Contact Information for the Decision-Makers of Pro Football Teams
How to Get Contact Information for Personnel Whose Information Isn’t on the Website
Chapter 7: Do You Need an Agent?
Why You Might Not Want to Rely on an Agent at this Stage of Your Career
Chapter 8: Marketing Yourself—Who, What, Where, When, and Why
Best Times of Year to Send Out Your Bio
The Three Different Responses You Can Expect to Get from Teams
What to Do If Teams Don't Show Immediate Interest in You
A Few Ways to Motivate Pro Personnel to Open Your Email
Chapter 9: Preparing for Your Opportunity
What to Expect at Open Tryouts
What If You Can't Afford a Trainer?
Seven Areas to Focus on In Your Training
Make Sure You’re Including Combine Drills in Your Training
What Numbers Should You Aim for in the Combine Drills?
Don’t Make the Huge Mistake of Neglecting Your Diet
Flexibility Training is Too Important to Ignore
Lack of Sleep Could Be Hurting Your Performance
Watch What You Tweet/Post to Facebook
Chapter 10: Professional Football Leagues Abroad that You Might Want to Consider
Chapter 11: Should You Leave School to Train?
Chapter 12: What Every Player Should Know About Mental Preparation
Chapter 13: Don’t Ignore Your Core
Why Is Your Core So Important?
Chapter 14: Off-Season Strength Training
Three Things to Check Before You Follow Any Strength Training Program
You Need a Functional Movement Screening
How You Can Get a Functional Movement Screening
Breaking Down the Periodization Phases
Appendix A: What NFL Scouts Look for in Each Position
Appendix B: How to Get Better at the Skills/Abilities NFL Scouts Look for in Each Position
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Who Should Read this Book?
You may be a current high school or college football player, who wants to know how to get yourself a shot at playing pro football, in case you have trouble finding an agent when you're done playing college football.
You might be a parent or friend of a player that aspires to play pro football one day, and you want to use this as a guide to helping them increase their chances of reaching their dream.
You could be a pee-wee, high school, or college football coach, in search of a tool you can use to help your former players shoot for their NFL dreams. Besides, most of them won't be NFL Draft prospects, so they will probably need to be able to pursue this dream without an agent... at least initially.
If You Like (or Don't Like) this Book
If you like, or don't like, this book, feel free to let people know. You can leave a review where you bought this book, or contact me at my website.
I also welcome you to contact me if you find any factual or grammatical errors in this book.
I made this book to provide quality, accurate guidance for players that dream to play in the NFL like I did, not to appear as a know-it-all. So feel free to let me know about inaccuracies.
I'm also open to suggestions for information you'd like to see covered in future editions of Move the Chains.
You can reach me at Alvin@Get2TheLeague.com.
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Introduction
When you see guys on NFL rosters and on TV who you played with or against in college, do you get that feeling in your gut that tells you that you’re just as good as them, if not better?
If you do, I know how you feel. Trust me. I’ve been there.
But you can’t change the past, so dwelling on it is a waste of time.
A much better way to spend your time is to focus on doing what you can to accomplish your dream of playing pro football, maybe even in the NFL.
If you’re like I was, you weren’t drafted out of college, and you didn’t get picked-up as an undrafted free agent.
Despite that, you feel in your heart that you have what it takes, and all you want is a shot. I was just like you.
You don’t want to give up on your NFL dream, and I commend you for refusing to do so. But what exactly do you do to achieve that dream and how do you do it?
When do you need to act? Do you really need an agent? How do you prepare for your shot, if or when it comes?
That’s what this book is all about.
Let me be clear: Life is not fair, and it offers no guarantees. No industry reinforces those facts like the world of pro football.
I can’t promise you success, but I can promise you that you can improve and maximize your chances of getting the shot you deserve by doing just a few things, in a certain way.
Those “certain ways” are what we’ll be talking about.
My Story
Before we get started, let me tell you a little about myself. You’ll probably see that you and I have a lot in common.
I was a pretty good free safety at a Division II school. When I didn’t get drafted or picked-up as an undrafted free agent, I had absolutely no clue what to do.
What I did know, at least in my mind, was that I had what it took to play in the NFL. In the absence of guidance, I wasted three of the prime athletic years of my life playing semi-pro football.
I played football for free, hoping that some “mystical” NFL scout sitting in the stands would discover me at a semi pro game and sweep me off my feet and “get me where I belonged”—in camp with an NFL team.
Needless to say, that never happened.
If I would’ve known then even a small part of what I know now about the real deal of how things go in pro football, I promise you I would’ve had a much better shot at making my dream come true.
I’m happy for you, because you have the opportunity to learn from my experiences and mistakes, on both the player and representation sides of things. Helping guys live out their dreams of playing pro football is now what I do for a living, and I enjoy it.
Years ago, I started studying the paths that undrafted (and non undrafted free agent) players had taken to the NFL (and seeing what they’ve had in-common).
I’m thankful for that, because it gave me the raw, real-deal information about the industry I needed to give guidance to players based on real data and research, not just my personal opinions.
It’s too late for me to play in the NFL, but I hope it’s not too late for you to pursue your dream of putting on an NFL helmet on a Sunday afternoon.
I don’t want you to have to live with regrets, like I do. If you’re serious about maximizing your chances at having an NFL career, read and apply at least some of the advice in this book.
I can’t promise you an NFL career. But I can promise you will finish this book with more insight about the industry than you had before.
What Does “Getting a Shot” Mean, Exactly?
Before we get started, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. You bought this book because you want a shot at playing pro football.
Getting “a shot” may mean different things to different people, so let’s settle on some terms. In your eyes, you may think getting a shot means trying out for an NFL team, or being in training camp with an NFL team.
It doesn’t, at least in my opinion.
In the context of this book, getting a shot means working a specific strategy with an end goal of working out directly in front of NFL personnel, or getting invited to an NFL mini-camp or training camp.
Where that journey begins for you, depends on how good you are, and the level of success you’ve had in the game of football. In most cases, it means starting out in an indoor league and working your way up.
To be honest, if you can stand out and dominate in an indoor league, you basically are working out in front of NFL personnel, just indirectly. An NFL scout’s job is to find NFL-caliber talent for his employer, period.
If you’re actively playing and you have what they’re looking for, they’ll find you. Just do the best you can on whatever team you’re playing for, in whatever league you’re playing in.
With that out of the way, let’s get back on topic.
The Two Paths to the NFL
I have learned that players usually reach the NFL by one of two routes. They’re either: