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The A List (Top 5)
Ryan Grigson – Director of Player Personnel, Philadelphia Eagles: The former Purdue tackle and 6th round pick of the Bengals in 1995, Grigson is an astute evaluator who gets as much satisfaction scouting the Yankee conference as he does the rugged SEC. He is a firm believer in “eye” confidence and is not swayed by other opinions. His NFL, CFL and Arena league background give him a more varied resume than most. A tireless worker, Grigson has been very instrumental in the Eagle’s consistent Draft efforts and should be on every team’s short list of GM candidates. His rare passion will be key to his success.
Steve Keim: Director of Player Personnel, Arizona Cardinals: Boasting a similar resume of the Eagles Grigson, Keim was a 4 year starter and captain during his playing career at NC State. Keim’s draft room influence has played a key role in the Cardinals rise to the upper echelon of the NFL. His commanding presence and draft room acumen have resulted in 2nd round steals like Anquan Boldin and Karlos Dansby as well as 3rd round gems like Adrian Wilson and Darnell Dockett. With people skills to match, Keim’s eye for talent is outstanding and the single biggest reason for the Cardinals recent success.
Terry McDonough: Director of Player Personnel, Jacksonville Jaguars: Son of the late Boston Globe icon Will McDonough, Terry is fast becoming one of the most talked about personnel evaluators in the league. Never one to waver, McDonough has that rare confidence in his opinions and is usually right on. A legendary tape grinder, it is not unusual to find Terry watching tape at 1:30 am trying to find the next draft gem. With Terry’s influence, expect the Jaguars continued improvement in the future. When he gets his opportunity, expect his team to rise fast in the rankings.
Scott Studwell: Director of College Scouting, Minnesota Vikings: Not one to seek the limelight, I have long considered Studwell to be one of the league’s premier personnel guys. The former Viking linebacker amassed 1,981 tackles in his career to set a team record in the process, including 230 in the 1981 season. He scouts with the same determination as when he played, which you would never know based on his low key demeanor off the field. Studwell has played a prominent role in the Vikings success and would no doubt succeed if handed the keys to a team.
Kirk Reynolds (PR Background): VP of Public Affairs, Pac-10 Conference: As consultant to Hall Of Famers Ronnie Lott and Steve Young, the former 49ers public relations honcho carries the same pedigree as former GM Ernie Accorsi and judges people as well as anyone I have ever met. There have been more than a few PR guys rise to the top, like the late commissioner Pete Rozelle, and they likely have one thing in common: unmatched passion for the game and a desire to do things the right way. Reynolds has a vast knowledge of sports in general and a keen ability to solve any problem that comes his way. Though a long shot, the media savvy Reynolds would no doubt assemble an all star cast with winning his only goal. An owner would be wise to take a flier on this guy.
I'm intrigued by the Eagles guy. They seem to reload with new young talent with DeSean, Maclin, McCoy, Celek