Russ Lande and Matt Waldman discuss why the tenets of inclusive thinking are naturally the most effective ways of scouting players in this week's RSP Scout Talk podcast. 

Generalizations are dangerous. When applied to the evaluation of football players, generalizations can unnecessarily exclude talented, hard-working, and well-adjusted young men from NFL opportunities that could have led to an ideal organizational fit.

An NFC East squad made this mistake years ago when it excluded specific height and weight ranges for wide receivers before ever evaluating their performance. The analytics staff meant well, but the poor application of the data as policy unintentionally led to several missed opportunities and restricted the choices of the team.

Filters are only as good as the knowledge and judgment with when and where to apply them.

Former NFL and current CFL Scout Russ Lande and I cover some generalizations that a student of scouting recently gleaned from conversations with NFL scouts and posted on a block. We share why a more inclusive approach to these lessons yield better results:

* Interviewing a college staff and not just the gatekeeper.

* Why judging prospects based solely on the number of parents in the home is misleading.

* How the characterization of specific cities as party towns is not only backward in thinking but tone-deaf and promotes unproductive exclusivity.

* Why a player's high school background is not a predictor of professionalism or grit.

I also share thoughts on four underclassmen that I've watched this summer that you should keep an eye on, including DE Gregory Rosseau (Miami), RB Jaret Patterson (Buffalo), WR David Bell (Purdue), and RB Jah-Maine Martin (NC A&T).

For the most in-depth analysis of offensive skill players available (QB, RB, WR, and TE), download the 2020  Rookie Scouting Portfolio for $21.95.  

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