The North American Football League (NAFL) and The Scouting Bureau announced today that they are partnering in a joint venture called "NAFL Diamonds in the Rough."  The NAFL and The Scouting Bureau will follow qualified players throughout the 2008 season and identify top talent within the league. The NAFL and The Scouting Bureau will identify one or more players that will qualify for the 2009 National Football League (NFL) draft pool, and then move them forward.

The players will need to meet detailed criteria established by the NFL.  This criteria includes the player's high school graduation year or the year that they enrolled in college, as well as age, experience, ability, and overall potential.

While the NAFL and The Scouting Bureau have partnered since 2001, when Darnell Dinkins became the first player on an NAFL team to be drafted by an NFL team, 2008 marks a new era in the partnership.

"This is not the first time we've had a player enter the NFL Draft; however, we haven't done a good job at getting the word out," stated Rob Licopoli, Chief Executive Officer of the NAFL.  "In addition to entering players into the NFL draft, the NAFL Diamonds in the Rough program is intended to create the awareness that the NAFL offers more than just a national playoff system for amateur players."

Steve Brown, Scouting Bureau Senior Analyst, says the time is right for a renewed commitment between the two organizations.

"The overall organization of the league and talent level has reached the point where it merits such attention," said Brown.  "This is a joint venture that we have helped establish with the management of the NAFL that will help increase visibility and sponsorship, as well as direct high caliber athletes and 'special situations' to the NFL."

"Special situations" include players that have lacked visbility, blossomed late, or encountered personal hurdles in their lives that forced them to miss a potentially life-changing opportunity.

"There are a number of (athletes) that have the talent to contribute at the college or professional level," commented Brown.  "We know there are some 'Diamonds in the Rough' in the NAFL and we just have to find them."

Brown estimates there are a number of quality prospects in the NAFL, which has upwards of 10,000 athletes playing on nearly 200 teams.

"If you only focused on the top 2% of 10,000, then you're looking at 200 athletes," said Brown.  "Once you take a number of factors into consideration such as commitment level, conditioning, attitude, age, and character, you will probably come up with roughly 100 that meet our basic 'special situation' criteria."

Brown then says The Scouting Bureau will divide these players into two groups, the top 100 and the top 50, and concentrate their efforts on these athletes. 

"A high percentage of that estimate would be players that could compete at some level of professional football," said Brown.  "A select few will have NFL caliber skills and potential, thus they will greatly benefit from the 'Diamonds in the Rough' program."

The Scouting Bureau will utilize their regional scouting network, similar as they do for evaluating college talent, to evaluate talent in the NAFL.  The Scouting Bureau and the NAFL have the resources to ensure that this program is a success.

"The NAFL's management team, led by CEO and founder Rob Licopoli, have the strategy and personnel to take this league and its concept to another level and we are going to do everything in our power to help assure their success," said Brown.  "Though many may know little about this league at present, they will in the not so distant future as the NAFL develops its niche concepts, gains sponsorship, increases its visability, and becomes a formal 'stepping stone' to opportunity for a certain market of athletes."

The NAFL Diamond in the Rough is open to any players that qualify to enter the NFL Draft and currently play on a team that is a member of the NAFL.  Players can enter by completing the online application on the home page of the NAFL website