What Ourlads Scouting Services does

Ourlads Scouting Services LLC is a private U.S. company founded in 1983 (with hobby roots in 1979) by Tom Hepler and his son Phil Hepler, headquartered in Hiawatha, New Jersey (governing law), with a team of 1-10 employees. The company provides NFL draft guides, real-time depth charts, scouting reports, mock drafts, and prospect rankings targeting a dual customer base: professional NFL teams, scouts, and college football programs on the B2B side, and NFL draft enthusiasts, fantasy football players, and sports bettors on the consumer side.

Its core technology is a proprietary computer-based player evaluation database developed by founder Tom Hepler — an owner of a publishing-industry database services firm — featuring a proprietary algorithm that rates players both within position and overall. The product surface includes real-time NFL, NCAAF, and UFL depth charts, mock drafts, scouting reports, top-32 prospect rankings, NFL Combine ratings, a free-agent tracker, and a draft value chart. In November 2024 Ourlads launched Ourlads Insider, a $24.95/year premium subscription that bundles real-time depth charts, ad-free browsing, an email newsletter, and Fairplay Sports' predictive AI analytics integrated as a third-party capability. Distribution is primarily direct digital via Ourlads.com and secure.ourlads.com, supplemented by historical physical presence at NFL Draft event tables and an owned-audience content footprint across YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and a weekly newsletter.

The business operates on a primarily subscription/recurring revenue model (Ourlads Insider, newsletters, draft guide subscriptions), with seasonal transactional Draft Guide sales concentrated in the lead-up to the annual NFL draft. There is no disclosed external investment; ownership transferred to Dan Shonka (a former NFL scout for the Eagles, Redskins, and Chiefs) and his wife Peggy after Tom Hepler's retirement following the 2004 draft, with Jon Cooper as Associate GM (rejoined 2016). The company's website describes itself as 'America's #1 NFL Draft Guide' for over 45 years, and Ourlads Guides have been documented on the draft tables of multiple NFL franchises including the Steelers, Giants, Eagles, Chiefs, Titans, Rams, and Browns.

Name

Ourlads Scouting Services

Legal name

Ourlads Scouting Services LLC

Website

https://ourlads.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ourlads Scouting Services is a private New Jersey LLC, founded in 1983, that publishes the long-running 'America's #1 NFL Draft Guide' and operates real-time depth charts across NFL, NCAAF, and UFL teams, serving NFL franchises, college programs, scouts, fantasy players, and draft enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Scouting & Draft Analytics

akta.pro primary industry

Fantasy Data Feeds & Statistics Providers (MPAEAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data Platforms, BI/Reporting & Player Analytics (CDP/Attribution) (MPAEAKAI), Strategy Guides, Walkthroughs & How-To Content (MPAFAMAD)

Keywords

• NFL scouting reports
• NFL draft analysis
• Football depth charts
• NFL draft guide
• Player evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hiawatha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription - Ourlads Insider: Premium subscription service at $24.95 per year providing real-time depth chart updates, ad-free experience, email newsletter, and AI analytics
2. NFL Draft Guide Sales: Physical and digital guides to the NFL Draft available for purchase through the website. America's #1 NFL Draft Guide for over 45 years
3. Newsletter Subscriptions: Periodic newsletters issued every couple of months from October to just prior to the draft, sold as part of subscription packages

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ourlads Scouting Services produces and sells the annual Ourlads' Guide to the NFL Draft along with real-time NFL, NCAAF, and UFL depth charts, player scouting reports, mock drafts, position rankings, and free agent tracking. The firm also offers an Ourlads Insider premium subscription that layers Fairplay Sports AI-powered predictive analytics, ad-free browsing, and email newsletter access on top of its core scouting content.

Product overview

Ourlads Scouting Services offers a comprehensive suite of football scouting and draft analysis products anchored by its flagship NFL Draft Guide (published for over 45 years). The core product portfolio includes real-time NFL, NCAAF, and UFL Depth Charts tracking roster changes across all teams, along with Mock Drafts, Top 32 prospect rankings, position-specific rankings, and detailed Player Scouting Reports. The Ourlads Insider premium subscription (add-on) enhances the offering with Fairplay Sports AI-powered predictive analytics, ad-free access, and real-time updates. Supporting products include the NFL Free Agent Tracker, NFL Combine Ratings, Draft Value Chart, Position Averages, QB Ball Velocity data, and editorial Ourlads Stories content plus a weekly newsletter. The guide has been physically present at NFL Draft tables since at least 2011.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NFL Draft Guide Annual flagship publication providing comprehensive NFL draft coverage including player scouting reports, mock drafts, position rankings, combine ratings, draft value chart, and team needs analysis. Marketed as America's #1 NFL Draft Guide for over 45 years.
• NFL Depth Charts Real-time NFL depth charts for all 32 NFL teams, all positions, continuously updated to reflect injuries, trades, and performance changes. Includes practice squad, reserves, and free agents/cap casualties.
• NCAAF Depth Charts College football depth charts tracking roster composition across NCAA programs for draft-eligible player evaluation.
• UFL Depth Charts United Football League depth charts and rosters for the spring professional football league.
• Ourlads Insider Premium subscription at $24.95/year offering real-time depth chart updates across all 32 NFL teams, ad-free browsing, email newsletter, and Fairplay Sports AI-powered predictive analytics for NFL decision-making.
• Player Scouting Reports Detailed scouting evaluations of draft-eligible and professional football players including strengths, weaknesses, and NFL projections.
• Mock Drafts Predictive mock draft simulations including team needs analysis and first-round projections, updated continuously throughout the draft cycle.
• Top 32 College Prospects Ranked list of the top 32 senior college prospects for the NFL Draft with condensed player reports and position rankings.
• Position Rankings NFL Draft prospect rankings organized by position to evaluate top draft-eligible players at each position.
• NFL Combine Ratings NFL Scouting Combine performance data and measurements for draft prospects.
• NFL Draft Value Chart Draft value chart showing the relative worth of each draft pick for trade analysis.
• NFL Free Agent Tracker Comprehensive tracking of NFL free agency activity across all 32 teams with player movement and signing information.
• Weekly Newsletter Weekly email newsletter providing exclusive NFL and NCAA football insights, roster moves, and best offers from the Ourlads staff.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45+ years in business as NFL Draft Guide provider

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Fairplay SportscoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership providing AI-powered predictive analytics for Ourlads Insider subscribers. Fairplay Sports' AI analytics are embedded in the Insider platform to offer deeper insights and performance predictions, giving subscribers a competitive edge for game-day prep and decision-making.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sports Info Solutions (SIS): SIS provides advanced football data, charting, and analytics used by NFL teams, media, and bettors. It competes with Ourlads in the professional scouting and data services space, particularly for institutional customers.
• FantasyPros: FantasyPros aggregates fantasy football data, expert rankings, and player projections. It overlaps with Ourlads' Insider product for fantasy players who consume depth charts, projections, and AI-driven insights.
• Walter Football: Walter Football publishes mock drafts, scouting reports, and NFL Draft content aimed at the same draft-enthusiast and fantasy football audience that Ourlads targets, making it a comparable niche competitor.
• Pro Football Focus (PFF): PFF is the leading subscription-based football analytics and scouting platform with proprietary player grades across NFL and college football. It is the closest direct competitor to Ourlads in providing data-driven player evaluations and scouting content.
• FantasyData: FantasyData provides real-time sports data feeds and APIs for fantasy and sports betting operators. It represents a potential data-feed partnership or competitive overlap with Ourlads' depth chart and player data assets.
• The Draft Network: The Draft Network produces NFL Draft scouting reports, mock drafts, and prospect rankings targeted at NFL Draft enthusiasts and fantasy players, directly overlapping with Ourlads' Draft Guide and mock draft offerings.

Broad incumbents

• NFL.com Draft Headquarters: The official NFL draft site provides prospect profiles, mock drafts, and team needs analysis. As a league-operated incumbent, it competes with Ourlads' draft content and has unmatched data access from NFL teams.
• Bleacher Report (NFL Draft): Bleacher Report produces mass-market NFL Draft scouting content, mock drafts, and prospect analysis. As a broad sports media incumbent, it overlaps with Ourlads on draft-enthusiast content while operating at much larger scale.
• ESPN NFL Draft coverage: ESPN publishes NFL Draft rankings, mock drafts, and prospect analysis at massive scale as part of its broader sports media portfolio. It is a broad incumbent whose free content competes with Ourlads for organic search and consumer attention.

Emerging players

• Sharp Football Analysis: Sharp Football Analysis delivers NFL and college football analytics, projections, and betting-focused content. It competes with Ourlads' Insider AI analytics product in the football analytics consumer subscription market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/OurladsFootball
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OurladsFootball
• Facebookfacebook.com/ourladsfootball
• Instagraminstagram.com/ourladsfootball
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ourlads-scouting-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ourlads Scouting Services