Howie Hanson is editor & publisher of 50-Yard Football, which covers arena/indoor football leagues.
NAPLES, Fla. — The National Scouting Combine reached its most revealing phase here Wednesday as players finally strapped on pads, shifting the week from projection to proof and turning evaluation into action.
For Arena Football One decision-makers, it was the moment the camp is built around.
After testing, drills and positional work Tuesday, the padded session separated athletes who could measure well from those who could play. It also triggered immediate roster movement across the league, with multiple AF1 teams signing players directly out of live evaluations.
“We had a great time today as we got on the field in pads – and, wow, did we see a lot of talent,” said AF1 Director of Football Operations Gary Compton. “Nashville and Michigan (Shantae Trotter, DL, Japan, and Shunto Mizoguci, WR, Japan, respectively) each signed an international player, Minnesota snatched an offensive lineman (Gunner Hurlburt), Washington signed two offensive linemen (Donnie Hardin and Cadavius Gary), and Nashville nabbed a quarterback (Shae Spencer). Talent was everywhere, and the AF1 is getting it done.”
The speed with which those contracts were executed is not accidental — and it is where AF1’s model continues to separate itself from traditional scouting events.
In many professional football combines, players perform for stopwatches and clipboards, then leave to wait. Decisions are deferred, feedback is limited, and contact between coaches and athletes is often restricted. The result is exposure without resolution.
AF1 has flipped that model.
This camp is structured as a working environment, not an audition. Coaches are hands-on. Executives compare notes nightly. Metrics, film and padded reps are reviewed in real time. When a player proves he belongs, teams act immediately.
Wednesday’s padded work was the clearest example yet. Linemen were evaluated in confined spaces. Skill players were tested under contact. Coaches stressed technique, communication and adaptability — traits that do not show up in testing numbers alone but translate directly to professional success.
One of the most notable signings came from Minnesota, where the Monsters added Hurlburt, a University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire product whose performance stood out once the pads came on.
“The national scouting combine has enjoyed a great turnout, with a lot of elite talent across the board,” said Minnesota Monsters head coach Daron Clark Jr. “I’m excited about the Hurlburt signing. He is very aggressive – good with his hands – has great communication skills and technique, and really loves the game. Signing a player close to home is great for our organization and his family. We are very big on family in Duluth so I feel signing him is great for the winning culture we have here. We live by ‘HBO’ (Help a Brother Out).”
Clark’s comments echoed a theme repeated throughout the week: AF1 teams are not chasing traits in isolation. They are building complete rosters — players who fit systems, locker rooms and communities.
International talent also continued to make a strong impact, with signings by Nashville and Michigan reinforcing AF1’s expanding global reach. For international prospects, the camp offers something rare: direct access to decision-makers and a clear pathway to a contract, rather than a long-distance waiting game.
That immediacy is what gives the camp its power.
Players leave with answers. Coaches leave with film and signed talent. Teams leave better than they arrived. In an industry where opportunity windows are often narrow and opaque, the clarity provided here has become a defining advantage.
The combine continues Thursday with additional on-field work and evaluations, allowing coaches another full day to confirm decisions, identify late risers and deepen position battles. The event wraps up Friday, closing a week that has already produced tangible results across the league.
For players weighing whether to attend in future years, the message from this week has been unmistakable: this is not a camp where résumés are collected. It is a camp where careers move forward.
AF1’s approach — structured evaluation, real coaching, honest feedback and decisive action — has turned the National Scouting Combine into more than a showcase. It has become a proving ground.
And for those who proved themselves once the pads went on, it has already paid off.
