In late May, the Buffalo Bills announced several changes in their front office, bringing in new personnel and promoting from within to rejuvenate their scouting team ahead of the 2024 college football season and the 2025 NFL Draft.
For those who missed the initial announcement, here’s a summary of the recent front-office updates:
The Bills have announced the following changes to the team’s scouting staff ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/aq0d98aTeW
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) May 17, 2024
New additions to the Bills’ scouting department include:
– Matt Bazirgan, who transitions from Senior Personnel Executive to Director of College Scouting.
– Darius Vinnett, joining as an Area Scout after an 11-season tenure in scouting with the Arizona Cardinals, where he served as an east area scout.
– Vince Magri, newly appointed as a Pro Scout after his role as general manager of the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL.
Promotions within the scouting department include:
– Asil Mulbah, promoted from Pro Scout to Director of College Scouting.
– Keith Jennings, elevated from BLESTO Scout to Area Scout.
– R.J. Webb, transitioning from Pro Scout to BLESTO Scout, collaborating closely with the college scouting team.
BLESTO, one of the main subscription-based scouting services in the US alongside National, originated in 1963 and initially involved the Bears, Lions, Eagles, and Steelers talent organizations. It has evolved over the years to include additional teams. BLESTO scouts focus on identifying future NFL prospects well in advance, attending junior pro days and monitoring sophomores to compile early scouting reports, complementing the efforts of other scouts who focus on current draft prospects.
While most NFL teams use National scouts, BLESTO’s approach provides an early advantage in evaluating upcoming draft classes. Participation in BLESTO varies annually among teams as they adjust their scouting strategies and personnel.
