Fritz Pollard Alliance Member Spotlight: Salli Clavelle

Salli Clavelle has built a path in football through curiosity, discipline, and a deep commitment to growth. A New Orleans native and college/pro scout most recently with the Minnesota Vikings, Clavelle has emerged as a respected evaluator whose journey reflects both persistence and purpose. Her story is not only about working in the NFL, but about creating space, leading with consistency, and helping widen the pipeline for others coming behind her.

From New Orleans to the NFL

Clavelle describes herself as “born and raised, bred and fed” in New Orleans, Louisiana. A standout student-athlete at Edna Karr High School, she went on to play basketball on a full scholarship at Sam Houston State University before injuries brought her playing career to an early close.

That moment forced her to reimagine her future in sports. After initially pursuing physical therapy, she shifted into sports management and began to understand the many pathways that exist beyond playing and coaching.

While completing an internship at Tulane University, Clavelle joined the football program under Head Coach Willie Fritz. What began as an internship quickly became a full-time opportunity, and it was there that she discovered the area of football that would ultimately shape her career.

“That’s kind of where I fell in love with evaluating.”

Her work at Tulane helped open the door to the NFL, where she joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2018. She rose from scouting assistant to pro scout to area scout before joining the Minnesota Vikings in 2023.

A standard built on growth

Clavelle is direct about what the league has taught her. Even amid team success and major opportunities, she has learned that progress requires discipline, adaptation, and a willingness to keep learning.

“Success is not guaranteed.”

That perspective has shaped how she approaches both scouting and leadership. She studies the game with intention, continues refining how she evaluates players, and welcomes insight from people at every level of the building.

“I just always come in every day just like, what can I learn?”

Her understanding of confidence has also evolved over time. For Clavelle, real confidence is not about being the loudest voice in the room. It comes from preparation, consistency, and trust in the work.

“I think you have to be more consistent and I think you have to be confident.”

The impact of mentors and relationships

Clavelle speaks with deep appreciation about the people who have helped shape her journey. From coaches who taught her the language of football to executives and evaluators who believed in her early, she views mentorship as one of the most meaningful parts of her career.

Among those relationships, Ran Carthon stands out in a special way. What began as a professional connection grew into something much deeper, rooted in trust, loyalty, and family.

“It’s definitely more than sports. It’s family.”

She also credits mentors and peers such as Brandon Hunt, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and others across the league for helping sharpen her voice and reinforce her confidence. Their investment in her development has stayed with her, and she now works to provide that same guidance to younger people entering the business.

“Everyone doesn’t receive that type of foundation. I was blessed to be in a position to receive it.”

That gratitude continues to shape how she builds and sustains relationships. For Clavelle, a strong network is not about transactional connections. It is about trust, care, and showing up for people beyond the job title.

Leading with purpose

As one of the few Black women in NFL scouting, Clavelle has had to navigate visibility, expectation, and pressure in a space where representation remains limited. Over time, her evaluation talents have given her a powerful voice in personnel rooms, while letting her work speak first.

That mindset is grounded not in ego, but in pride, preparation, and self-respect. She wants the next generation to understand that they do not need permission to belong. They need the courage to create space, the discipline to master their craft, and the conviction to let their work earn respect.

Clavelle also believes deeply in community. One of the most meaningful parts of her most recent experience has been working alongside other Black women in football and seeing what becomes possible when support creates meaningful connections.

“We look at each other as family.”

Looking ahead

Clavelle’s journey reflects what can happen when preparation meets opportunity. From New Orleans to Tulane, from San Francisco to Minnesota, she has built a career marked by resilience, curiosity, and a clear sense of purpose.

For the Fritz Pollard Alliance community, her story is a reminder that leadership is not only about title or position. It is about staying true to the work, uplifting others, and creating a standard that earns respect wherever you go.

Interview conducted by Aaron Sanders.