(TheNote: The original CSFBL scouting system has been overhauled as of the June 2022 update)
The mystery around this is the basis of the scouting system in CSFBL.
Each player has some internal values (hidden to users) that influence how easy or hard they are to "scout". This hidden variance creates a bit of mystery, especially for younger players
As players get older, and they get more experience, scouts get more accurate in telling you what a player's current ratings are (but not their potential ratings). So a scout is less accurate looking at a 17-year old than he is looking at a 30-year old who has played for five seasons. That doesn't mean the scout was inaccurate with the 17-year old
Potential ratings do not not change over time
In CSFBL, all team owners see players the same way
Individual leagues can choose to have the scouting system on or off. Leagues with scouting off will havealways exactsee information onnearly-perfect players' ratings throughout their careers.
Leagues with scouting on will not have exact information on the ratings of players, but will instead see "scouted" ratings.
Leagues that want to work with a realistic system of imperfect information, with diamonds-in-the-rough and draft busts will have Scouting ON.
Leagues that prefer to work from full ratings information throughout a players' career will have Scouting OFF.