Introducing True FREAK Rating

The NFL always craves size and length. While these traits are more important at some positions rather than others, teams really want it everywhere. That's where tFREAK comes in.

I've spent lots of time recently working on evaluation analytics in preparation for the 2016 NFL draft. The first one I have unveiled is True FREAK Rating, a size and length composite score that uses height, weight, hand size, arm length, and wingspan to give a comprehensive view of how "FREAKy" a NFL prospect is. So far I only have verified information on seniors that partcipated in a post season game of some sort (NFLPA Bowl, East/West Shrine Game, and Senior Bowl). The tFREAK database is also a great sortable resource to compare players from across all three games. You can view that database here.

This graphic shows many of the top senior OL in the country, ranked by tFREAK. Notice how all the top players are tackles, while many near the bottom are interior players. This raises questions about players like Kyle Murphy and Joe Dahl, and whether they have the size and length to stick at OT. Even though they both played there in college, the interior may be the best fit for them. We have already seen that take shape with Dahl, who transitioned to RG during the Senior Bowl.

True FREAK Rating is set up very similarly to the SPARQ equation, but instead of measuring athleticism, tFREAK measures size and length. If you aren't familar with SPARQ, it is an athleticism formula Nike created to test high school players. Now, many teams in the NFL use SPARQ, or a formula very similar to it in talent evaluation.

Keep in mind, this isn't a complete talent evaluation metric just yet. I plan on using tFREAK with my own SPARQ data (which I'll be releasing that set after the combine) to give a complete score based on a prospects measurables. From that point, I plan on intergrating the tape evaluation grades from my Big Board into that complete score, in the hope of creating the first "fully automated big board". As cool as analytics are, the evaluation and scouting aspect will never be removed from football or the drafting process (and nor should it be). I expect there will be some bumps in the road, but I hope to make a formula that is really effective in predicting NFL success.