2020 ADJUSTED SPARQ Scores, Defense

[Hawkeye0202]

No disrespect for the other SPARQ thread.......this guy claims this is better at projecting NFL success




https://www.rotoworld.com/article/nfl-draft-preview/2020-adjusted-sparq-scores-defense

 

[Creeper]

I read it just the opposite. He is saying that it is not much of a predictor of NFL success. Its based on combine drills and measures athleticism. As he states, different positions require different traits and SPARQ measures all players the same. While I agree not many clumsy gawks succeed in the NFL being a great athlete does not necessarily translate into being a great NFL player. See Rod Hill.

I do see its value. There are some minimum skills required to play in the NFL and SPARQ does give a sense of what skills a player posseses. It is one factor to consider. Tape is still more important to me.

Having said that, look at some of the scores. Epenesa for example, scores relatively low compared to the other DEs. I think a lot of us see this on film too. But then look at Derrick Brown. His score is relatively low compared to the other DTs, yet his game film shows he is a dominant player. Perhaps because DTs don't necessarily need a great 3-cone drill if their first step is lightning quick or if they bench press 225 lbs 30 times.

 

[TheDank]

Maybe I read it wrong, but it seems like he included a lot of guys that didn't participate in all of the tests/drills. Makes it hard to just use an average score for that. Also, didn't list exactly what was being used to create each positions cumulative score. Everyone wants to be able to boil prospects down to a number so they can definitively say this guy is better than that guy, but that's just not how it works. The combine is there to show us overall athleticism and more importantly to me, who prepared for it, who takes this seriously.