SPARQ edge rushers - 2017 draft class

[*SHRacerX*]

(03-08-2017, 03:46 PM)ochocincos Wrote: What is SPARQ? It's an acronym coined by NIKE in 2004 that stands for Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness. It was intended to combine of all of these aspects of an athlete to give some type of overall grade to his or her athleticism. It was essentially supposed to be treated like a standardized test for sports training.

NIKE's program ended back around 2009 to 2010, but 3sigmaathlete.com still uses the formula to give athleticism scores to NFL draft prospects.

For 2017, the top 10 edge players based on SPARQ are:
(note - a 0.0 z-score and 50.0 NFL% represents NFL league-average athlete at the position)

1) Tyus Bowser, OLB Houston - pSPARQ = 142.7, z-score = 1.7, NFL% = 95.8%
2) Jordan Willis, DE Kansas St - pSPARQ = 140.8, z-score = 1.6, NFL% = 94.4%
3) TJ Watt, OLB Wisconsin - pSPARQ = 140.4, z-score = 1.6, NFL% = 94.0%
4) Solomon Thomas, DL Stanford - pSPARQ = 140.3, z-score = 1.6, NFL% = 94.0%
5) Hassan Reddick, OLB Temple - pSPARQ = 139.3, z-score = 1.5, NFL% = 93.0%
6) Trey Hendrickson, DL Florida Atlantic - pSPARQ = 136.1, z-score = 1.2, NFL% = 89.2%
7) Derek Rivers, DE YSU - pSPARQ = 130.9, z-score = 0.8, NFL% = 80.1%
8) Daeshon Hall, DE Texas A&M - pSPARQ = 129.3, z-score = 0.7, NFL% = 76.7%
9) Carl Lawson, DE Auburn - pSPARQ = 124.9, z-score = 0.4, NFL% = 65.3%
10) Deatrich Wise Jr, DE Arkansas - pSPARQ = 123.8, z-score = 0.3, NFL% = 62.2%

For the rest of the list, other positions, and/or the 2015 and 2016 results, check out https://3sigmaathlete.com/

Related note - It's no secret I've wanted Jordan Willis or Solomon Thomas, and that was prior to me finding this site. This site only helps support why I think these players will be very good NFL pass rushers.

Good stuff....combine this with the explosiveness scale (Bench # at 225 + vertical + Long Jump) and you might have a pretty good picture on some of these guys potential .  However, extensive research has to be done in to the scheme they came from (i.e.- what were they asked to diagnose and execute in their game plan) as well as variables like how they fared against their best opponent.

All of this keeps leading me back to one guy that I originally shunned, TJ Watt.  I guess I didn't like him at first because I thought I was just falling for a name, and hoping he would develop in to the player his brother has become.  But the more I watch his film, and watch his instincts and football IQ unfold on the field, I am really thinking he would be a guy that could generate a pass rush from the LB position as well as rotate up to RDE on passing downs.  

If he is available in the 2nd...

I still keep hoping for a last minute McCarron deal to net the Browns 2nd rounder.  I don't want to miss out on the potential replacement for Bodine (Elflein) because I see such a potential impact player in Watt.