NFL coaches, executives and scouts evaluating draft prospects at the Senior Bowl on Saturday have access to more player performance data than ever before thanks to technology.
For the first time at the Senior Bowl, players during the game will be wearing the Catapult OptimEye S5, a monitoring device that measures volume (total work done measured by Catapult’s PlayerLoad metric plus distance traveled), intensity (how hard they’re working) and explosiveness.
And also during the game in Mobile, Ala., the Wilson X Connected Football will be used with each ball containing a sensor that can track throw distance, velocity, spiral efficiency and spin rate. The NFL had tested the ball in preseason games.
“The Senior Bowl presents a unique opportunity to legitimately showcase the future of technology for football,” said Brian Kopp, Catapult’s president for North America operations. “For the first time ever, we’ve put Catapult wearable devices on every player throughout the entire week. We’re also working closely with the XOS team to provide coaches and scouts the ability combine tactical and performance data from complementary technologies.”
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The Senior Bowl’s partnership with Catapult and XOS Digital enabled real-time data to be tracked during practices in the week leading up to the game, providing context to the game data for scouts looking to project how a player might perform in the NFL on a day-to-day basis. For player safety, information is provided on player workloads that can gauge the health effects of the workouts and prevent injuries.
The XOS Thunder Radar product allows coaches to visualize the data, as video is integrated with the player performance metrics provided by Catapult devices. Reports can be shared afterward in the XOS film room at a nearby hotel where coaches can gather to watch and break down video after each practice.
“Incorporating XOS and Catapult technology into Senior Bowl week allows us to better showcase the talents of the participants and provide greater insight to all the scouts, coaches, and executives in attendance,” Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage said.