The Tracking Football team continues doing research that assists our clients in being as efficient as possible. There was such a great response to a recent study on positions and PAI scores that play early we wanted to dig deeper. To support that effort our database was analyzed to find top states outside of the traditional hotbeds, for early contributors.
Where can scouts get the proverbial, “best bang for their buck”? What are the best states for early games played by True Freshman (Focus here was on States other than CA, FL, TX, GA). The list below looks at signing class for power 5 schools going back to 2014. In addition, it uses the PAI score to identify the athleticism of the players that played their first-year on campus.
- North Carolina: 212 total players: 20 RB(s) with an average PAI of 3.24 played in an average of 9.45 games. 6 DT(s) average 3.28 PAI played in an average of 11.17 games.
- Louisiana: 166 total players: 12 CB(s) average 3.43 PAI played in an average of 10.5 games. 10 DB(s) average 3.14 PAI played in an average of 11.4 games. 11 LB(s) average 3.18 PAI played in an average of 11.7 games. 11 RB(s) average PAI of 3.61 PAI played in an average of 11.1 games. 20 WR(s) average PAI of 3.9 played in an average of just under 10 games.
- Ohio: 173 total players: 11 RB(s) average 3.61 PAI played in an average of 10 games. 8 DB(s) average 3.1 PAI played in an average of 10.75 games. 8 LB(s) average PAI 3.04 played in an average of 10 games.
- Virginia: 153 TOTAL PLAYERS: 10 WR(s) average 2.97 PAI played in an average of 9.8 games. 7 DB(s) average 3.17 PAI played in an average of 9.86 games. 6 DE(s) average 3.78 PAI played in an average of 9.7 games.
- Alabama: 143 TOTAL PLAYERS: 10 DB(s) average 2.85 played in an average of 11 games. 7 LB(s) average PAI of 3.5 played in a whopping average of 12 games.
- Arkansas: 43 total players: 6 DT(s) average 3.32 PAI played in average 9 games.
- Colorado: 37 total players: 4 RB(s) average 4.0 PAI played in an average 12.5 games.
- Illinois: 115 total players: 8 WR(s) average 3.63 PAI played in an average 10.5 games.
- Indiana: 69 total players: 4 LB(s) average 3.85 PAI played in an average 8.25 games.
- Kansas: 84 total players: 4 DE(s) average 3.43 PAI played in an average 9 games.
- Maryland: 104 total players: 7 WR(s) average 3.53 PAI played in an average 9.43 games.
- Missouri: 91 total players: 5 CB(s) average 3.26 PAI played in an average of 10.6 games. 5 DB(s) average 3.02 PAI played in an average 8 games.
- New Jersey: 114 total players: 15 WR(s) average 3.3 PAI played in an average 11.2 games.
- Oklahoma: 89 total: 6 DB(s) average 3.38 PAI played in an average of 10.3 games.
- Pennsylvania: 123 total players: 6 RB(s) average 3.7 PLAY played in an average of 12.5 games.
- Tennessee: 112 total players: 7 LB(s) average 3.1 PAI played in an average 10.3 games. 9 WR(s) average 3.58 PAI played in 8 games.
To summarize the PAI is an extremely effective score that allows evaluators to objectively identify the athletic “cream of the crop”.
*Research credit: Scott Tomsa