Word Analysis Approach to NFL Draft Projection and Its Impact on Team Performance

In this paper, the NFL draft process at an individual and team level will be investigated using multiple approaches. At the player level, this paper will seek to find which player level characteristics have the most significant impact in determining where a player is to be picked and how he performs in the NFL. With the inclusion of word characteristics from scouting reports, the paper aims to approach the player analysis through combining both quantitative and qualitative factors. A player level panel data set is constructed so that change in player performance could be tracked over time. In addition to the individual player analysis, the paper conducts a team level analysis that aims to determine the exact impact of player inputs separated by position from both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The paper will also explore the impact that the drafting ability of teams on both sides of the ball have on their respective performance. The use of player scouting reports and language processing in the context of quantitative analysis has not been done in previous literature and will be the main contribution of this research.Bachelor of Art