Chalk Talk Episode #5: The 2022 NFL Draft Was Proof That Anything Can Happen in Vegas

It also reminded us that there really is no such thing as an “off season” in the NFL. Hale Hentges and I have been digging into the NFL and college player stats to see how things might shake out in the Fall as rosters shape up.

Chalk Talk with Zebra`s Adam Petrus and Hale Hentges

by Adam Petrus

May 27, 2022

If you placed bets on the 2022 NFL Draft, be honest: did you land right side up or upside down?

Admittedly, my co-host Hale Hentges and I were blindsided by a couple picks – and he’s a former NFL pro who has experienced the draft firsthand before. He gets the innerworkings of NFL clubs and knows what teams need on their rosters. (I’ve got some experience in this area as well.) Plus, Hale and I both have been knee-deep in player data the past several months between the East-West Shrine Bowl, Reese’s Senior Bowl, and NFL Combine – all of which took advantage of Zebra’s RFID player tracking technology. We wanted to see how draft candidates and other NFL pros measure against one another and NFL standards.

So, what did we miscalculate in our draft picks (besides the #1 pick by my hometown team, the Jacksonville Jaguars)?

Tune into the latest episode of Chalk Talk to find out, along with our predictions about how the top-drafted players will do in the upcoming NFL season and why some underdog players and teams might surprise us come September:

Chalk Talk Episode #5: NFL Draft Download

Only have a few minutes? Fast forward to these can’t-miss analyses:

[3:30] The biggest surprises of the draft
[8:30] Which teams scored big in this year’s draft

[10:45] How late-round picks are likely to shape up – and why they might compete with, or beat, some of the first-round picks when they hit the field this Fall
[12:30] The role Zebra is playing in the globalization of the NFL (and Next Gen Stats)
[15:00] The clubs that may find themselves in an underdog position coming out of the draft and heading into the preseason
[24:00] Which late-round picks might slide right into a starting role in the next few months

We also talk about the role that RFID data (from Zebra’s player tracking system) is going to help us – and teams – appraise players’ performance and potential in the coming months and years.

Listen now then let us know if you agree with our analysis or think we need to go back to the drawing board – and data. You can find me on Linkedin and Instagram or connect with Hale on Linkedin.

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Need to catch up on past Chalk Talk episodes? Listen to the replays now:

Chalk Talk Episode #4: Chalk Talk Episode #4: It’s NFL Draft Time, and We Have Some Thoughts on How Things Will Play Out
Chalk Talk Episode #3: NFL Pros Dwayne Johnson, Jr. and Chris Streveler Just Spent Three Weeks Working at Zebra. Find Out Why (and What It Was Like).

Chalk Talk Episode #2: Did You Know RFID Technology Was Used to Track Player Movements During 2022 NFL Combine Drills? Find Out What That Means for This Year’s Recruits (and Future Scouting Decisions).
Chalk Talk Episode #1: Not Sure Who to Cheer for During Super Bowl LVI? These Next Gen Stats May Help with Your Decision.
An Analysis of the Chalk Talk Commentators What Do You Think? Were Adam Petrus and Hale Hentges Spot On with Their Super Bowl Predictions?

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Adam Petrus

Adam Petrus is currently the Client Services Project Manager within Zebra Sports at Zebra Technologies where he is responsible for co-managing the game day operation of the NFL’s Next Gen Stats program. Adam has more than 10 years of experience within the sports and technology industry and has been working with Next Gen Stats since 2015. Previously, he worked in the front office of an NFL Football Club and then the United States Intelligence Community supporting business operations.