FALL 2023
More Than The Sum of Their Parts: Evaluating Defensive Line Construction and Deployment
AUTHOR
Krish Shah, University of Pennsylvania
Ezra Troy, University of Pennsylvania
Daniel Coale, University of Pennsylvania
Sam Pasco, University of Pennsylvania
Caleb Cannon, University of Pennsylvania
ABSTRACT
A productive defensive line is a key part of a successful NFL (National Football League) team. With salary cap and roster constraints, acquiring and deploying players to create a productive defensive line is a difficult task of significant interest to NFL front offices. While most attempts to value defensive line production focus on individual attribution, we propose valuing a defensive line as an entire unit, aiming to capture the surplus value generated when different types of players work together on the field. After formulating this methodology, we examine potential applications in both player selection and deployment.
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