Chargers News: GPS Tracking Data Played Key Role in LA Drafting New WR

Next Gen stats are a main reason for LA's first-round pick

The Los Angeles 2023 first-round draft pick Quentin Johnston proved to be one of the best wide receivers in college football last season. He had a tremendous junior season as a member of the TCU Horned Frogs and guided them to their best season in school history. 

His skills as a wide receiver are undeniable, but the Chargers went beyond the eye test to evaluate Johnston's game. Chargers GM Tom Telesco joined the 'Guilty as Charged' podcast and talked about what went into drafting Quention at 21 and how GPS Tracking Data played a crucial role in it. 

"I love the GPS Tracking Data, and we use it more each year now that we know more about it. There's no end-all-be-all test that we do, so we try to put everything together and try and make a determination. His [Johnston] GPS numbers were very high; his 40 time was about 4.5. His jumps were really explosive; big numbers there. The numbers are a big deal to us; we look at them a lot, it's a big part of the process." 

This GPS Tracking Data is still relatively new to the NFL and plays a significant role in selecting a player via the draft. Telesco said that although the college game doesn't have data like that installed, they can use software that installs that data when watching film on a player. 

The GPS tracking can help locate and track movement, speed, and other measurements. Overall, it helps ball clubs transform on-field performances by analyzing stats we couldn't see off-rip. The game is evolving in a way many would have never expected. This is the way it's going, and this is only the beginning. 

The team loved how Johnston looked with that data; hopefully, it translates well to the NFL.