In partnership with Athletic Intelligence Measures, The 33rd Team features a weekly article on Sports Psychology and its effect on performance within the sport of football. Athletic Intelligence Measures consists of three individuals, Drs. Scott Goldman, Jim Bowman, and Alex Auerbach. Together, the triumvirate spent 15 years creating the Athletic Intelligence Quotient (AIQ), which identifies […]
Which Team Is This Year’s Coastal Carolina?
Every year in college football, one or two teams rise out of nowhere to shock the nation and win their conference. Last year, Coastal Carolina was coming off a 5-7 season and was picked by many to finish last in the Sun Belt. Instead, they went 11-1 and would have punched a ticket to the […]
Analyzing NFL and NCAA Run Concept Usage
Offensive and defensive concepts in the game of football are constantly evolving, and tracking that evolution is one of the things we do here at the 33rd Team. While one of the most interesting aspects of the game of football is the disparity of play styles between teams, there are some overarching themes that present […]
Which NFL Teams Have the Biggest and Smallest WR Groups?
In the modern NFL, there are a significant variety of team-building methods and philosophies. The way offensive coaches look at the receiver position is no different, as many ideologies exist across the league. While the average height of wide receivers and defensive backs in the NFL has steadily increased over the past 30 years, there […]
5 Versatile Rookies Who Will Stand Out from Day 1
In the modern NFL, versatility, adaptability and alignment flexibility are more important than ever. Offensive coaches covet versatile athletes who they can move around the formation to create mismatches, and defensive coaches in turn seek out multi-skilled defenders who will not be exposed by certain matchups. Furthermore, with the constant stream of injuries in the […]
NIL Update: Policy Breakdowns for the Five States That Begin on July 1
Last week, we took a general look at how new state legislation regarding Name, Image, and Likeness is changing the landscape of college recruiting. After California passed the “Fair Pay to Play Act,” in September of 2019, other states raced to pass their own bills. To this point, 15 states have now passed legislation that will […]
NIL Policies Can Change the Landscape of College Recruiting
The NCAA has long had a rigid standard of amateurism for its student-athletes. Because the NCAA has had a nearly complete monopsony on feeding athletic talent into professional sports leagues, athletes have essentially been forced to comply with the NCAA’s rules to maintain eligibility. Since the NCAA passed the “Sanity Code” in 1948, paying students […]
NFL Draft: Best Fits From Round 1
The NFL draft isn’t always about the best players. It’s about the best fits for players with the teams that drafted them. Here are the five best fits from Day 1: No. 1: Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons The Falcons opted to stand pat at No. 4 and draft Kyle Pitts rather than draft a […]
Top 20 EDGE Prospects in 2021 NFL Draft
With so many pass rushers getting signed early in free agency, there may be less of a demand for EDGE rushers in the draft. That said, there are plenty to choose from. Here are the 33rd Team’s top 20 EDGE players available: 1. Kwity Paye, Michigan, 6-4, 272 Kwity Paye is a thickly-built, muscular […]
Now That J.J. Watt Is a Cardinal, What Does That Mean for the Future of Haason Reddick?
On Monday afternoon, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport broke news that J.J. Watt would sign with the Arizona Cardinals on a two-year, $31 million contract. After Watt and the Houston Texans agreed to “mutually part ways” on Feb. 12, the future Hall of Famer took a few weeks to make his decision on where to play […]
