TORONTO — The CFL Combine presented by New Era is in the books and so is the data collected from the footballs thrown.
Wilson Sporting Goods implemented the Wilson X-Pro Connected Football and Training System as a way to capture data on the quarterbacks that participated in the Combine. The technology utilized an undetectable sensor embedded in a Wilson CFL football to measure quarterback performance in the areas of throw quality and play timing.
The Wilson X-Pro Connected Training System offered deep insights into a quarterback’s performance. The System delivers data that helps a team and its staff evaluate arm strength and quarterback mechanics, while also more efficiently analyzing the success of pass plays.
Specifically, the System measures:
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- Timing: snap to release, snap to target and release time
- Throw Quality: Spin rate and spiral efficiency
- Arm Strength: Throw count and velocity.
Photo: Peter Power, CFL.ca
This was the first time Wilson X-Pro Football and training system was utilized in a professional football Combine format. The System has been used by National Football League (NFL) Draft prospects in preparation for the NFL Combine and NFL Draft.
Three quarterbacks at the CFL Combine that utilized the Wilson X-Pro Connected Training System: Chris Merchant (Western), Michael O’Connor (UBC) and Sonny Weishaupt (Germany).
The results are below:
| FASTEST THROW | |
| Chris Merchant | 50.3 MPH |
| Michael O’Connor | 50.3 MPH |
| Sonny Weishaupt | 49.1 MPH |
| HIGHEST SPIN RATE | |
| Chris Merchant | 757 RPMs (Overall avg. 644 RPMs) |
| Sonny Weishaupt | 726 RPMs (Overall avg. 515 RPMs) |
| Michael O’Connor | 666 RPMs (Overall avg. 532 RPMs) |
| QUICKEST RELEASE TIME | |
| Chris Merchant | .31 sec (overall avg .48 sec) |
| Michael O’Connor | .32 sec (overall avg .42 sec) |
| Sonny Weishaupt | .33 sec (overall avg .44 sec) |