Rachel Goldberg
Editorial byline
Rachel Goldberg is an editorial byline for Locker Room Wire, with a focus on The Huddle, Draft HQ. Biographical credentials and external profiles are published only after verification.
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Coverage Areas
Latest Articles
How NFL Teams Turn Player Tracking Data Into Workload Decisions
NFL teams leverage precise RFID player tracking data, not GPS, to capture real-time movement. This data is then transformed into key performance metrics to inform workload management and injury prevention strategies, optimizing player performance and availability.
Oct 30, 2026 · 5 min read
Landon DuPont Tops NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary Watch List, and the 'A' Rating He Carries Has a Strong Draft Track Record
Landon DuPont has earned an "A" rating from NHL Central Scouting, designating him as a potential first-round candidate for the 2027 NHL Draft. This rating carries significant historical weight, with a high conversion rate of "A"-rated prospects being selected in the first round.
Oct 27, 2026 · 4 min read
11, 12, and 21 Personnel: How NFL Offenses Use Two Digits to Dictate the Defense
NFL offensive personnel groupings, identified by two digits representing running backs and tight ends, dictate defensive formations in a pre-snap strategic battle. Understanding these formations like 11, 12, and 21 personnel reveals the offensive intent and the defensive counter-strategy.
Oct 26, 2026 · 4 min read
NCAA's New Five-Year Eligibility Rule: Why the Redshirt Is Effectively Dead in Division I
The NCAA's new five-year eligibility rule for Division I football effectively eliminates the traditional redshirt, granting athletes five years to compete in five full seasons. This change impacts player development, roster management, and NFL draft strategies.
Oct 25, 2026 · 4 min read
Scouting 2026 Edge Rushers: Four Traits to Watch on Film
This guide details the four key traits—motor, hand usage, bend/fluidity, and burst/power—essential for scouting 2026 NFL Draft edge rushers on film. It explains how these observable actions define different pass-rusher archetypes and their impact.
Oct 24, 2026 · 5 min read
Exclusive, Non-Exclusive, or Transition: How NFL Teams Choose Their Tag
NFL teams utilize exclusive, non-exclusive, and transition tags to retain star players, each offering distinct trade-offs between control, cost, and draft pick compensation. The strategic choice hinges on a team's priorities for player retention and market risk management.
Oct 22, 2026 · 5 min read
Five Factors That Separate NFL Quarterback Prospects From College Stars
Evaluating college quarterbacks requires predicting which strengths will translate to the NFL, a challenge complicated by 'trait degradation' where elite college traits diminish against professional competition. This article outlines five key factors—arm talent, accuracy, mobility, processing, and intangibles—and the observable indicators scouts use to project NFL success.
Oct 21, 2026 · 6 min read
How NFL Teams Use Cognitive Tests, Tracking Data and Performance Models to Evaluate Defensive Back Prospects
NFL teams now evaluate defensive back prospects using a blend of cognitive tests, player tracking data, and advanced performance models. This multi-faceted approach helps determine a player's mental processing, on-field movement, and scheme fit for specific defensive strategies.
Oct 21, 2026 · 5 min read
Cover 0 Explained: The All-Out Blitz That Trades Safety for Pressure
Cover 0 is American football's most aggressive defensive coverage, featuring pure man-to-man assignments with zero deep safety help and a heavy blitz. This high-risk, high-reward strategy aims to sack the quarterback or force hurried throws before receivers can exploit the lack of deep coverage.
Oct 19, 2026 · 5 min read
How Moisture-Wicking Fabric Works: Capillary Channels and the Chemistry of Dry
Moisture-wicking fabric functions through a dual-principle model combining engineered structural channels for capillary action and fiber chemistry to manage sweat. This explains why materials like polyester excel and cotton fails, and how proper care preserves performance.
Oct 19, 2026 · 5 min read
Three Kinds of Pass Rush Analytics That See What Sack Totals Cannot
Modern NFL pass rush evaluation moves beyond simple sack totals by employing three advanced analytical approaches: continuous-time player tracking, detailed event charting of moves, and context-adjusted pressure rates. These methods provide a more nuanced, process-oriented view of a rusher's true impact and effectiveness.
Oct 17, 2026 · 4 min read
Why NFL Pro Days Matter: The Player-Friendly Second Chance That Shapes Draft Boards
NFL Pro Days provide a player-friendly, campus-hosted audition for draft prospects, serving as a crucial athletic record for those who missed or couldn't complete the Combine, and a qualitative confirmation for others.
Oct 16, 2026 · 5 min read
How Data and Game Theory Dictate Formula 1 Race Strategy
Modern Formula 1 race strategy is a sophisticated, data-driven process that leverages vast amounts of telemetry, complex simulations, and game theory to optimize performance and outmaneuver competitors. Decisions on pit stops, tire management, and race tactics are continuously refined in real-time.
Oct 12, 2026 · 5 min read
Verstappen Powers Red Bull Ford to Victory in Malaysia, Ending Ford's 23-Year F1 Win Drought
Max Verstappen powered Red Bull Ford to a landmark victory at the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, marking Ford's first Formula 1 win in 23 years. This triumph validates the new Red Bull Ford Powertrains entity in its debut season.
Oct 7, 2026 · 3 min read
The Four Strategic Goals of NFL Pre-Snap Motion
Pre-snap motion in the NFL is a strategic tool used by offenses to gain a decisive advantage before the play begins. It serves four primary objectives: diagnosing defensive coverage, creating favorable mismatches, generating leverage and space, and giving players a running start.
Oct 4, 2026 · 4 min read
F1's Data Deluge Fuels Strategic Decision Making
In Formula 1, a two-stop strategy with pit stops on lap 12 and lap 32 isn't a gut feeling from a seasoned strategist, but a precise output from a Monte Carlo simulation run in milliseconds.
Sep 11, 2026 · 3 min read
NFL's Under-40 Revolution: Top Coaches and Execs Reshape the League
At 30, Sean McVay became the youngest head coach in modern NFL history.
Sep 2, 2026 · 3 min read
How Does NFL Draft Board Construction Use Data Analytics for Player Evaluation?
Seven players selected in the first three rounds of past NFL drafts possessed arm measurements under 33 inches and 40-yard dash times slower than 5.
Sep 1, 2026 · 7 min read
Los Angeles Rams: 8 Roster Predictions, Including 2 Quarterbacks
Despite a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints, defensive back Alex Cook was among the first wave of players released by the Los Angeles Rams.
Aug 30, 2026 · 6 min read
NBA Rookie Salary Scale: How It Works for Draft Picks
The first overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft is expected to sign a contract worth $62 million over four years, according to Si .
Aug 2, 2026 · 5 min read