AI & Athletics
Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center (CMSAC)
The Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center (CMSAC) is a leader in the rapidly growing field of sports analytics, conducting cutting-edge research that mixes machine learning and AI with play-by-play data analysis.
A Chatbot for the NFL Draft
Want to know your team's chances of nabbing a superstar player in the first round of the NFL Draft? Ask the NFL IQ Chatbot!
CMSAC partnered with the NFLA to research the historical value of an NFL draft pick. Now, football fans can engage with that research hands-on using the chatbot, receiving data-backed answers to their questions. Launched during the 2025 NFL draft in Pittsburgh, the chatbot made player data accessible to fans all over the world.
Telling the Stories of Heisman Hopefuls
Since 1935, the has recognized the most outstanding college football player in the United States. Each year, the public helps pick the winner: one fan vote is included in the final Heisman voting tabulation. Building on that tradition, CMSAC is helping redevelop the fan vote model to place greater emphasis on performances later in the year, recognizing that the Heisman race is often shaped by sustained excellence as conference races, rivalry games and postseason implications come into focus.
Helping the Pros Gain a Competitive Edge
Since the mid-2010s, the NFL has been inserting chips into player's shoudler pads, and into the football itself, to generated granular data about gameplay. CMU Ph.D. student Quang Nguyen used this rich data to develop new metrics for defensive line performance, which helps assess how adept wide receivers are at changing direction during play. His metrics can help a team, scout or coach idenfiy players with the skills their teams need so that they can make a bid during the draft or sign them during free agency.