Which Words Are Used To Describe White And Black NFL Prospects?
Do NFL scouts talk about white players and black players differently? Are certain words reserved for white players? Are others used primarily to describe black players?
Let's try and find out. We've pulled the text from pre-draft scouting reports from NFL.com (written by the infamous Nolan Nawrocki), CBS, and ESPN, split them by player race, counted the number of times individual words appeared using the Voyant tool, and then calculated the rate at which each word appeared per 10,000 words. (In total we pulled 68,465 words on 99 white players—6,228 unique—and 223,868 words on 288 black players—10,580 unique). You can play with the data in the interactive below; simply plug a single word into the input field, hit search, and see how often the word appeared in black and white scouting reports.
This tool will count only the exact string you put (although it's not case-sensitive). "Intelligent" won't pull up numbers for related words like "intelligence" or "unintelligent."
Post your favorite finds in the comments! You can check out the code/documentation for the graphic over on Github.
Related
MLB Playoff Picture: Biggest Races to Watch on Final Weekend
The Numbers Behind Raul Rosas Jr.’s First UFC Main Event
Browns Defense Is Struggling Without Myles Garrett
6 Most Underrated NBA Teams Heading Into the 2026-27 Season
MLB Best Bets Today: 3 Picks for Thursday September 24 Slate
College Football Week 4 Picks: 3 Best Bets for Saturday
- College Football Week 4 Picks: 3 Best Bets for Saturday
- Best Bets for Falcons vs. Packers Thursday Night Football
- MLB Best Bets Today: 3 Picks for Wednesday, September 23rd
- The Best Heisman Long Shots to Watch Before Week 4
- Dana White’s Contender Series Week 7 Predictions and Picks
- Chicago White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals Tuesday Best Bets
- WNBA Best Bets for Tuesday: Lynx, Sparks Highlight Two-Play Card

