NTangible clutch factor could reshape recruiting and NIL deals

The question behind NTangible’s Clutch Factor isn’t sports lore but data: can a person’s words, phrasing and self-description predict how they’ll perform when the pressure is on? The idea, from NTangible co-founder Dan Connerty and psychologist Dr. Ed Levine, is that a structured set of prompts inspired by the Thematic Apperception Test can yield a single score that reflects an athlete’s likely response to high-stakes moments.

Connerty describes the Clutch Factor as a tool to quantify what used to be a vague “how will they respond under pressure?” question. The score runs from 0 to 1,000, with officials claiming athletes who score above 750 are twice as likely to land in Division I programs. Whether that actually translates to recruiting success is part of the current debate around the product.

NTangible’s approach sits at the intersection of sports science and psychology. It relies on neurolinguistic patterns, the way a person talks about a scenario and the language they use, to generate a score that potential coaches could use alongside traditional metrics. Connerty says the score could be used for rankings, leaderboards, NIL talks and scholarships, especially in a market where big checks for quarterbacks and top players are commonplace.

The company emphasizes that the Clutch Factor is not a training tool by itself; rather, it’s a lens to better understand an athlete’s mental game. Still, there’s a clear path to using this data: teams might pair the score with drills designed to improve composure and decision-making under pressure, potentially guiding both who to recruit and how to coach them once they’re on campus.

One notable caveat is the risk of athletes gaming the assessment. If players tailor answers to appear steadier under pressure, the score could be inflated. In a self-test, a TechCrunch journalist got a much higher score when answering as a level-headed top recruit would, suggesting honesty and self-awareness are crucial for the tool to work as advertised.

Beyond sports, NTangible envisions applying the same framework to corporate settings, helping HR departments gauge how employees handle feedback and instruction under pressure. That broader ambition underscores the software’s “AI meets psychology” posture and signals why investors and sports programs alike are watching closely.

NTangible plans its next big moment on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, where it’s among the top contenders for Startup Battlefield. If the Clutch Factor proves durable, it could alter conversations around recruitment, scholarships and even how teams build mental training into their schedules.