Since defrag is primarily about physics, I'd say yes. However, if you're a math/science nerd, that doesn't necessarily translate into being a great defragger.
Some people are very good at utilizing the cgaz hud for example, but I never used it to my advantage.
Perhaps you could look at the quake 3 source code if you're able to decipher it. From my personal experience, I'd have to say muscle memory, technique and endurance play bigger roles.
Angles are most likely the biggest aspect a runner has to worry about on a map-to-map basis. Just the simple act of strafe-jumping can prove that theory. A slight adjustment to the angle of a strafe can mean the difference between landing a set of pads and not landing them. Of course, there's the issue of timing, but that's a whole other discussion all together. Every weapon faces the issue of requiring a specific angle tweak for optimal performance. (Even if you're lg or rail jumping.)
I recall there being some very insightful threads on overdrive pc about the math and physics of defrag. There are a few on here as well. I don't have the capacity to understand the programming, but maybe you do. Just keep in mind that there is a lot more than math to factor in when playing defrag.