A sensor for sensing a quality of a sheet, such as a paper sheet, related to elastic modulus and bending stiffness as it is being made including a sheet support in the form of a ring and a free running wheel, which depresses the paper into the center of the ring as the paper passes over it. A force transducer mounted to the wheel senses the force of the deflected paper on the wheel and provides a measure of a characteristic of the paper related to its elastic modulus and being stiffness. Alternatively, or in addition, a displacement sensor may be used to sense the distance that the sheet is displaced by the wheel into the ring. These factors, together with basis weight, thickness and paper velocity may be used to determine the strength of the paper on a continuous basis.