Florida and 40 times - probably Gluckstadt
- Thread starter Buford T. Justice
- Start date
It is important - but, it's way overemphasized and other attributes concerned "speed" are ignored. Realistically, you can add 0.20 seconds to any reported time you hear outside of an NFL combine. If Joe Doe RB prospect claims an official 4.5, he's likely running a 4.7. Somewhere along the way, people got it in their heads that to be considered fast, you need to run faster than a 4.5. Then, someone decided 4.4 was the number. Then, someone decided 4.3 was the number. It became an inflated (or is it deflated?) stat. Plus, there are other interpretations of fast. A 40 time is not the only definition of speed. Look at Dexter McCluster. His 40 time wasn't all that impressive at the combine, but that dude is easily in the Top 5 of fastest college football players I've ever seen on the field - possibly, the fastest. I don't know what all his measurables are, but if that guy isn't considered fast, I don't know who should be.
even the official times are started by a human and stopped by a machine so the element of human error is still there. NFL Network superimposed the fastest guy at each skill position and Taylor Mays came in 2nd to Jacoby Ford (4.28 officially).. he beat guys who posted faster "official" times
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m24X1vOVGXw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m24X1vOVGXw
Here is my theory on some of it. Let's say I am a high school player and I run a legitimate 4.60. That would be pretty fast if you look at the combine numbers. However, if my high school coach and I tell recruiters that I run a 4.6, then they are going to assume that I really run a 4.8 or 4.9. Instead, I will tell them that I run a 4.4 because that is what everybody else is doing also (shaving off about 0.2 seconds). That is one reason that college coaches like recruits coming to camp. They want to see the speed for themselves.
I'll be honest, I don't think there is that much difference between 4.4 and 4.5 when you get on the football field. Players rarely run a straightline, wide open 40 yards during a game. The exceptions are probably kick coverage and sometimes at wideout or defensive backs. But even then some of the running involves backpedaling, dodging or shucking blockers, making a cut, etc. Therefore the 40 yards is rarely in a straightline, wide open.
It is interesting that the misreporting of 40 times happens at all levels of football.
I'll be honest, I don't think there is that much difference between 4.4 and 4.5 when you get on the football field. Players rarely run a straightline, wide open 40 yards during a game. The exceptions are probably kick coverage and sometimes at wideout or defensive backs. But even then some of the running involves backpedaling, dodging or shucking blockers, making a cut, etc. Therefore the 40 yards is rarely in a straightline, wide open.
It is interesting that the misreporting of 40 times happens at all levels of football.
bobbylabonte said:
Exactly, not to mention that the 40 can swing a good bit based on the start. You aren't getting a true measure of a guy's top speed.
You never line up and run 40 yards from 0 to top speed without at least making some athletic move. It's an overrated number if you ask me, and I don't think it's nearly as relevant to football speed as people like to think it is.
Sure a guy might be fast, but if he does some dumb stuff your team is going to suffer in a hurry.
Using a 40 time to determine the best football player is like drag racing to determine a good Formula-1 car.
Using a 40 time to determine the best football player is like drag racing to determine a good Formula-1 car.
Look at the Oakland Raiders. Heyward-Bey could run like a scalded dog. The Raiders drafted him because of speed over the likes of Percy Harvin and Michael Crabtree. That didn't look like such a good pick in their rookie year (which was odd because usually the Raiders are so good in the draft - sarcasm)
I watched Anthony Dixon run his 40 on the NFL network. In 4 years of college ball (900+ carries I think), I never saw him haveto run 40 yards in a straightline while looking ahead like that. Heck, they should make runningbacks come out of a proper 3-point stance or an I-formation stance and carry a football in one arm when they run the 40.
I watched Anthony Dixon run his 40 on the NFL network. In 4 years of college ball (900+ carries I think), I never saw him haveto run 40 yards in a straightline while looking ahead like that. Heck, they should make runningbacks come out of a proper 3-point stance or an I-formation stance and carry a football in one arm when they run the 40.
futaba said:
That's funny, I think the last 20 would be more relevant to football, because that's your speed that determines whether you can break away from the pack or not.
After looking at the way Florida exaggerated the 40 times, I am worried that we are going to find out that Tyson Lee really wasn't 5'10" as listed on the official roster.
lawdawg02 said:
Yea, but don't they have other measures for quickness that they use?
I would think lateral quickness would be more important. Plus, as I said, you don't start from a sprinter's position as a RB, so your start from tailback isn't comparable to the first 20, and it isn't nearly as important as your strength, your quickness, and your break-away speed. I think the shift a player takes due to 40 times, bench numbers, and those things can be ridiculous.
I know measurables are important, but when it comes to football, it's not a weight lifting or sprinting competition. It comes down to "can he play?". Patrick Willis's ridiculous 40 time was great for his draft stock, but it's not the reason he's a great LB. The reason he's a great LB is because he's a good football player, has good instincts and good closing speed when he goes to the ball. Those things aren't measured at a combine. There are plenty of guys that run average 40 times that are football fast.
I'm just surprised with all the money that goes into these players, they haven't been working on developing new measurables that better reflect football ability.