I hope not
NFLDraftScout.com
2013 Pro Days: Alabama's Eddie Lacy clocked at 4.58-4.62
By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com
April 11, 2013 11:22 am ET
NFL scouts have been anxiously waiting to see whether Alabama running back Eddie Lacy would time faster than the 4.55-second estimate they'd given him based on tape.
He ran slightly slower Thursday, confirming he lacks the home-run speed some scouts believe is critical to warrant selection in the first round.
Representatives from the Senior Bowl tweeted that Lacy, 5-foot-11, 230 pounds, was clocked at 4.58 and 4.62-seconds in the 40-yard dash.
The time is respectable for a back of Lacy's size, but the rest of his workout wasn't ideal, either, according to former NFL scout Bucky Brooks, who tweeted that Lacy recorded a 32.5-inch vertical jump, a 9-7 broad jump, a 4.44-second short-shuttle and had a "disappointing" positional workout.
According to Brooks, Lacy appeared "out of shape" and "wasn't able to finish" the workout.
Lacy is NFLDraftScout.com's top-rated running back in the 2013 draft but isn't among my top 32 picks, and he's also a no-show in Dane Brugler's first-round projection. At least one running back has been selected in the first round of every NFL draft since 1963.
While Lacy's workout raises red flags about his conditioning, there is no question he possesses the talent to be a bell-cow back at the next level. Lacy is a powerful between-the-tackles runner who can knock defenders to the ground. He's also possesses very light feet and excellent balance, often slipping past would-be tacklers with a lethal spin move. Lacy is also a gifted receiver out of the backfield and has proven both alert and physical in pass protection, making it likely he'll be able to step in and contribute immediately as a rookie.
Lacy played well in spot duty over his first two seasons with the Crimson Tide and exploded in 2012. The junior ran for 1,322 yards on 204 carries (6.5 average) and 17 touchdowns, earning First Team All-SEC honors.
Scouts also like the fact that Lacy hasn't been worn down. He served as the backup behind Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, each of whom, of course, wound up as first-round picks in the past two drafts.
Even with the less-than-stellar numbers, Lacy is likely to join his former teammates as the first running back selected in their respective draft classes.
While it may get lost in the hype of Lacy's numbers, the most important thing he may have proved Thursday was his health. A pulled hamstring kept him from participating at the combine or Alabama's previous Pro Day March 13.
A few other notable Alabama players also attended the workout. Right tackle D.J. Fluker weighed in at 337 pounds and posted a 27.5-inch vertical jump, according to the Senior Bowl. Tight end Michael Williams, safety Robert Lester and linebacker Nico Johnson were other former Crimson Tide standouts who mostly sat on their numbers from the combine but did positional workouts.
