I just don't get it... Miles Austin speed

[Bluefin]

It's been said that Dallas had timed Felix Jones in the 4.3 range during personal workouts.

They timed LB Dexter Coakley in the 4.2s while on the team.

He was very fast, but not close to that on the football field.

And they timed WR Randal Williams as a 4.1 something.

I don't really care about forty times to begin with, the combine is interesting because so many players are timing on the same track. I completely ignore times offered up by the team.

And in the end, it just isn't that important. Good football players will usually find a way to get the job done whether they have elite speed or not.

Michael Irvin was one of the slowest open field runners I've ever watched, but he could get open on anyone. The Niners perferred to double him even when they had Deion and the Playmaker still dropped like 195 yards on them in a losing effort in the NFC title game.

Speed is great, but the player has to be able to play the game in order to use it.

 

[jobberone]

On a favorable track with the wind at his back he could run a 4.2. It doesn't matter unless you ran it at the Combine.

That's an overgeneralization. Stanback ran a 4.5+ and he's got more speed than that. And people train for it and can make themselves appear faster than they are.

One 40 time does not mean someone is that fast or that slow even at the combine. Obviously if someone runs a 4.3 then they are fast but maybe not 4.3 fast. It certainly can make people sit up and notice either way.

Teams look at the body of work of an athlete and not an isolated 40 time. It's more important to look at their game speed.

 

[theogt]

That's an overgeneralization. Stanback ran a 4.5+ and he's got more speed than that. And people train for it and can make themselves appear faster than they are.

One 40 time does not mean someone is that fast or that slow even at the combine. Obviously if someone runs a 4.3 then they are fast but maybe not 4.3 fast. It certainly can make people sit up and notice either way.

Teams look at the body of work of an athlete and not an isolated 40 time. It's more important to look at their game speed.

Stanback never ran a 4.5.

And no, it's not an "overgeneralization" to say that Felix could run a 4.2 with perfect conditions. If he can run a 4.4 at the Combine, then he should be able to run a 4.2 in the right conditions.

 

[jobberone]

Stanback never ran a 4.5.

And no, it's not an "overgeneralization" to say that Felix could run a 4.2 with perfect conditions. If he can run a 4.4 at the Combine, then he should be able to run a 4.2 in the right conditions.

I was not speaking of that but the statement you only look at the combine. My point is that you look at the body of work of an athlete. And looking at on the field speed is the best way. Obviously you do not overlook 40 times either. It's all part of the puzzle.

 

[Audiman]

It doesn't matter unless you ran it at the Combine.

what really matters is what is done on the football field

 

[theogt]

I was not speaking of that but the statement you only look at the combine. My point is that you look at the body of work of an athlete. And looking at on the field speed is the best way. Obviously you do not overlook 40 times either. It's all part of the puzzle.

Gotcha. I'm was just saying if you're solely looking at 40 times, then you should only look at what's run at the Combine. You can't compare different times at different tracks in different conditions.

what really matters is what is done on the football field

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

 

[jobberone]

Gotcha. I'm was just saying if you're solely looking at 40 times, then you should only look at what's run at the Combine. You can't compare different times at different tracks in different conditions.

I agree. Hand held and pro day times are often more favorable. I see where you're coming from now.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Goose's DMN write up says that Felix ran a 4.47 at the combine.

Exactly why I don't put too much stock in 40s.

Hard to tell Felix was not a 4.3 guy the way he can shake you, accelerate, and get up the field.

Chris Johnson ran a 4.24 and watching him and Felix I wouldn't be able to tell too much of a difference.

 

[tomson75]

Exactly why I don't put too much stock in 40s.

Hard to tell Felix was not a 4.3 guy the way he can shake you, accelerate, and get up the field.

Chris Johnson ran a 4.24 and watching him and Felix I wouldn't be able to tell too much of a difference.

I don't think Felix has the top end the CJ does. I do, however think he has better acceleration. Felix' burst is what separates him from defenders, not his top gear. His ability to get up to speed and make quick lateral moves within a few yards of the LOS is unbelievable. Once he's up to speed though, I don't think he's in an elite class of runners.

...and that's just fine with me. Tyson Thompson had elite top end speed from all accounts.....but we never got to see it because he couldn't get past the LOS.

 

[GoBoys41]

There's plenty of guys who don't improve their 40 times at all at their pro days, or choose not to run their 40s. Some guys don't prepare properly by the Combine. Still, it's a stupid test because it's run in shorts and only defensive ends come out of something that resembles a track stance.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Eventually people will realize that getting deep separation is not about pure timed speed and never has been.

If that was the case, Alexander Wright and Randal Williams would have been the best deep ball WRs in our history.

Exactly. Pure, blazing, speed is not going to make person a great deep threat. Getting seperation, on passes, is a heck of a lot more about how well you run your routes then it is about how fast you are.

I know for me personally, in the football I play (Obviously this isn't NFL level but I believe it would apply all around when it comes to football) I'm generally one of the slower receivers to be playing. But I'm able to get open, almost all the time, and on guys much faster than me simply because I run very crisp routes. I work hard on my route running cause that's where I get my seperation.

I'll catch some flak for it, but the one receiver I would kill for in this draft more than any other (even Crabtree) is Robiskie. I fully believe that he's going to be the next Marvin Harrison with his combination of route running and hands.

He's going to be a better pro than collegiate player.

I'm a big fan of Robiskie. He seems like he's going to be a very solid pro WR.

Roy Williams IS NOT a solid #1. Wasn't one in Detroit, the dump of the NFL, and won't be even close to one here in Dallas IMO.

He's lazy.
He's full of excuses.
He's past his prime.
He's slow.
He's a bad route runner.
He has no dedication or drive.
He has a loser mentality.

I'm sorry, but for those whom think Roy Williams is our answer in a "bottle", you're going to be let down.

IMO this could be one of the reasons why Jerry Jones is trying so hard to focus the attention on Miles Austin being something "special". It's crowd control for the #1 pick we just threw away and the #1 WR we just got rid of.

Past his prime at 27? Are you serious? That one silly statement immediately ruined any other parts of your statement.

[youtube]APSxK_w56u8[/youtube]

Exactly. D-Hall has a fast 40 time yet he routinely gets his butt whipped by much slower players cause they know how to run solid routes and sell things. Speed is great but it's often way over-rated when it comes to deciding which player should or shouldn't be picked.

 

[irvin4evs]

Miles is very, very fast. Faster than his 40 time indicates.

I still *can not* believe people still look at 40 times rather than game tape. Unbelievable.

 

[jobberone]

Exactly why I don't put too much stock in 40s.

Hard to tell Felix was not a 4.3 guy the way he can shake you, accelerate, and get up the field.

Chris Johnson ran a 4.24 and watching him and Felix I wouldn't be able to tell too much of a difference.

I love Felix and I agree he is faster than his recorded 40 spewed out here. But Chris Johnson is in a league all his own. He's faster than Tony D was when he first came out.