Will the pre-draft 40 yard dash become obsolete?

[Hawkeye0202]

Obsolete may be too strong but it's certainly overrated. As I see it some fans/media get way too excited about a player 40 times w/o regard to his technique and/or intangibles. What would you rather have a 4.3 WR who can run only a couple of routes with questionable hands or a 4.5 guy with a high football IQ. Remember a former Cowboy WR name, Alexander Wright???? (lol)

 

[darthseinfeld]

Obsolete may be too strong but it's certainly overrated. As I see it some fans/media get way too excited about a player 40 times w/o regard to his technique and/or intangibles. What would you rather have a 4.3 WR who can run only a couple of routes with questionable hands or a 4.5 guy with a high football IQ. Remember a former Cowboy WR name, Alexander Wright???? (lol)

No because the 10 yard split is a big part of evaluations

 

[CATCH17]

I disagree that it's overrated.

I think people wish that all of these measurables were overrated but the truth is that your favorite NFL players 9 times out of 10 is also a freak athlete.

40 yard dash and Vertical Jump are great indicators of explosiveness.

 

[817Gill]

It’s also a fan favorite and the center of the combine which became a ratings giant recently. They aren’t going to phase it out unless the fans stop caring.

 

[lkelly]

It's obsolete for the Rams because they have given away all their picks for the next decade. Most of their college scouts are planning on working the hot dog stand at their massive stadium whenever they can actually bring fans back in.

 

[DasSchnitzel]

I disagree that it's overrated.

I think people wish that all of these measurables were overrated but the truth is that your favorite NFL players 9 times out of 10 is also a freak athlete.

40 yard dash and Vertical Jump are great indicators of explosiveness.

You're not exploding after 15 yards on the 40 yard dash. You're showing you can sustain the pace you accelerated to. It's the start and drive phases of the dash and they come from training the dash itself. I'm ok with just a 10 or 15 yard dash.

I agree on vertical though. Standing vertical jump is a great way to measure vertical power in a way that translates to game day.

 

[AsthmaField]

I don’t think that teams over rate it that much.

Do fans? Absolutely. At least some do.

I’ve seen here in the last month or so people claim a second round guy is suddenly a first round guy because he ran a really fast 40. At a pro day. Not even the combine. And we all know these times are at least a little escalated from what they would be in Indianapolis.

I swear, Eric Stokes ran a fast 40 and there was a guy saying he’d use the 10th pick on him and that he wouldn’t on Surtain. No joke. And more than one said things like that.

Guys who aren’t great at football can run really fast 40’s but some fans just don’t understand that.

Teams aren’t immune from drafting workout warriors... but some fans really over rate what it means on the field.

 

[Future]

I don't think teams have ever cared much about 40 times.

It's the splits that matter.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Speed still correlates with pro success at a lot of positions. It's a dumb thing to throw out.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Yeah, I don’t understand where the notion is even coming from to ask if it’s going to be obsolete.

It’s a basic measure of a fundamental athletic trait...speed. It’s not fool proof, but it is relevant.

 

[Bizwah]

You're not exploding after 15 yards on the 40 yard dash. You're showing you can sustain the pace you accelerated to. It's the start and drive phases of the dash and they come from training the dash itself. I'm ok with just a 10 or 15 yard dash.

I agree on vertical though. Standing vertical jump is a great way to measure vertical power in a way that translates to game day.

I agree with all of this.

I do think the 40 is simply a tool. It isn't the only indicator of future success in the NFL.

 

[John813]

It has it's value but I chuckle at some who think 0.1 seconds in the 40 yard dash either means a player is fast or slow.

Especially when there's game tape of their game speed and adding in most positions don't run that far in a straight line often.

A wide receiver can run a 4.25 but if he can't cut or run routes then he won't be a difference maker compared to a WR with 4.45 speed but can run routes like Diggs or Cooper.

 

[Future]

Speed still correlates with pro success at a lot of positions. It's a dumb thing to throw out.

Play speed does - 40 times don't.

 

[Bizwah]

Play speed does - 40 times don't.

Interesting you mentioned this.

They were talking about the changes in scouting on the Draft Show today. Bucky Brooks was talking about the Rams not really worrying about the 40 at all. They told him with GPS being able to measure speed, they knew how fast Van Jefferson was with pads on without needing to see a 40 time.

It's very possible that teams will begin to utilize that more than the timed forty at the combine or pro days. With that, you will get a better idea about who is a fast track athlete, and who is actually fast in pads.

 

[Future]

Interesting you mentioned this.

They were talking about the changes in scouting on the Draft Show today. Bucky Brooks was talking about the Rams not really worrying about the 40 at all. They told him with GPS being able to measure speed, they knew how fast Van Jefferson was with pads on without needing to see a 40 time.

It's very possible that teams will begin to utilize that more than the timed forty at the combine or pro days. With that, you will get a better idea about who is a fast track athlete, and who is actually fast in pads.

They definitely will, but I think they've always done this, just haven't had the data points to do it.

Emmitt is one of the best examples of that. He wasn't a fast 40-yard guy, but there sure weren't many guys catching up to him when he was the open field.

 

[Bizwah]

They definitely will, but I think they've always done this, just haven't had the data points to do it.

Emmitt is one of the best examples of that. He wasn't a fast 40-yard guy, but there sure weren't many guys catching up to him when he was the open field.

That was something Jimmy talked about after they drafted Emmitt. He said scouts were blasting his 4.5/4.6 forty time, but he asked them, "Why does he keep making all those long runs?"

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

It has it's value but I chuckle at some who think 0.1 seconds in the 40 yard dash either means a player is fast or slow.

Especially when there's game tape of their game speed and adding in most positions don't run that far in a straight line often.

A wide receiver can run a 4.25 but if he can't cut or run routes then he won't be a difference maker compared to a WR with 4.45 speed but can run routes like Diggs or Cooper.

Speed matters at WR and CB. On certain routes you most definitely are running in straight lines (Go route, deep post, deep slant, et cetera).

The difference between 4.4 and 4.5 equates to ~3 feet over the course of 40 yards.

CB is almost always in a position of disadvantage because they are playing reactionary and trailing the receiver. If you don’t have speed to make up ground you’re toast.

 

[John813]

Speed matters at WR and CB. On certain routes you most definitely are running in straight lines (Go route, deep post, deep slant, et cetera).

The difference between 4.4 and 4.5 equates to ~3 feet over the course of 40 yards.

CB is almost always in a position of disadvantage because they are playing reactionary and trailing the receiver. If you don’t have speed to make up ground you’re toast.

To me the best CBs can overcome any speed disadvantages with technique and proper understanding of the receiver they are up against. And proper coverages by the DC

Same thing for receivers by proper route running or having the knack for finding the soft spots in zone or being under 6ft-white and playing for the Patriots.

Obviously in a vacuum a receiver running a 4.2 vs a guy at 4.4 will have an advantage in a heads up race. Especially in a cover 0 look. Buts it's often not the case where that receiver gets that opportunity, especially if the corner has safety help or can press better than the receiver can get a clean release.

Speed matters but there's so many ways to actually take advantage of it. Out of all the fast 40yard receivers who enter the draft only a handful ever make am impact with their speed.