When you hear about a wideout being fast,what in terms of 40 time do you consider fast? And how many of our wideouts meet your standard? I always thought 4.50 or under was fast. My friends are telling me that it's just average.
Speed
- Thread starter Salempanther2015
- Start date
It's all about how do achieve separation.
The smaller, weaker athlete who doesn't run great routes needs to be faster.
Jerry Rice was freaky fast on the field because he knew how to achieve separation.
The smaller, weaker athlete who doesn't run great routes needs to be faster.
Jerry Rice was freaky fast on the field because he knew how to achieve separation.
4.5 is faster than most on this board realize..
There are many things that make up game speed on a football field. 40 time is just part of it, and it gets too much attention. Watch someone play and you'll know if they're fast. You won't need a stopwatch.
I agree, the problem is these coaches from high school on, have been flat out lying about 40 times for so long that a 4.6 seems slow. everyone has lied and shed a tenth or two off of every 40 time from their players that we all just moved the bar.. then when someone actually posts a legit time, it screws our whole perspective up..
Take our DE recruit running a 4.51. Seriously, does anyone on this planet really think that time is legit? V'lique's 40 time is 4.57. You really think this guy would beat Carter in a40 yard race?
Last edited:
If you can run a 4.6 or below at a Nike Sparq Combine (they don't use hand times) you're probably a top three fastest guy there. So I say 4.6 and lower lol.
Because it's the one measurable that's been around for a long time.
The simplest way to look at it is that 0.1 second time difference translates to 1 yard every 5 seconds. The NFL will adjust that for size as well so that they can compare a bigger, slower RB to a smaller, faster guy.
Quickness vs speed. As a track guy, as a 400/800 guy, I had LOTS of speed, but it took me 50-75 yards to get up to full stride. We had 50 yard guys who were amazingly quick over shorter distances (I had a teammate from Freeport - Gary (?) - who was incredibly quick off the blocks but 20 yards downstream, he was at top speed. I’ve always thought that quickness over twenty yards would be far more important on a football field than “speed” at 40 yards.
I think a guy is fast when he can use his speed to beat his opponent. For a receiver, that's beating the cornerback on a long route. A running back who can hit the hole and explode for a big gain while outrunning defenders. For linebackers and safeties, ones who are fast in pursuit and sideline to sideline. For defensive linemen, it's being able to beat guys around the edge while an offensive linemen would be for pulling and downfield blocking.
Then you have quickness for players who may not have that straight line speed, but instead dominate in small spaces.
Then you have quickness for players who may not have that straight line speed, but instead dominate in small spaces.
It all depends on when you are measuring and who you are measuring a receiver against. Over the last 5 combines, 40% of receivers ran a sub 4.50. If you believe that the average combine receiver is faster than the average Division I receiver, then I guess you could say 4.50 is fast. It certainly isn't slow.
Now a high school recruit running a legit 4.50, that's pretty damn fast.
Yep. Go look at the 40 WR times from the combine. And those are the times for the very best NFL WR prospects. There are not as many legit 4.50 WR's in college football as some believe.
Also, some players and coaches talk about a player that ran a 4.59 one time with the wind at his back as a 4.5 player. Or a 4.49 as a 4.4 speed player. The truth comes out at the combine, and it generally shows that 4.50 is very good for a WR.
Last edited:
Not sure of Flo Jo times... and if want to gauge speed... not sure if they still have the simulator of I think Flo Jo you can race against at the Science center?
I believe a good crisp route runner gets more separation from a DB then someone with pure speed. I believe someone with a good speed who can make sharp cuts is better then a blazer who runs sloppy routes.
Antonio Bryant is a great example of this. I don't think even Fitz came remotely close to gaining separation like AB could. AB ran 4.63 or something.
Does anyone remember him motioning for Shane Watson of ND to come and press him? It was one of the cockiest yet exciting moments I've seen for a wr.
Does anyone remember him motioning for Shane Watson of ND to come and press him? It was one of the cockiest yet exciting moments I've seen for a wr.
At the big 33 I heard him say "y'all call this an all star game?" Lol....
I was screaming at Walt for not letting him return punts. What kind of dumb azz coach wouldn’t let him return punts.
He was put back as punt returner in first game in 2001 and hurt his ankle. I was so mad at Walt for letting him return punts.
That va tech game at pitt stadium in 99, his coming out game, was ridiculous. Priestly and him were just playing catch all game.
I sat high in the end zone at Heinz for a Steelers/Ravens game. Ed Reed ran a 4.57 at the combine but it was incredible watching him close 30 yards on a guy that looked wide open to break up a pass. He did it over and over. So I think speed is important but reads, and reactions matter.
The other think that gets lost in these discussions is health. Keke Coutee has a ton of potential and ran a 4.43 at the combine but he can't stay on the field. Julian Eldelman ran a 4.52 (which isn't slow either) but he's a Super Bowl MVP.
The other think that gets lost in these discussions is health. Keke Coutee has a ton of potential and ran a 4.43 at the combine but he can't stay on the field. Julian Eldelman ran a 4.52 (which isn't slow either) but he's a Super Bowl MVP.
Because you can't test reading and diagnosing plays, setting up a route, the ability to shake would be tacklers, instincts, want to, effort, etc. 40 time is only one metric that goes into game speed.
Antonio Brown ran a 4.56
Michael Thomas 4.57
Deondre Hopkins 4.57
Davante Adams 4.56
Keenan Allen ran a hand timed 4.71
The 40 is blown way out of proportion anymore. So is the bench press for most positions.
He was in PA for summer and I guess he ventured to the game with some pitt players. If I remember correctly he was with Rutherford and Butler. They allowed them on the sidelines.
That might've been the game they honored Jim Kelly. I was in awe how big he was as a qb. I think he drove in on a Harley lol.
.
To me, the only ttime I really care about the 40 for WRs, is based on how the team that drafts them is going to use them.
Mike Wallace comes to mind. The Steelers personnel and scheme was perfect for him. They had a possession receiver in Hines who was matched up with santonio. Wallace and his ability to run deep opened up the underneath game and really helped the run game. The year they beat the cards, that OL was weak. But, it was hard to overwhelm the box because Wallace could take the top off the back end.
I think it's more important for CBS to have faster 40 than wrs.
