While important, the 40-yard dash could be better

[Blue and Gold]

While important, the 40-yard dash could be better
Posted by Mike Florio on February 17, 2015, 4:59 PM EST

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Yes, the 40-yard dash is important to NFL teams. It’s also important to the NFL; it’s the premiere event of the why-am-I-watching?-because-it’s-on-TV annual non-football football festival in Indianapolis.

But what does the 40-yard dash really prove? It shows straight line speed without pads, while neither chasing nor being chased.

As someone mentioned long ago (so long ago that I can’t recall who it was), a football player runs 40 yards in a straight line only in two situations: When something really good has happened, or when something really bad has happened.

Even then, the player always is wearing football gear, and the element of a chase is present. Running 40 yards in underwear against a clock shows athletic ability, but not football ability.

So why not run the thing in full pads? Last year’s Eddie Haskell routine from Johnny Manziel included showing up for his Pro Day workout in a helmet and shoulder pads. Why doesn’t the NFL mandate that for the 40-yard dash?

The easy answer would be that such a radical change would eliminate the apples-to-apples ability to compare current prospects to past prospects. To that we say, “So what?” Football players play football in pads. It makes sense for them to run in pads, too.

And they should be racing someone else. Football has become the ultimate competitive crucible. Pit one player against another to see how they perform when competing directly against someone else.

None of these changes will be made. Unless, of course, enough people decide that they’re not interested in watching guys running in a straight line in the latest offerings from UnderArmour. If/when the ratings for the Scouting Combine ever sharply declined, plenty of changes would be considered. Quickly.

 

[LesBaker]

I don't understand why ANY drills are done at the combine. At that point there has been enough film and live watching of players that would be invited that IMO it's a waste of time outside of the interviews and medical stuff.

The drill are all for show and to sell commercials on TV anymore.

 

[Blue and Gold]

https://www.facebook.com/mike.lansford.50?fref=nf

Mike Lansford has been teaching his son to placekick . . .don't think he did it in college, says will have tryout with Rams

 

[jjab360]

I don't understand why ANY drills are done at the combine. At that point there has been enough film and live watching of players that would be invited that IMO it's a waste of time outside of the interviews and medical stuff.

The drill are all for show and to sell commercials on TV anymore.

Because measurables are useful information for athletic comparisons.

As for why they don't run drills in pads, why should they? Logistically speaking, why introduce an unnecessary variable to such a simple equation?

 

[Blue and Gold]

I don't understand why ANY drills are done at the combine. At that point there has been enough film and live watching of players that would be invited that IMO it's a waste of time outside of the interviews and medical stuff.

The drill are all for show and to sell commercials on TV anymore.

The main thing is medical and interviews, the drills are for the coaches to see them in drills that are used on all levels of football. It was enver supposed to be a TV event. Coaches with experience can picture, in their mind's eye, what guys they have coached in the past and use that experience to see players do similar things on a similar field.

So, yeah, it's a waste of time for fans, but not coaches. And the Combine does not replace drills. The classic example was Mike Mamula, that he somehow moves to first round because of combine. He was projected as a late first-rounder and moved himself into a top 10 pick. And a 2-3rd rounder may move up to late 1st, but the Combine does not move players a lot of rounds in 99% of the cases.

Drills and practice and game tapes are important, but game tape is most important.

 

[fearsomefour]

The 40, like the vertical jump and all the others are measurements of different kind of athletic movements, thats all.
I think we have all knows the kid that was super fast or could dunk but was not particularly good at a sport. They are general measurements.
It cracks me up when it is treated as the end all be all....like arm strength with a thrower.

 

[Mackeyser]

Well, we have a saying in gaming... if you're just looking at the meters, you're doing it wrong.

The time on a 40 doesn't mean anything. And I mean NOTHING. Why? Well, as the article mentioned, it has no chase element.

The only really helpful elements are the first 10 yards and the last 20 yards in that they answer the questions, "does this guy have explosion?" and we see that in guys of all size... heck Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh had some of the fastest first 10s measured. The last 20 answers "does this guy have a 2nd gear? Does he continue to accelerate?"

But here's the deal. It won't answer the REAL questions.

1) Does the offensive player have breakaway speed?
2) Does the defensive player have closing speed?

THAT's what personnel people are trying to figure out. Jerry Rice never ran faster than a 4.5, but once he got in the open, GOOD LUCK catching him. He sure as hell didn't have stickum on his cleats. Same with Isaac Bruce. Not the fastest guy on the field, but if he got behind the defense, it was over. Other guys who were FASTER in underwear GOT caught from behind.

So, it's kinda nonsensical because anyone who's ever watched the Combine can tell you that 5 guys can all run a 4.5 40 and EACH of them can run it differently and depending on their position, it can be a good 4.5 or a disappointing 4.5 and unless you've seen the 40 and are evaluating THAT 40 for the specific position in question, then it's just a number.

Sure, lower is better, but it doesn't really mean anything.

I mean, Vontaze Burfict ran a 5.08 (just checked... 5.09s guess the memory isn't totally gone) and he's one of the best ILBs in the NFL and he plays 3 downs and sideline to sideline and chases guys down all the time.