The Myth of the 40 Time

I really don't understand the origin and importance of the 40 yard time that everyone thinks is so special. How often does a linebacker on a given play run 40 yards (full speed as well). Ray Lewis's 40 time was 4.7 (maybe that's why he was like the 5th LB drafted that year after the likes of Reggie Brown who had exactly 0 tackles in the NFL). Perhaps a 10 yard burst speed might be helful in judging a linebacker. Well what about WR? They run 40 yards full out on a fly pattern. Well Darius Heywood Bey ran an incredible 4.30 and our own Hakeem Nicks ran amuch slower 4.49. How has that worked out for Oakland?</P>


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A very over hyped stat ... especially when people use it to negate (either pro or con) a players' history to date.

Especially for the big guys. Now the first 10 yards I do think is a good determination of how explosive he can be.

Ray Ray ran a 4.58.

40 yard dash is just another evaluation tool.

Guys who look really fast on the field almost always run fast in the 40.

Look at the most explosive players in the NFL at any position, they always run well.

its yes and no..it is overrated..but at the end of the day if you have a linebacker that runs a 5.0 40 yd dash..regardless if he is running 40 yds on any given play i can bet you he is still not that explosive

[quote user="slipknottin"]Ray Ray ran a 4.58.

40 yard dash is just another evaluation tool.

Guys who look really fast on the field almost always run fast in the 40.

Look at the most explosive players in the NFL at any position, they always run well.[/quote]

So not true.

Jerry Rice ran a 4.7 at the Ceepo Combine and was the most explosive WR of all time.

You could go down the list of players who ran amazing 40s and couldn't get open to save their lives in the NFL (Rocket Ishmail anyone?).

Heck, MM ran a 4.59 and his draft stock plummeted ... he certainly ran faster then that on the field.

Two 40 times at one Combine means nothing except to those teams with really poor personel departments.

They should make the players do the Combine in pads. THAT would give more accurate measurables. Some players just don't do as well in pads as they do in shorts.

[quote user="smashndash715"]its yes and no..it is overrated..but at the end of the day if you have a linebacker that runs a 5.0 40 yd dash..regardless if he is running 40 yds on any given play i can bet you he is still not that explosive[/quote]

That's an extreme .. we're talking about 1 - 2 tenths of a second difference between an amazing 40 time and pedestrian 40 time (4.4 vs. 4.6).

I never considered Rice to be amongst the most explosive. Nor was Emmit Smith and so on and so forth. Those are just guys who just had the additional measure to really hone their craft.

[quote user="Kruunch"][quote user="smashndash715"]its yes and no..it is overrated..but at the end of the day if you have a linebacker that runs a 5.0 40 yd dash..regardless if he is running 40 yds on any given play i can bet you he is still not that explosive[/quote]

That's an extreme .. we're talking about 1 - 2 tenths of a second difference between an amazing 40 time and pedestrian 40 time (4.4 vs. 4.6).[/quote]

well thats what i mean..if one lb runs a 4.4 and another runs a 4.6 it doesnt mean you should take the 4.4 guy..it doesnt even mean the 4.4 will be faster during the game...i was saying only when its an extreme case is when you should show caution

[quote user="Kruunch"][Jerry Rice ran a 4.7 at the Ceepo Combine and was the most explosive WR of all time.[/quote]

Mike Lombardi said when he was in oakland they timed Jerry Rice in the 4.3s on grass.

Mario manningham ran a 4.42 at his proday.

Fast players run fast 40s. I understand sometimes they have a bad day at the combine, but to think players who are football fast run slow in the 40.... well that just doesnt happen.