I was just watching the combine and many of these guys can just flat out run, I was wondering what minimum 40 time is needed for a reciever slated as your number one......given that he has all the other requirements like good hands and good patterns.
You can't put too much stock in a #1 WR. See Anquan Boldin's 4.72, or whatever the hell is was. He's not a #1 on Arizona, but he likely would be on most other teams.
40 times are so stupid. Yeah, great, they can run on a track with no pads and no cleats. Whoopdey doo.
Minimum would be 3 seconds. Anything less than that and the QB might not even see the receiver with his naked eyes. Maximum would be 4.4 for us. We have two good WRs but neither one of them is considered speedy. Coles was good when he was drafted. Probably lost a notch.
Coles wasn't nearly as fast as his 40 time suggested, even at the beginning of his pro career. Because he was wearing a football uniform and not gym shorts and a t-shirt.
Thats what I meant maximum but Boldin is a good example also I wish these guys were running in equipment, some guys seem to have a faster playing time than an artificial track speed, at least let thes guys get off from a reciever position
+100000000000. I dont understand why they dont run in pads, even light pads. You can't get a decent barometer on speed, shuttle, long jump etc. when they wearing clothes that weight practically nothing when the sport they play requires about 20-30 pounds worth of pads.
WRs are rated on their ability to get separation more than their flat out straight line speed. CBs are more rated on than than receivers are becauyse they are always trying to catch up.
Larry Fitzgerald ran a 4.5+ the 40 time is barely a guide to how good a receiver's speed is. We need a Football 101 page on this site.
If you consider the 40 time a good gauge on actual speed, then it all depends on their height. If you are talking about a 5'8-5'9 Santana Moss/Steve Smith type, you really need to be lightning quick sub 4.4 is about a must. (Yes i know Steve Smith ran a 4.41, even more reason to discount the 40) If you are a taller guy 6'1-6'2 in the high 4.4's is a great time. and if you are 6'3 + if you run anywhere between a 4.5 and a 4.61 you are considered lightning fast for your size, which is amazing. Translation is that it is a low 4.3 for a guy who is a 5'8. that is great stuff. That of course is if you even put stock in the 40 time without pads....
There is no minimum 40 time. Im sure Wayne Chrebet's 40 time was not even worthy of him being invited to the combine. Jerry Rice was slow for a receiver as well. Then there is speed and Football speed as well. Im sure there are hundreds of receivers who can beat Jerry Rice in a race but not many who can win that race with a football in the air with pads on. And you can't Gauge Heart in the combine as well. Picking a good receiver might be the hardest thing to do.
I thought the scouts look at 40 times as an indicator of breakaway speed and separation speed on go-routes (not separation from cuts during route-running). Even without pads, you can get a good idea of who can break one loose in a race to the endzone. Of course, this doesn't always hold true; someone like Cotchery, whose 40 time wasn't stellar, can still break away after the catch. I don't put too much stock into 40 times, but I also don't think they're completely useless.
It has relevance if all the other guys at your position that are jockeying for draft position are doing the same drill with the same clothes on.
yeah in terms of draft stock it means something... its all about money at the combine and bettering those numbers to make more of it. But when it comes to playing in the NFL - the 40 time is not your cemented speed with pads and a helmet on.
