GAME SPEED IS A DIFFERENT WORLD
By mark rogers
May 11, 2009
You'll hear tons of talk surrounding the 40 yard dash at every level of competitive football. It's an important measure of explosion, acceleration and speed.
But it's not a true measure of "game" speed...which, if I'm not mistaken, is really the only thing that matters in the realm of speed.
The only problem is you can't simulate game speed at a combine or any other testing site...especially when you're not wearing football cleats or pads on every part of your body.
Now, that's not to say that a fast 40 time won't or doesn't translate to the field...but sometimes a good football player won't have a great 40 time, but can blaze during games.
I played with a guy in high school who barely ran under a 5.0 40 yard dash, but he was an all-state corner back because he was smart, explosive and could change direction at an amazing speed.
Those things aren't measured in running a straight line.
Another case in point...Dallas Cowboys' draft pick Michael Hamlin, a safety out of Clemson, ran down Darrius Heyward-Bey during the 2008 regular season.
Why is that significant? Heyward-Bey ran the fastest time at the combine this year. Hamlin ran a 4.62 and was one of the slowest safeties timed.
But if you YouTube "Darrius Heyward-Bey Runs Through Death Valley"...you'll see what I'm talking about.
Heyward-Bey runs a reverse and is seemingly gone on an 80 yard touchdown run. Hamlin runs him down from behind...
Coaches and talent evaluators pick up that kind of stuff and it's why a team might get a bad grade from the "experts" who only look at the measurable stuff when, in actuality, the player has football speed and will become a decent NFL player.
Anyway, just my two cents on measurables vs. immeasurables.
Before Howie Long was drafted by the Raiders, he wasn't asked to bench press, run a 40 or do any drills.
They told him to strap on the pads and go sack the quarterback, which is what he did for 13 years...and ended up in the Hall of Fame.
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