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This week is dedicated to the NFL Scouting Combine, held February 24 – March 2, 2010.
The NFL Football Combine is a Job Fair for 300 of the best college football players seeking employment.
I’m a bit biased in choosing the fastest men out of the NCAA. Why? First, I’m a track guy after all, but second, their track times don’t lie. Only hand times!
We all agree the 40 yard dash times must be taken with a grain of salt. Unless you are there in person at the combine with your stopwatch at the finish line, you cannot be consistent comparing 40 yard times amongst the fastest players.
In the graduating class of 2010, we have some guys with serious 60 meter and 100 meter talent that could potentially come top 4 at the 2012 Olympic Trials. London, anyone?
But the road to riches is probably paved for the NFL, and I really can’t blame them. Besides, why train your butt off only to come second to Usain Bolt?
I’ll be keeping an eye on these 5 fastest men during the upcoming NFL Football Combine as well as the NFL Draft.
In order of their relative track speed, they are:
Clemson’s Jacoby Ford (WR)
Jacoby Ford has a PR of 6.51 seconds for the 60-meter dash and a 10.01 in the 100m at the NCAAs in a qualifying heat. He ran a reported time of 4.126 second 40 yard dash but that is questionable. He is 5 ft 9 in and 175lbs.
LSU’s Trindon Holliday (WR)
Trindon Holliday’s PR of 10.00 from the 100 meters and 2009 NCAA Outdoor Champion raised a lot of eyebrows. His personal best time for 60 meters is 6.54 seconds. The only question is his durability being 5 ft 5 in tall and under 160 lbs.
Clemson’s CJ Spiller (RB)
CJ Spiller track resume includes 60 meters (6.67), 100m (10.22) and 200m (20.91). He is the top pick for running backs in this year’s NFL Draft.
Cal’s Jahvid Best (RB)
Jahvid Best track personal bests are slightly slower than CJ Spiller (10.31 and 20.65 for 100/200m respectively). Since I used to work in Berkeley and train at Cal’s Edwards stadium, he gets an honourable mention in this list.
USC’s Taylor Mays (FS)
Taylor Mays doesn’t have any track times to compare among the others, but in 2006, according to Pete Carroll of USC, he was clocked at 4.25 in the 40-yard dash. In 2007, Mays ran an “electronically-timed” 4.32 40-yard dash, bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times, recorded a 41" vertical jump and an 11’4" standing long jump. Impressive numbers!
Jimson Lee
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Hello,
I strongly believe the ‘5 fastest men’ who listed above are more on track (sprints) athlete not NFL (I’m noted about Trindon and Jacoby as world class sprinters). This means they were trained under a special programs (workout) for a sprinter by a world class track coaches. No way the NFL or either Rugby players run that fast in the 100m when they just trained regularly together with the teammate in their club for the league. Even to dipping under 11.00et is quite hard.
I bet that track guys won’t have the fastest time in the 40 at the combine.
I agree running under 11.00 for 100m is not as easy as people think.
Trindon Holliday will get into the NFL…he’ll probably be a slot receiver, but they’re looking to the’smaller’ fast guys now (Wes Welker, Darren Sproles) and if that doesn’t work he will for sure be on the US Olympic team for London.