Modern offensive linemen are expected to do a lot of downfield blocking as well as pulling and leading a sweep. Their quickness in the 40 is far from irrelevant. Think Alan Faneca. All American, All-Pro and currently the best OG in the NFL. He is quick for a big guy.
They have justin vincent listed as a senior. Incorrect, but they have him running a 4.42 forty which is very fast. Also I see Shyron ran a 4.3. That's flying
A lot of these times depend on the guy holding the stop watch. Lee Suggs from Va Tech was routinely timed around 4.4 in the 40yd according, "He has been routinely timed around a 4.40/40 and that speed can make him extremely dangerous once he improves his slightly flawed outside running" However, check out these stats from Va Tech: Michael Vick QB 4.25 Larry Austin CB 4.26 Lee Suggs TB 4.27 André Davis WR 4.29 Emmett Johnson WR 4.33 Thats a big discrepancy........and do you think Va Tech really had 4 players that ran sub-4.3?
You're right. It's definately relevant for O-linemen. I want someone that can pull and get out in the open quickly to block for my RB, and not be passed up by the ball carrier 2 yards from the line.
Kinda like adding on another inch or two on a player that already stands 6'5", and making him 6'6" or 6'7" just to make him "look" more intimidating on paper...
if these speeds are accurate then we are much faster that Auburn but much slower than Bama. Something ain't right. Bama's linemen are kind of small but it lists most of them under 5.0. Only Williams is under 5.0 for LSU and I know LSU has a quick defense. 4.4 seconds seems to have become the benchmark for a fast player, and it seems more and more athletes claim to run this impressive time. A true 4.4 40-yard dash is a world class time – during the 2005 NFL combine, only eight players ran a 4.4 or below. So how can it be that hundreds of college players are claiming to be running these times or faster?
Because colleges run hand-held 40-yard dashes while the pros run mechanical. Rules out the "human error"....
Va Tech almost always uses indoor track numbers for the 40 yard dash, that is why you got the Falcons fans going nuts over DeAngelo Hall's "4.15", when he was running a 4.35 at best.
Thanks for the website... interesting stuff. It appears there's plenty of top teams with enough speed to hang with just about anyone else. When I think of speed, the first two names that come to mind are Ted Ginn, Jr. and Reggie Bush... both btw are listed at 4.4... both are game breakers on every play. Then there's Ed Hinkle, Iowa's top receiver... 4.5 on his best day... but, oddly enough, he is seemingly always open... go figure.
