Times for the 40 at combine can be misleading
Let me explain something right away about the combine. When you're watching the NFL Network, and it flashes a 40-yard dash time as, say, 4.27 by Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, keep in mind that he's being timed by one guy using a stopwatch for the network.
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In other words, it's not official. Actually, there's no official 40-yard dash time. All scouts carry stopwatches. They rely on their times, not times used by the NFL Network or NFL.com. For instance, I spoke with two scouts who timed McFadden in the high 4.39s when the network had him at 4.27.
And check this out: McFadden ran in his tennis shoes - not track shoes that most players wear. No telling what he'll run at the Razorbacks' pro day.
Scouts record their times and the combine times that combine scouts clock. Based on electronic times put out by NFL.com, only nine players have run sub-4.40s.
Running back Chris Johnson ran 4.24. So far, he's been the fastest. He won't be topped today because defensive linemen and linebackers run. Perhaps Tuesday, when defensive backs run, Johnson will be threatened.
The other sub-4.20 40s have been turned in by McFadden (4.33), receiver DeSean Jackson (4.35), running back Anthony Alridge (4.36), receiver Andre Caldwell (4.37), receiver Will Franklin (4.37), receiver Dexter Jackson (4.37), running back Jamaal Charles (4.38) and receiver Eddie Royal (4.39).
I'm fired up about seeing what the defensive backs run because that's the Texans' biggest need. If a running back the Texans have ranked in the top 10 drops to the 18th spot, I could see them taking him and going for corners in later rounds.
Other than McFadden, three of the highest-ranked backs and their 40 times were Rashard Mendenhall (4.45), Felix Jones (4.47) and Jonathan Stewart (4.48). Those three are capable of running faster at their pro days.
When you look at the top backs - McFadden, Mendenhall, Stewart and Jones - at least two could be available when the Texans pick. Maybe three but maybe only one. And we don't know how Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak will have them rated.