Do 40 Times Really Matter?

“The question most often asked at the NFL Combine this week will be, “What did you run?” No other event will generate more interest than the 40-yard dash. Paul Brown, the great Browns coach and Bengals founder, never could have imagined that the test he invented would become so significant and vital in evaluating potential NFL players. But does the 40 really matter? Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith both will enter the Hall of Fame this year, yet their 40 times were not Hall of Fame-worthy. So is this test the real deal when evaluating prospects? For example, have you ever heard of Greg Richardson from Alabama? He ran 4.26 and 4.28 in 1987 and was drafted in the sixth round by the Colts, but he never played for them and bounced around the league, spending just two years in the NFL.”

SOURCE: NATIONAL FOOTBALL POST