12-05-2022, 04:58 AM
GREEN BAY, Wis. The Scouting Combine turned into a drag racing spectacle when the receivers hit the field of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Thursday.In one of the greatest shows of speed in NFL history, eight receivers broke 4.40 seconds. (Cincinnati's Alec Pierce was revised back to 4.41 seconds overnight.) Nobody was faster than Baylors Tyquan Thornton. His unofficial time of 4.21 seconds would have broken John Ro s Combine record of 4.22 but was revised down to an official time of 4.28 seconds.Former NFL quarterback Not quite. But close. By year:2021: There wasnt a Scouting Combine last year due to the pandemic. The receivers who would have competed in Indianapolis got to enjoy the home-track advantage at their pro days. Two receivers beat 4.30 (Anthony Schwartz and Rondale Moore) and eight beat 4.40.2020: One receiver broke 4.30 (Henry Ruggs) and six beat 4.40.2019: No receiver broke 4.30 and seven beat 4.40.2018: No receiver broke 4.30 and only two beat 4.40.2017: One receiver broke 4.30 (John Ro s) and only two beat 4.40.2016: No receiver broke 4.30 and only two beat 4.40.2015: One receiver broke 4.30 (J.J. Nelson) and five beat 4. Harry Carson Jersey 40.Scroll to Continue2014: One receiver broke 4.30 (Dri Archer) and four beat 4.40. 2013: One receiver broke 4.30 (Marquise Goodwin) and six beat 4.40.2012: No receiver broke 4.30 but 12 beat 4.40. (And 24 beat 4.50; 18 did on Thursday.)Over that decade worth of Scouting Combines, seven receivers beat 4.30 seconds. None have been difference-makers in the NFL. In fact, Stathead has Combine data dating to 2000. Over that time, 13 receivers have run 4.30 or faster. There hasnt been a single 1,000-yard season in that group. Zero. The record-setting Ro s has 957 receiving yards in five seasons.The 2012 cla s was loaded with speed. But not loaded with quality receivers. Those dozen speedsters who broke 4.40? In order of fastest time: Travis Benjamin, T.J. Graham, Deandre Baker Jersey T.Y. Hilton, Chris Givens, Stephen Hill, Kashif Moore, Chris Owusu, Devon Wylie, A.J. Jenkins, Tommy Streeter, DeVier Posey and Jarius Wright. Hilton, who led the entire draft cla s with 631 receptions, was an excellent receiver. The other 11 were more whos that than whos who. The Packers, who could use a splash upgrade at receiver, have never put a big premium on stopwatch speed. At the 2014 Scouting Combine, Davante Adams ran his 40 in 4.56 seconds. That ranked 35th out of 49 receivers, according to Stathead.In 2018, Allen Lazard ran his 40 in 4.55. In 2011, Randall Cobb ran his 40 in 4.55. There was no Combine last year due to the pandemic, so third-round pick Amari Rodgers ran a 4.52 at Clemsons pro day.The lone exception was Marquez Valdes-Scantling. A fifth-round pick in 2018, he ran his 40 in a blazing 4.37. Also in that draft, fourth-round pick JMon Moore ran his 40 in 4.60 (but 4.49 at pro day) and sixth-round pick Equanimeous St. Brown ran a 4.48.Of course, theres stopwatch speed and then theres real speed. Valdes-Scantling has both. On his 75-yard touchdown at Minnesota last season, he reached 22.09 mph second-fastest of any player all season, according to Next Gen Stats. While Adams is slightly below average on the stopwatch, nobody would ever say hes not fast in pads.Maybe this year will be different. Ohio States Garrett Wilson (4.38) and Chris Olave (4.39), are considered first-round prospects. North Dakota States Christian Watson (4.36) is a solid Day 2 option. Penn States Jahan Dotson, another first-round prospect, posted a 4.41. If Valdes-Scantling leaves in free agency, the Packers could use a field-stretching threat. OT Trevor Penning, Northern IowaPenning allowed only one sack during his final season to earn FCS All-American honors, according to Pro Football Focus. There are obvious level-of-competition questions but, in its draft guide, PFF notes Penning is out for blood. A strong week at the Senior Bowl, where he measured 6-foot-7 and 330 pounds, was a big boost.Northern Iowa has never had a player selected Wayne Gallman Jersey in the first round. Penning could change that.That would mean a ton, . UNIs a legendary program so it would definitely be amazing to be able to do that. Theres been some great players to come through here like Spencer (Brown), David Johnson...Itd be insane to be able to be the top guy at the school ever.His position coach, Ryan Clanton, was an offensive lineman at Oregon and had to block the likes of DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead on the practice field. So, he knows what NFL talent looks like.Ive been around a lot of top-10 draft picks playing and coaching and he is by far the most physically and mentally geared for the NFL, Clanton said. Hes one of the nastiest linemen Ive ever seen in my life. Id put him up with any NFL offensive lineman on the nasty scale. ...Trevor doesnt force that, its just who he is. Its how he plays the game, but hes the nicest guy ever off the field and the whole team loves him. OT Bernhard Raimann, Central MichiganA native of Steinbrunn, Austria, Raimann caught 10 pa ses as a freshman and 10 more as a sophomore. As a junior, he moved from tight end to left tackle and found his home. As a senior, he was named first-team all-MAC and earned some All-American honors. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed one sack during those two seasons at offensive tackle and didnt even allow a pre sure during his final six games.Raimann grew Riley Dixon Jersey up playing soccer in Austria. One day when he was 13, he saw some kids playing football. When he watched Friday Night Lights, he was hooked. He signed up to be an exchange student and landed in Delton, Mich. For me back (in Austria), it was like high school football was going to be huge, , where he measured 6-foot-6 and 304 pounds. At that time, it was like, This is awesome. This is the goal. I want to play it. I love the sport. But then coming over here and actually watching college football games, I was like, Whoa, this is even better than high school football. You kidding me? OK, now this is what I want to do.He graduated from Central Michigan with a 3.80 GPA with a double major. Hes 24, having served a mandatory two-year stint in the Austrian military.He obviously had the frame and the feet to be succe sful at that position, . And not only that, he Golden Tate III Jersey had the intelligence to learn it. I think of all the guys that Ive seen go out, this guys upside, I really think hes going to be way better in Year 4-5-6-7 than he was in Year 1, because hes still kind of learning the position. WR Jahan Dotson, Penn StateDotson ranks in the top four in school history in receptions (183), receiving yards (2,757) and receiving touchdowns (25). He caught 91 pa ses for 1,182 yards a