Is the 40 yard dash rigged at the NFL Combine?

armsteeld · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Posts: 2865 Location: In your head

I have been watching the combine for years. Some of these guys run some great times and some run some not so great times. What confuses me is that a guy who runs a slower time can beat someone who ran faster. For example two OL who were paired during multicam or whatever they call it. One guy runs a 4.87 and the other runs a 4.75 yet the 4.87 guy wins by at least 2 yards yet he was "slower" during his 4o dash. Any insight?
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Gatoradus · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 2:49 pm Post subject:

There are two big difference between running side by side to forty-yards dash. Two things; stance and timing. For example adrian peterson, who can easily outrun many speedy cornerbacks in league but only ran 4.5 at combine because of the stance. It is easier for players with track background to run forty-yards dash because it takes different kind of pedaling and footworks to have such explosiveness.

armsteeld · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Posts: 2865 Location: In your head

Even Rich Eisen is saying the same exact thing. A guy ran a 4.2 yet his official time was 4.42? This is stupid to me.
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"Sheep follow the flock for direction and security but scatter at the sight of the lone wolf". Rocky

jebrick · Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 7125 Location: Indianapolis

Indy has a fast surface. it is made to run fast. They could fly them to Pittsburgh and have them do the same thing at Heinz. Bet they will be .2 slower
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JustPlainNasty · Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 6363 Location: Las Vegas

A theory I have is that it has to do somewhat with hyping interest in the broadcast and the process.

Is it not more intriguing when you think guys are posting great numbers and you are witnessing or might see something special. It creates interest... to show results of 4.25 not unlike a newspaper or certain political news broadcasts run stories that they know to be partial stories or clips that frame the outcome or message they want to portray that generates interest or causes controversy. Only to have to make some lame apology or excuse at the end of a show 3 weeks after the original story aired or a retraction in the back page of the newspaper. Sorry I'm going off on a tangent.

Anyway moral of the story 4.25 is more interesting than 4.43 even if it doesn't end up to be real and we continue to watch or want to watch to see if it is. I always add .05 seconds to a time until they post officials, its usually pretty close to the actual official time.
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