forums

40 Times - Pro Days vs NFL Combine

B

bshaw28

Junior
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Messages
3,596
I wanted to compare 2021 Pro Day 40 times vs past NFL Combines. My thoughts:

1) Are Pro Day times faster? Definitely
2) Are they A LOT faster? Not really

Add .05 to every 2021 40 time (assume a 4.45 is really a 4.50) - and it totally falls in line with combine testing.

1617300411262.png
 
Advertisement
bshaw28 said:
I wanted to compare 2021 Pro Day 40 times vs past NFL Combines. My thoughts:

1) Are Pro Day times faster? Definitely
2) Are they A LOT faster? Not really

Add .05 to every 2021 40 time (assume a 4.45 is really a 4.50) - and it totally falls in line with combine testing.

View attachment 145206
Click to expand...

Did you notice much variance between the schools?
I do not put it past some of these schools doing weird stuff to try and skew their kids' times.
 
pacusmc said:
There has been a lot of emphasis on 40 times and their impact on draft stock. A lot of dudes are training more for it than ever before.
Click to expand...

as if running in a straight line you often do. overrated imo to really say im never drafting this kid bc he ran slower than expected in a straight line (obviously if hes supposed to be a fast kid and he ran a 5.5 then its diff lol).
 
Advertisement
I would usually doubt it, but there are pro scouts at the pro days timing these things and they're getting around the same results or even faster.

I think more kids are doing a lot of explosive work & working on their 40 technique in their draft prep than ever before. Y'all remember that 315 lb DT from Nebraska last year that ran a 4.69 40? Montez Sweat ran a 4.42 at 6'6 260. The 40 is the most important test & kids are training like it.
 
No_Fly_Zone said:
Did you notice much variance between the schools?
I do not put it past some of these schools doing weird stuff to try and skew their kids' times.
Click to expand...

I wondered this too, my thoughts being:

1) NFL Scouts are doing the timing, not the schools, so the schools have no influence over these times. It's when schools do their own Spring testing that you get some really questionable times.

2) I don't even know a way to measure that. You could compare players times at the Combine vs Pro Day in the same year, and see if certain schools consistently time much faster. Problem is, most players stand on their 40's from the combine and only run at their Pro Day if they did really bad at the combine. That's also a lot of data to dig into that isn't easy to find.

IMO - the "This school is reporting faster times, they're running downhill, they're only running 39 yds, etc." is a fun conspiracy theory, but probably doesn't have much merit.
 
Last edited:
Advertisement
This is nothing new.. in the past scouts have always adjusted the forty times of players who chose not to run at the combine and opted for pro days
 
bshaw28 said:
IMO - the "This school is reporting faster times, they're running downhill, they're only running 39 yds, etc." is a fun conspiracy theory, but probably doesn't have much merit.
Click to expand...

A lot more teams have indoor facilities these days where they hold pro days which more closely replicates the conditions at the combine. Outdoors its as easy as determining which way the wind is blowing to get a slight edge.
 
I want to know if the players have much discord with these false numbers at their pro days..
 
Advertisement
As much modern tech these facilities have; like literally they have freggin light sensors to test reflexes & reactions....how in tf r they still using hand timers?? Put in computer laser timers for accuracy.
 
Advertisement
Almost three times the amount of guys running 4.3 and under and you don't see much difference? Lol

Historically pro day times are always faster.
 
No_Fly_Zone said:
Did you notice much variance between the schools?
I do not put it past some of these schools doing weird stuff to try and skew their kids' times.
Click to expand...
Remember how we would always complain about Virginia Tech's forty times? Well, they are at a higher altitude. The air is thinner up there. Less resistance, so they run faster.

It's all science.
 
Advertisement
Back
Top