Not only is Ahmmon Richards the most productive freshman receiver in Hurricanes history, he might be the fastest player on the team.
According to Miami’s most recent testing results — some of which were visible in a UM player’s social media post — Richards’ 4.31-second 40-yard dash tops all wide receivers, running backs and defensive backs. We are assuming no quarterback, tight end, lineman or kicker outraced Richards.
Another caveat to these numbers: we don’t know when the testing was done and who did or didn’t participate. UM sources did not confirm the data.
So far, UM has kept its testing results private under Mark Richt. Former strength coach Andreu Swasey regularly released info (that’s how we learned of the feats of Jermaine Grace, Phillip Dorsett and Sam Shields), but his successor, Gus Felder, has not. Richt has commented positively about offseason fitness gains, but declined to say who ran what.
But Richt, who has said his receivers on the whole weren’t fast enough, had to be happy to see Richards and Braxton Berrios (4.33) check in at 1-2. Stacy Coley wasn’t among the top eight, though he has run in the 4.3s in the past. Speed at wide receiver is still a recruiting need for UM.
* A good sign for the future: running back Trayone Gray, coming off preseason ACL surgery, not only ran the seventh-best 40 (4.44, tied with Corn Elder), but he also had the second-best bench press max (380 pounds) and squat max (475). Of course, Gray hasn’t been out there taking a pounding all year, but it’s evidence he’s recovering well. Gray will be a redshirt junior next year.
* Senior safety Jamal Carter had the best bench (400), squat (515) and second-best power clean (330) among skill position players. Junior running back Joe Yearby, who plans to enter the NFL draft, had the third-best skill-position bench (350) and tied Gray for second-best skill-position squat (475). Redshirt junior running back Gus Edwards had the best power-clean (355) and had strong numbers in the bench (330) and squat (450).
* Other top skill-position 40s: cornerbacks Ryan Mayes (4.37), Michael Jackson (4.38), Malek Young (4.4) and Terrance Henley (4.41). Young earned a starting role late in his freshman season, passing Mayes, Jackson and Henley on the depth chart. Coaches have lauded his combination of speed, ball skills and confidence.
