08-24-2019, 09:01 AM
(08-24-2019, 01:36 AM)Whatever Wrote: If we're talking 40 time as an average speed and not discussing acceleration, max speed, etc. it's pretty easy.
Player A can run the 40 at 4.4 seconds, so if we divide 40 yards by 4.4 seconds, we arrive at an average speed of 9.09 yards/second.
If we do the same for B, we arrive at 40/4.68=8.55 yards/second.
To get Player A's 50 yard time, we divide the distance(50 yards) by his average speed(9.09 yards/second to arrive at 5.5 seconds.
To determine Player B's distance traveled, we multiply Player A's 50 yard time(5.5 seconds) by Player B's average speed(8.55 yards/second) to arrive at 47.03, so basically 3 yards behind.
By doing this, we can determine that Player B is slow as molasses and probably doesn't have the physical talent necessary to cut it as a WR at the NFL level. All is not lost, however, because you can still probably cheer for Player B in the XFL next year.
That is how it works at exactly 40 yards, but you can't extrapolate that to any other distance.
Drag race fans know that elapsed time is just a small part of the equation. Player A can get a better jump than Player B and still be ahead of him at 40 yards. But if player B has a faster top speed he will pull ahead of player A the farther they run.
This is why you see some tall WRs have slower 40 times but pull away from from defenders running down the field. Their start is a little slower but they have much higher top speed. Two players could have the exact same forty time but one would be running much faster at the forty yard mark.
I have been arguing for years that the combine should post the "trap speed" or "top speed" of WRs because it is actually more important than the elapsed time of the forty. The extra quickness through the first few steps is completely nullified by a DB just playing off the ball a few yards off the ball. Top speed is what matters most.
And on the other hand the 10 yard split is more important for RBs and DEs than the actual forty time. Top gear speed is not nearly as important as explosiveness off the start.
