NFL Combine Results?

[tedro]

[quote]eic wrote:
Here is the study. It shows a .76 correlation between the VJ and a college football player’s 40 time. iowaahperd.org
[/quote]
I believe .76, but I wouldn’t call that a strong correlation.

Do you have a source for your contention that there is a closer correlation between 100 meter times and the 40 yard dash, or are you just going off the fact that both the 100 and 40 are sprinting events. If so, then you must also accept the fact that both the 200 and 40 are sprinting events and yet even you wouldn’t be surprised to see 40 times at the combine which are better than those of elite 200 meter sprinters.

No, I would still be surprised, but it is more believable. Even so, there is no reason why I would have to accept this, as I never mentioned 200m times. Endurance and maintenance of top speed is a much bigger factor in the 200. You are making an illogical jump for conclusions.

Also, you keep bringing up the conditions, but no one is saying that guys are routinely beating BJ’s time. He ran it in just over 4.2 right? Like 4.27? The faster combine times are around 4.3. Factor in the timing issues we all concede an you’re looking more at 4.4. So these guys are running about .13 seconds slower than BJ, but without blocks, no spikes, no tailwind and on turf. Okay, but those things–blocks, spikes, turf–all diminish in importance the shorter the event (this is science).

Actually, I haven’t seen anybody concede anything about the hand timing issues, which will add more like .2 seconds. You have obviously never run on field turf and on a track with spikes, otherwise you would realize how great the difference really is. And you are dead wrong about the blocks. It is a consensus that the shorter the event, the more important the start. Using blocks will give you a much better start, resulting in faster acceleration, and a faster time.

You could probably run 10 yards on turf in cleats nearly as fast as 10 yards in spikes on a track. The difference would be extremely small. That is what is going on with the forty, in my estimation. It is not long enough for the different conditions to have a very significant impact and is perhaps worth the .13 difference in the times.

And that would be saying that they are just as fast as him, which is ridiculous.

And for the last time, elite sprinters in the 100 meters must have a mix of excellent explosiveness/acceleration, top speed, and speed endurance. They train accordingly. A football player needs only the first attribute–explosiveness/acceleration–and trains accordingly.

You make the assumption that they have to sacrifice one for another, not true in the case of the best. This is why you also see many of the top 60m times turned in by 100m guys.

[quote]
Therefore, the question comes down to this: Do you believe that each year our country of 1/3 of a billion people can produce 10-20 weightroom warriors who can match or come close to Ben Johnson’s acceleration and explosiveness (note I did NOT say top speed) over a very short sprint of 40 yards? Obviously you do not, but I don’t think it is so clearly impossible like you do. [/quote]

Given the fact that in the history of mankind, this world has produced just 4 men that have matched or bettered his time in the 100m, no I don’t think you are going to see 10-20 every year.

[tedro]

[quote]Desideratus15 wrote:
Might want to check your “context.” Ben Johnson ran a 3.7 hand timed (timed by his coach Charlie Francis). What makes you think because he ran 40 yards in a certain time at Seoul, his fastest 100m time, that’s as fast as he can run 40 yards? Highly doubtful.

And it’s correct to take away his reaction time to the gun, but you didn’t factor in the reaction time of starting the clock once the athlete moves, which is what happens in a 40.

charliefrancis.com/community/showthread.
php?t=6899&highlight=ben+johnson+40 [/quote]

As for Seoul, if he could run a faster 40, you are only talking a couple hundredths of a second. As for the rest of your post, that is the point I am making. His 3.7 isn’t legit either.

[Regular_Gonzalez]

In the study posted by eic, the average vertical jump is only 25.5 inches. Even considering the fact that a one arm reach was used in the study rather than the two arm method used at the combine, 25.5 inches is quite low for a football player.

I wonder if the correlation between vertical jump height and 40yd dash time would have been as strong if the study was done on more advanced athletes.

[shizen]

These are some interesting stats, I don’t know why their is so much emphasis on it though. I mean just because your fast and strong, doesn’t mean your going to be a great football player.

I can see though if someone had injury how these stats can be very important, but if there fresh out of college and were stars the video proof of them should be enough.

The 40 times should have been done more accurate though also the bench pressing was bad form.

[triple_10sets]

All i know is Chris Johnson the guy out of ECU, he ran the fastest time for a running back with a 4.24 ? correct me if im wrong. And he weighs a solid 200 lbs with jukes to go with it. He led the nation last year in all purpose yards. Look out for him, he’s scary.