The 2013 wide receiver class is showing off its speed, with nine potential draftees unofficially clocked as running the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds or less.
Upon official check, five receivers ended up with a sub-4.4 40 as part of a group of seven total combine attendees to do it. The 4.4 has always been the gold standard for 40 times. Chris Johnson holds the combine record with a 4.24, and typically only a few elite athletes are capable of breaking the 4.4 barrier: last year, seven players overall did it, including four wide receivers; the year before, 14 guys did it, just four of whom were wideouts; and in 2010, only five players were able to clock times under 4.4.
This year, 4.4 isn't getting it done. Texas wide receiver slash Olympic long jumper Marquise Goodwin officially took the title with a 4.27, while West Virginia's freakish returner Tavon Austin -- who along with Goodwin had initially been timed at an unofficial 4.25 -- was right on his heels with a 4.34. Texas A&M wideout Ryan Swope tied Austin with an official 4.34. Oklahoma's Kenny Stills and TCU's Josh Boyce each locked in a time of 4.38. Among other notable times, former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson -- an intriguing draft prospect who is listed as a wide receiver at the combine -- ran an official 4.43.
Here are the top 10 wide receiver times at the combine:
- Marquise Goodwin - 4.27
- Tavon Austin - 4.34
- Ryan Swope - 4.34
- Josh Boyce - 4.38
- Kenny Stills - 4.38
- Cordarrelle Patterson - 4.42
- Corey Fuller - 4.43
- Denard Robinson - 4.43
- Justin Hunter - 4.44
- Markus Wheaton - 4.45
Suffice it to say, teams looking for wide receivers might have what they're looking for in this draft class.
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