You hear it all the time.  A 210 lb. high school stud running back runs a 4.3 40 yard dash, or a 235 lb. linebacker was clocked at 4.4.  These numbers are so common nowadays that we accept it for fact without any questions.

Since there are no official world records for the 40 yard dash, the shortest distance recognized for record purposes is the 50 meters (about 54 yards), it is difficult to draw comparison to world class sprinters with the fastest football players.

The problem lies in the fact that most of these times are reported with hand timers and not electronic timers like the ones used at the NFL combines.  Even then it is hard to draw a comparison among players because many factors such as the type of track and weather conditions can have a significant effect on times.

With recruiting sites and services reporting so many times at 4.3 or better for high school  athletes it seems curious, if not shocking, that the average 40 time  since 2005 for NFL defensive backs is 4.56 and 4.57 for receivers.  What is it that bleeds the speed from these guys after high school?

“Knowingly or not, fans and media members have created a culture in the sports that’s conducive to this obsession and inflation of individual and team speed. In doing so, we’ve in fact created our own monster when it comes to not only evaluating talent, but in effect determining the educational and financial situations of the thousands of young men who hope to earn college football scholarships.” *

Stories about Deion Sanders purported 4.17 in high tops and the hulking Brian Urlacher pushing his massive frame to a 4.4 make you wonder how these guys would stack up to world class sprinters?

Although it is not a perfect comparison, timing officials broke down Ben Johnsons 9.79 100 meter sprint at the ‘88 games in Seoul and found that he went 40 yards in 4.38 seconds.  He was running in spikes with a tailwind and Carl Lewis chasing him while millions were watching on TV with a gold medal at stake.  Oh yeah, not only had he trained his whole life for his, he was geeked up on the anabolic steroid stanazlol.  And all he could muster was 4.38 seconds.  Granted, running a 100 meter race is certainly strategically different from a 40 yard sprint but it is a good point of comparison.

Make no mistake about it, the athletes today are blazing fast and getting faster.  But so many liberties have been taken with 40 yard dash times that it is time settle down and be a little more truthful in reporting them.  After all, if it is o.k. for an NFL DB to run a 4.56, it should be good enough for high school.

*Adam Nettia has a great article  this -

“Nobody Runs a 4.3″: On the Inflation of High School 40 Times

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