As we prepare for this week's NFL Draft Combine, I thought it'd be fun, or at least mildly entertaining to look back at one of the more "controversial" moments from the 2010 NFL Combine. Our very own Taylor Mays ran his 40-yard dash (video after the jump) and was initially clocked at 4.24. Had that time stood it would have equaled Chris Johnson for the fastest time since 2000. Unfortunately, an adjustment was made and his time was bumped to 4.43, close to two-tenths of a second slower than it initially appeared.
As would be expected in the Internet and social media era, controversy quickly developed over the adjusted time. NFL Network put together a comparison that showed Mays running alongside Jacoby Ford, who himself had been clocked at 4.28. I can't find that video but basically they put the two of them side-by-side and it showed Mays a single step behind Ford. Would that indicate about a 4.3 40, give or take? I guess it depends on how long that step takes.
Speed has never really been an issue for Taylor Mays. Rather it's the instincts of the safety position and operating as more than a human projectile. We've had plenty of discussion about Mays lately and I'd imagine it will only continue as we move forward.
In only semi-related news, while googling for information on 40-yard dash times, I came across a story listing out the fastest 40-yard dash times through history. Further research seems to confirm that most everyone believes Bo Jackson ran a 4.12 40-yard dash in 1986. What was even funnier was how the urban legends seemed to develop. After googling Bo Jackson 40 yard dash, one of the results was one of those generic answer websites with somebody asking if it was true that Bo had run a 3.9 40. The crazy part is I would not be surprised if Bo had actually done that.