The running backs ran the 40 at the combine yesterday, an occurrence that always gets people excited for the upcoming draft. Speed isn't everything, as we're reminded every year when some fast rookie flops, but all things being equal faster is better than slower. Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor, arguably the top back in the class, turned in the fastest 40 among running backs, with a 4.39.
That time won't automatically get him drafted first in April, but it doesn't hurt his appeal. Since 2000, 14 running backs have run at least a 4.40 at the combine and gone on to be selected in the first two rounds of the draft. A third of those guys were stars: Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Darren McFadden and Saquon Barkley. Several others had their moments: Michael Bennett, C.J. Spiller, Joseph Addai. Jahvid Best and David Wilson saw their careers shortened by injury after flashing potential.
Taylor further stands out because he's 226 pounds, some 20 pounds heavier than most of the other 4.4 guys (Peterson, Barkley and Chris Henry are the only ones within 10 pounds of him). Running that fast at that size is rare; even 4.45 at 220-plus pounds is unusual.
Table below shows all running backs to break a 4.50 at the combine in the last 20 years and go on to be drafted in the first two rounds. Guys who weighed 220-plus pounds are in bold. Taylor just ran the fastest 40 of any of those guys.
| RBS, FIRST 2 ROUNDS, COMBINE UNDER 4.50 (2000-PRESENT) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Rd | Pk | Player | School | Ht | Wt | 40 |
| 2008 | 1 | 24 | Chris Johnson | East Carolina | 5.11 | 203 | 4.24 |
| 2008 | 1 | 4 | Darren McFadden | Arkansas | 6.01 | 211 | 4.33 |
| 2010 | 1 | 30 | Jahvid Best | California | 5.10 | 199 | 4.35 |
| 2012 | 2 | 61 | LaMichael James | Oregon | 5.08 | 194 | 4.35 |
| 2010 | 1 | 9 | C.J. Spiller | Clemson | 5.11 | 196 | 4.37 |
| 2004 | 2 | 41 | Tatum Bell | Oklahoma State | 5.11 | 212 | 4.37 |
| 2012 | 1 | 32 | David Wilson | Virginia Tech | 5.10 | 206 | 4.38 |
| 2001 | 1 | 27 | Michael Bennett | Wisconsin | 5.09 | 207 | 4.38 |
| 2012 | 2 | 50 | Isaiah Pead | Cincinnati | 5.10 | 197 | 4.39 |
| 2006 | 2 | 60 | Maurice Jones-Drew | UCLA | 5.07 | 207 | 4.39 |
| 2020 | ? | ? | Jonathan Taylor | Wisconsin | 5.10 | 226 | 4.39 |
| 2006 | 1 | 30 | Joseph Addai | Louisiana State | 5.11 | 214 | 4.40 |
| 2007 | 1 | 7 | Adrian Peterson | Oklahoma | 6.01 | 217 | 4.40 |
| 2018 | 1 | 2 | Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 6.00 | 233 | 4.40 |
| 2007 | 2 | 50 | Chris Henry | Arizona | 5.11 | 230 | 4.40 |
| 2000 | 1 | 31 | Trung Canidate | Arizona | 5.11 | 193 | 4.41 |
| 2001 | 1 | 23 | Deuce McAllister | Mississippi | 6.01 | 222 | 4.41 |
| 2008 | 1 | 23 | Rashard Mendenhall | Illinois | 5.10 | 225 | 4.41 |
| 2008 | 2 | 55 | Ray Rice | Rutgers | 5.08 | 199 | 4.42 |
| 2005 | 1 | 5 | Cadillac Williams | Auburn | 5.11 | 217 | 4.43 |
| 2005 | 1 | 2 | Ronnie Brown | Auburn | 6.00 | 233 | 4.43 |
| 2010 | 2 | 58 | Ben Tate | Auburn | 5.11 | 220 | 4.43 |
| 2008 | 1 | 22 | Felix Jones | Arkansas | 5.10 | 207 | 4.44 |
| 2008 | 2 | 44 | Matt Forte | Tulane | 6.01 | 217 | 4.44 |
| 2010 | 1 | 12 | Ryan Mathews | Fresno State | 6.00 | 218 | 4.45 |
| 2004 | 1 | 24 | Steven Jackson | Oregon State | 6.01 | 241 | 4.45 |
| 2007 | 2 | 49 | Kenny Irons | Auburn | 5.11 | 203 | 4.45 |
| 2009 | 1 | 27 | Donald Brown | Connecticut | 5.10 | 210 | 4.46 |
| 2007 | 1 | 12 | Marshawn Lynch | California | 5.11 | 215 | 4.46 |
| 2018 | 1 | 27 | Rashaad Penny | San Diego State | 5.11 | 220 | 4.46 |
| 2001 | 1 | 5 | LaDainian Tomlinson | Texas Christian | 5.10 | 221 | 4.46 |
| 2012 | 1 | 31 | Doug Martin | Boise State | 5.09 | 223 | 4.46 |
| 2008 | 1 | 13 | Jonathan Stewart | Oregon | 5.10 | 235 | 4.46 |
| 2005 | 2 | 44 | J.J. Arrington | California | 5.09 | 214 | 4.46 |
| 2016 | 1 | 4 | Ezekiel Elliott | Ohio State | 6.00 | 225 | 4.47 |
| 2004 | 2 | 43 | Julius Jones | Notre Dame | 5.10 | 217 | 4.47 |
| 2020 | ? | ? | Cam Akers | Florida State | 5.10 | 217 | 4.47 |
| 2017 | 1 | 8 | Christian McCaffrey | Stanford | 5.11 | 202 | 4.48 |
| 2002 | 2 | 54 | Maurice Morris | Oregon | 5.11 | 208 | 4.48 |
| 2020 | ? | ? | D'Andre Swift | Georgia | 5.08 | 212 | 4.48 |
| 2017 | 2 | 41 | Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 5.11 | 213 | 4.49 |
| 2019 | 2 | 53 | Miles Sanders | Penn State | 5.11 | 211 | 4.49 |
| 2014 | 2 | 54 | Bishop Sankey | Washington | 5.09 | 209 | 4.49 |
| 2011 | 2 | 56 | Shane Vereen | California | 5.10 | 205 | 4.49 |
| 2018 | 2 | 59 | Derrius Guice | Louisiana State | 5.11 | 218 | 4.49 |
| 2010 | 2 | 59 | Montario Hardesty | Tennessee | 6.00 | 225 | 4.49 |
Included in the table are two other incoming rookies who broke 4.50 yesterday and might be selected in the first two rounds, Georgia's D'Andre Swift and Florida State's Cam Akers. (Ohio State's J.K. Dobbins is another early-round possibility, but he didn't run yesterday due to an ankle injury.)
It will be interesting to see how early Taylor is selected. Kind of a checkered recent history for Wisconsin backs, with Bennett a noteworthy pro and Melvin Gordon a success, but Montee Ball a bust. But with his size-speed combo, he'll likely see his name called in the first two rounds.
--Andy Richardson