A couple of the running backs drafted in the first three rounds this year turned in less than ideal 40 times at the NFL combine. Zach Charbonnet (4.53) and Tank Bigsby (pictured; 4.56) are on the slow side, certainly compared to first-rounders Jahmyr Gibbs (4.36) and Bijan Robinson (4.46). Does it matter?
It might not. For this table, I took a look at all the running backs drafted in the first three rounds the last 10 years. In that 10-year period, there were 32 running backs selected that early who ran a 4.51 or slower. More than half of them were clocked at 4.6 or worse. Here's how those backs have turned out.
Running backs drafted in the first three rounds are organized by 40 times at the combine. The final column shows their best fantasy performance (PPR) in those seasons. Players who didn't run at the combine (including some big names like Todd Gurley and Josh Jacobs) are excluded.
What was surprising to me was that just slightly under half of them (13) have had at least 1 top-12 fantasy season. Two others made it into the top 15, and several of the more recent picks (AJ Dillon, Brian Robinson) still might. Some of the top performers aren't 4.5 guys like Nick Chubb, but ran 4.6 or worse -- Bell, Hunt, Montgomery, Conner, Hill. Keep that in mind before underestimating either Charbonnet or Bigsby.
| RUNNING BACKS RUNNING 4.51 OR SLOWER AT COMBINE, 2013-PRESENT | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Rd | Pk | Player | School | Ht | Wt | 40 | Best |
| 2020 | 3 | 76 | KeShawn Vaughn | Illinois | 5.10 | 214 | 4.51 | 90th |
| 2017 | 1 | 4 | Leonard Fournette | Louisiana State | 6.01 | 230 | 4.51 | 6th |
| 2018 | 2 | 35 | Nick Chubb | Georgia | 5.10 | 225 | 4.52 | 6th |
| 2015 | 1 | 15 | Melvin Gordon | Wisconsin | 6.01 | 215 | 4.52 | 5th |
| 2022 | 3 | 98 | Brian Robinson | Alabama | 6.02 | 225 | 4.53 | 43rd |
| 2020 | 2 | 62 | AJ Dillon | Boston College | 6.00 | 247 | 4.53 | 23rd |
| 2013 | 2 | 37 | Giovani Bernard | North Carolina | 5.09 | 208 | 4.53 | 13th |
| 2018 | 1 | 31 | Sony Michel | Georgia | 5.11 | 214 | 4.54 | 31st |
| 2018 | 3 | 71 | Royce Freeman | Oregon | 6.00 | 229 | 4.54 | 38th |
| 2016 | 2 | 45 | Derrick Henry | Alabama | 6.02 | 247 | 4.54 | 3rd |
| 2015 | 3 | 77 | Duke Johnson | Miami | 5.09 | 207 | 4.54 | 11th |
| 2013 | 2 | 62 | Christine Michael | Texas A&M | 5.10 | 221 | 4.54 | 35th |
| 2015 | 3 | 94 | Ty Montgomery | Stanford | 6.00 | 221 | 4.55 | 33rd |
| 2013 | 2 | 61 | Eddie Lacy | Alabama | 5.11 | 230 | 4.55 | 6th |
| 2017 | 3 | 67 | Alvin Kamara | Tennessee | 5.10 | 214 | 4.56 | 1st |
| 2014 | 3 | 94 | Terrance West | Towson | 5.09 | 225 | 4.56 | 23rd |
| 2019 | 3 | 87 | Damien Harris | Alabama | 5.10 | 216 | 4.57 | 14th |
| 2020 | 1 | 32 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Louisiana State | 5.07 | 207 | 4.60 | 22nd |
| 2015 | 2 | 54 | Ameer Abdullah | Nebraska | 5.09 | 205 | 4.60 | 40th |
| 2013 | 2 | 48 | LeVeon Bell | Michigan State | 6.01 | 230 | 4.60 | 1st |
| 2015 | 2 | 36 | T.J. Yeldon | Alabama | 6.01 | 226 | 4.61 | 22nd |
| 2015 | 3 | 95 | Matt Jones | Florida | 6.02 | 231 | 4.61 | 41st |
| 2017 | 3 | 86 | Kareem Hunt | Toledo | 5.10 | 216 | 4.62 | 4th |
| 2019 | 3 | 73 | David Montgomery | Iowa State | 5.10 | 222 | 4.63 | 4th |
| 2020 | 3 | 86 | Zack Moss | Utah | 5.09 | 223 | 4.65 | 49th |
| 2017 | 3 | 105 | James Conner | Pittsburgh | 6.01 | 233 | 4.65 | 5th |
| 2019 | 3 | 74 | Devin Singletary | Florida Atlantic | 5.07 | 203 | 4.66 | 20th |
| 2018 | 2 | 38 | Ronald Jones | Southern California | 6.00 | 200 | 4.66 | 19th |
| 2014 | 2 | 55 | Jeremy Hill | Louisiana State | 6.01 | 233 | 4.66 | 10th |
| 2014 | 2 | 57 | Carlos Hyde | Ohio State | 6.00 | 230 | 4.66 | 8th |
| 2013 | 2 | 58 | Montee Ball | Wisconsin | 5.10 | 215 | 4.66 | 43rd |
| 2019 | 3 | 102 | Alexander Mattison | Boise State | 5.11 | 221 | 4.67 | 37th |
At the bottom of the table is a guy the Vikings are counting on as their starter this year: Alexander Mattison. Him we're kind of cool on, due to his modest production (aside from some big games against terrible defenses) as a pro. But as James Conner, Jeremy Hill and Carlos Hyde, who turned in similarly slow 40s, indicate, he could still be a very good back.
--Andy Richardson