3-Wide: Which current NFL player would run the slowest 40-yard dash?
3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.
Which current NFL player would run the slowest 40-yard dash?
Jack Browne: The obvious answer is Peyton Manning. For all his achievements, Manning has never been considered a good athlete. And with a foot injury causing his already limited speed to hit hilariously low levels, Manning would undoubtedly be among the slowest NFL players to run the 40-yard dash. Need some evidence? Here is Manning running the most casual 40-yard dash of all time - and that was in 2010.
Joe Thomson: It's hard to believe a 43-year-old kicker is beating anyone on an active NFL roster in a foot race, so I'll say old-ass man Adam Vinatieri. My alternative answer is Eddie Lacy after he eats a few orders of gong bao chicken and is forced to take a seat with a tummy ache halfway through his run.
David P. Woods: There are so many dad-runners to choose from, but the slowest player is probably a 350-pound guard or defensive tackle. How about Vince Wilfork, who's 34 years old and only a few years removed from an Achilles injury. Wilfork can still plug a hole in an offensive line with his impressive girth, but could he break six seconds in the 40? Heck, he might not be able to finish the 40.
Who will be this year's combine "freak"?
Thomson: You can't have a list of "freaks" without Baylor's Shawn Oakman. This guy. He's 6-foot-7, 269 pounds, and does a number of strenuous workouts with various sized dumbbells hanging from his body. It seems the combine was invented for athletes like Oakman, who will need to impress with less on film than a lot of other prospects. He should be fun to watch during the strength and explosion drills.
Woods: Florida State's Jalen Ramsey is already touted as the draft's best defensive back. He might be the best overall athlete. Ramsey ran a 4.54 40-yard dash in high school and has improved his speed, strength, and explosiveness considerably since then. In addition to football, Ramsey is a decorated track and field star. He could sweep the running and jumping events at the combine.
Browne: Former Ohio State wide receiver Braxton Miller will blow away scouts at the combine. The converted quarterback is one of the most impressive athletes in attendance, with not only spectacular straight-line speed, but amazing agility, too. He has trimmed down to 204 pounds, and that should allow him to excel in the 40-yard dash, 3-cone drill, and shuttle run. If he performs up to his ability, he could propel himself into the first round of the draft.
How should the NFL improve the combine?
Woods: First, make the players wear shoulder pads and helmets. They'll never get to run 40 yards in only spandex when they're in the NFL, so why make things easier on them now? Second, introduce more direct competition. Make the 40-yard dash into a tournament of one-on-one races. Line up the quarterbacks and find out who can hit the most moving targets in a minute. Even if it doesn't give scouts more useful data, it will be fun to watch on TV.
Browne: The NFL needs to make the combine more position-specific. How much does anyone learn from an offensive lineman or a nose tackle running the 40-yard dash? Or a quarterback doing the bench press or vertical jump? The NFL game has moved on, but the combine has not adapted in the same way. The league should focus on gathering as much relevant information on players as possible instead of putting them through drills that have little to offer.
Thomson: Introducing what I like to call the "Blind Combine." No participants will know ahead of time what events they'll be doing. This will prevent workout warriors from gaming the system and give teams a chance to really see how players handle adversity. I might even throw in a few wacky events just to spice things up, like an egg-and-spoon race or a potato-sack sprint. Who knows? You may show up to the Blind Combine and be sent home immediately. HOW WILL YOU HANDLE IT?