I assume the bright idea would be to apply a few football related drills to be included with the 40-yard dash.
The NFL — according to the league’s director of player personnel Matt Birk — is considering adjusting the drills done at the combine.
Matt Birk: "We run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. Why? The only reason anyone can ever give you is, that's how it's always been done."
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) February 27, 2015
NFL official Matt Birk: "It may be important to know how fast a WR or DB can go 60 yards. Maybe for an O-lineman it's only 20 yards."
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) February 27, 2015
“That’s a project we’ll be working on this offseason,”
Matt Birk, the league’s director of player development, said Friday. “Once we look at the data that was gathered in-game this year, it may be important to know how fast a wide receiver or defensive back can go 60 yards. Maybe for an offensive lineman it’s only 20 yards.
“We can actually see that in-game: How far are these guys running? What are the real or improved measures of importance and value as it relates to evaluating players and whether or not they should be drafted in the first round or the sixth round?”
Birk, who was speaking on a panel with Sean Payton and Marshall Faulk, said the league would be talking about possible tweaks to its longstanding combine drills. Some of the Saints’ coach’s thoughts from NOLA.com:
A 40-yard dash might be the best metric for some players, but not others. Studies on bone length and a player’s “chassis” give teams a way to evaluate college players based on more than just the “cone drill,” Payton said.
