As much as his 40 impresses he just doesn't have the build or instincts to play safety. He's too long to change direction effectively and move quickly in short areas. Someone somewhere should have their ass kicked for not putting him at receiver when he was younger.

For a DB "make up" speed is most important.

That includes several factors:

1. Play recognition
2. Angle taken
3. Quickness in change of direction
4. Straight-line speed

The scheme is important as well: if man, the DB needs great instincts; he needs to be able to read the man he is covering, adjust coverage, stick with his man, and turn his head at the correct moment. If zone, he needs to be able to read and react quickly, and move FAST, using the correct angle, to shut down a play in his zone.

Thanks football geeks.

Pete Carrol timed him at 4.19

ROFL bias anyone?

I'm just much of a combine guy. It will probably be a tie breaker or something to throw someone off the draft board for. Me I want to know how the guy plays.

Shit, make him gain 15-20 lbs and put his ass at MLB I bet he'd still run a sub 4.4

mays aslo had 24 reps at 225lbs, pretty impressive when you add in a 4.4 40 time

But Berry had a better broad jump and vertical jump. These things are important when a saftey goes up for a pick

M.Rolle on the other hand was much less impressive

Mays ran a about a 4.3 flat. The "official" time he ran that NFLN listed was wrong.

At the time.
The current record for fastest 40 time is held by CB Fabian Washington (who was subsequently taken by the Raiders). Hence the joke about the Raiders taking guys for their 40 times

"Despite Taylor Mays' impressive showing in the forty-yard dash, SI.com's Tony Pauline points out that the USC safety sported poor form during position drills.
Mays was "terribly slow moving in reverse" and appeared to be "uncomfortable" backpedaling during drills. Mays also had major trouble changing direction, often coming to a complete stop as opposed to making a smooth transition. Pauline believes Mays will have trouble in man coverage and making plays sideline-to-sideline. The same concerns dogged him at the Senior Bowl."

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pla...rt=NFL&id=5760

So, by converse logic, that means that Ford ran a 4.13?! He's the ****ing fastest man alive!!!!

Or Bruce Campbell ran a 4.7 flat at 7'9", 423 lbs?! Holy hell!

Taylor Mays is no Brian Urlacher.