Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith

**PurpleApocalypse37** · 02-21-2013, 06:33 PM

Torrey Smith ran a 4.43 40 yard dash. Mark Clayton ran a 4.41.

How does that happen? Watching them on the field, Torrey Smith looks 10 times faster. Torrey looks like he runs a sub 4.3, but Clayton looked like he ran a 4.5 or so. He was barely any faster than an old Derrick Mason.

**4G63** · 02-21-2013, 06:38 PM

I've always thought 40 yard dash numbers can be misleading for WR's. Jerry Rice ran a 4.71 and I don't think that ended up hurting him.

**The Excellector** · 02-21-2013, 06:41 PM

You can actually train specifically for the 40 yard dash, in somewhat similar fashion to a track meet. Stories are often told of players who specifically mold their running technique to gain a faster time in the dash. However, that doesn't nearly translate to the football field as much.

There are more variables in play, on the field: The pads, the contact, etc.

**jonboy79** · 02-21-2013, 06:43 PM

it could easily jsut be that Torrey Smith is a poor starter in that scenario. As was jsut said, it's sort of like track training to get off to a good start.

**The Excellector** · 02-21-2013, 06:45 PM

Torrey's specialty seems to be his acceleration more than his pure speed.

**lobachevsky** · 02-21-2013, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Torrey's specialty seems to be his acceleration more than his pure speed.

:word How many time have we seen Torrey seemingly blanketed by a secondary when he kicks in the overdrive & blows right past them? And once the DBs learn from bitter experience & give that top gear the respect it deserves, all the underneath routes open up.

**Dade** · 02-25-2013, 01:08 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Torrey's specialty seems to be his acceleration more than his pure speed.

Bingo. Thats what burned Champ Bailey in the playoffs.

**AirFlacco** · 02-23-2013, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by 4G63

I've always thought 40 yard dash numbers can be misleading for WR's. Jerry Rice ran a 4.71 and I don't think that ended up hurting him.

Exactly but all coaches swear by the time. Suggs dropped to us because of his poor 40 time. Phil Savage was at that workout at ASU and called Oz and said Suggs just dropped to us. Only Phil and Ozzie knew his greatness was in his first step across the line. That's where he beats everyone.

I'M A FOOTBALL PLAYER, NOT A TRACK STAR. T. SUGGS.

**RavensDomination** · 02-23-2013, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

Exactly but all coaches swear by the time. Suggs dropped to us because of his poor 40 time. Phil Savage was at that workout at ASU and called Oz and said Suggs just dropped to us. Only Phil and Ozzie knew his greatness was in his first step across the line. That's where he beats everyone.

I'M A FOOTBALL PLAYER, NOT A TRACK STAR. T. SUGGS.

Well remember we ended up with Suggs by default after the Minnesota trade debacle. If things had worked out the way the Ravens wanted we would have ended up with Leftwich and not Suggs/Boller.

I do remember Terrell saying something along the lines of "I've never had to run down a QB for 40 yards."

**Paintballguy** · 02-23-2013, 07:32 PM

Billick was talking about the 40 yard dash for o-linemen today. He said something like "When QB's start dropping back 40 yards to pass, I'll worry about 40 times for o-linemen." lol

**AirFlacco** · 02-23-2013, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by RavensDomination

Well remember we ended up with Suggs by default after the Minnesota trade debacle. If things had worked out the way the Ravens wanted we would have ended up with Leftwich and not Suggs/Boller.

I do remember Terrell saying something along the lines of "I've never had to run down a QB for 40 yards."

That's if you believe Ozzie really made that 35-second call to turn the card in on Leftwich but even if he got Lefty
there wouldn't be the disastrous DWan Edwards draft the following year and we might have landed Wilfork who
went to NE with the #1 Oz gave Billicheat for Boller.

That said, both QBs were highly rated at the time with Lefty in the top 10 and Boller in the top 20. Miami and
GB offered NE their #1s for Boller but Ravens had the higher picks and don't forget, Oz lost Lefty because they kept
stalling Minn on the phone to run off the clock because they desperately wanted him.

When I asked PHil Savage at the Barn the night after the draft why didn't Ozzie trade up for Lefty the
day before the draft to secure him, Phil said Ozzie knew he was going to get either Suggs or Leftwich so he wasn't disappointed at all. Everyone in town wanted Lefty that day and many didn't like giving up the future #1 for Boller. Ozzie said he'd never do it again and he hasn't.

**bacchys** · 02-24-2013, 12:44 AM

I didn't even like the move for Flacco, to be honest. I think it's generally a waste to draft a QB in the first round, especially if you're picking late.

Both Manning and Leaf were "sure things" in their time. So were Shuler and Dilfer.

There is usually a number of quality QB's sitting on someone's bench any given year. Gino's brother, for instance, isn't a bad QB. Put him on a good team (which he hasn't experienced yet) and he'd do well, imo. Moore in Miami is another one.

I can't think of anything Flacco has done that one couldn't have hoped to get from Patrick Ramsey, for instance- and I'm a Flacco fan.

Draft for the trenches. In the modern NFL, the main thing is to dominant in one aspect of the game. Having a dominant o-line or d-line (or, even better, both) makes up for a lot when it comes to skill positions.