…from our friends over at Football Talent Advisors.  As we’ve been saying a long time, the best way to gauge speed accurately is to utilize track marks instead of 40 times.   And the best way to verify–or discredit–40 times is to also use track marks as a cross reference.  As FTA notes:

Players that run 11.5 in the 100 can’t  legitimately run 4.4, 4.5, or even 4.6 in the 40…the recruiting sites should learn this!

Don’t hold your breath.  Recruiting sites peddle 40 times like a drug dealer on a street corner.  They’ll say anything to make you buy their product. 

I’d say that if you don’t see an electronically timed 10.60 or better in the 100m (or a sub-21.50 200m or at least a 24-foot long jump) on a player’s resume, then you could pretty much discount the report that he has run a legitimate 4.3 or better in the 40-yard dash.  There will always be a couple exceptions–some athletes don’t have access to proper track coaching or facilities, some play center field in baseball instead–but as a general rule, track marks more accurately reflect true speed.