Indianapolis — In a stadium that celebrates speed with Indy cars at the Concourse, wide receivers at the NFL Scouting Combine made a short history Thursday in what was their first night of an on-field workout.
Baylor's tycoon Thornton led nine wide receivers as he officially clocked sub-4.4-second times in a 40-yard dash inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Thornton's unofficial time of 4.21 was posted shortly after his run, which would have set a record for the Alliance, but is reviewed with electronic timing equipment at all times, and his official time was later set at 4.28. , which was the fastest time of the evening.
The group of pass catchers still left a contraption, as nine sub-4.4 clockings were the most by wide receivers in any year rated since 2006. The previous high was eight wide under 4.4, set in 2007. Kansas State wide receiver Yemen Figures scored the fastest 40 in the Combine that year at 4.30.
Seven wide receivers broke the 4.4 mark in 2019—the same year that current Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf recorded the fastest 40 in the event's history for a 225-pounder or heavier player.
Thornton had the only official time of less than 4.3, as Tennessee wide receiver Welles Jones Jr., who previously ran in the group of receivers, had the next fastest official clock of 4.31. Memphis wide receiver Calvin Austin III, who had already turned heads for his work in practice in his week in the Senior Bowl, was fastest at 4.32. Austin decided not to run his second 40 until a little later.
Cincinnati's Alec Pierce (4.33), SMU's Danny Gray (4.33), Rutgers' Bo Melton (4.34), North Dakota State's Christian Watson (4.36), Ohio State's Garrett Wilson (4.38) and Ohio State's Chris Olev 4.4 breakers There were other players.
Olev and Wilson's time marked only the second occasion since 2006 that the two wide receivers college teammates both ran sub-4.4 40 times in a combination, with the second coming in 2019 by Ohio State's Terry McLaurin and Paris Campbell.
The other 40-yard dash that could have caused the biggest stir was Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder, who — 6-foot-3 3/8 inches tall, 211 pounds — was better than a 4.52, or 12 wide receiver. . who ran away on Thursday.
Mel Kipper Jr. and Todd McShae's top-ranked receiver - USC's Drake London - did not move as he is still working his way back from a fractured right ankle in October. Penn State's Jahan Dotson scored 4.43, and Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks scored 4.55.
Offensive linemen and running backs will work on Friday.