Reggie Smith runs slow forties...shines in other areas.

[sebman2112]

NFL | R. Smith works out at Pro Day
Wed, 9 Apr 2008 13:47:22 -0700

Gil Brandt, of NFL.com, reports University of Oklahoma CB Reggie Smith worked out at his school's Pro Day Wednesday, April 9. Smith posted a 4.65 and 4.61 40-yard dash, a 39 1/2-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-9 long jump, a 4.03-second short shuttle and a 6.70-second cone drill. He measured in at 6-foot 1/8, 192 pounds.

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl

Those vertical, broad jump, short shuttle, and 3-cone numbers are good, but 4.61 is a pretty slow forty time for a CB.

 

[Remix 6]

it seems like everyone ran very slow on that field. hes faster than that i know it and hes got the versatility like Meriweather did playing all 4 spots in secondary

 

[Seneschal2]

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl

Those vertical, broad jump, short shuttle, and 3-cone numbers are good, but 4.61 is a pretty slow forty time for a CB.

Yeah, but quite athletic and fast enough for a Safety.

 

[PonyExpress]

Did he run on the same track that the other OU prospects did at the official OU Pro Day, or on a different one?

 

[DocE]

They all ran on the same track, which was the same track the OU players ran on at their original pro day. Kelly and Smith were injured and couldn't compete on that day, but they should have realized that they would run on the field turf too.

Those are some nice numbers by Smith, but the 40 really hurts him in regards to teams wanting to play man coverage. I think he could play CB for a team that plays almost exclusively cover 2 and play safety for everyone else. I was hoping he'd run better, as I'd like to see another bigger corner available in this draft.

 

[VJCPatriot]

What is he rated, 5th rounder?

 

[SamBamsFan]

What is he rated, 5th rounder?

He was rated in the second.

 

[cstjohn17]

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl

Those vertical, broad jump, short shuttle, and 3-cone numbers are good, but 4.61 is a pretty slow forty time for a CB.

Either player would be high value in rounds 2-3. If the Pats drafted Smith, he could be a CB/Safety type, in rounds 3-4 they could draft a smaller, quicker type CB.

 

[PonyExpress]

They all ran on the same track, which was the same track the OU players ran on at their original pro day. Kelly and Smith were injured and couldn't compete on that day, but they should have realized that they would run on the field turf too.

Those are some nice numbers by Smith, but the 40 really hurts him in regards to teams wanting to play man coverage. I think he could play CB for a team that plays almost exclusively cover 2 and play safety for everyone else. I was hoping he'd run better, as I'd like to see another bigger corner available in this draft.

Smith is coming off a broken toe, which made him miss the senior bowl. He's probably a bit faster than 4.60.

 

[sebman2112]

Smith is coming off a broken toe, which made him miss the senior bowl. He's probably a bit faster than 4.60.

I doubt the toe injury effected his forty times all that much. If anything, the toe should have effected his short shuttle and 3-cone, but those numbers were very good. I think the forty is overrated, and like the quickness he showed, but he might now be available for the 62nd pick, if the Patriots are interested.

 

[patsfaninpa]

If he's on the board at 62. I think he'd be a fine pick. Eventual replacement for R.Harrison. As more and more teams use a spread. Need safeties to cover those slot guys. Meriweather and R.Smith would probably make a nice tandem heading forward.

 

[PonyExpress]

I doubt the toe injury effected his forty times all that much. If anything, the toe should have effected his short shuttle and 3-cone, but those numbers were very good. I think the forty is overrated, and like the quickness he showed, but he might now be available for the 62nd pick, if the Patriots are interested.

I tend to agree with you that the 40 is overrated for a cb. But not completely. I have a rule of thumb that a cb must time at 4.53 less. That number seems arbitrary but it's from studying cbs over the years who go on to excel in the NFL. IOW, it doesn't really matter what you run if you're under that number, you're going to make as a starting NFL cb provided your other scores reach certain threshholds. OTOH, if you run over that number it doesn't really matter how well you do on everything else, the odds are against you ever becoming an effective starting cb in the NFL. There are obviously some other factors as well, but that is one good guideline for evaluating whether a prospect has NFL caliber athleticism.

So Smith is definitely in a gray area for cbs, considering the OU track is rumored to be slow, and he's coming off a broken toe.

I was interested to read Polian say much the same thing at the combine this season. He gave his cb cutoff number as 4.55. I found that strange because he's the one who drafted Dameion Hughes last year. My guess is that was a Dungy pick.

 

[sebman2112]

I tend to agree with you that the 40 is overrated for a cb. But not completely. I have a rule of thumb that a cb must time at 4.53 less. That number seems arbitrary but it's from studying cbs over the years who go on to excel in the NFL. IOW, it doesn't really matter what you run if you're under that number, you're going to make as a starting NFL cb provided your other scores reach certain threshholds. OTOH, if you run over that number it doesn't really matter how well you do on everything else, the odds are against you ever becoming an effective starting cb in the NFL. There are obviously some other factors as well, but that is one good guideline for evaluating whether a prospect has NFL caliber athleticism.

So Smith is definitely in a gray area for cbs, considering the OU track is rumored to be slow, and he's coming off a broken toe.

I was interested to read Polian say much the same thing at the combine this season. He gave his cb cutoff number as 4.55. I found that strange because he's the one who drafted Dameion Hughes last year. My guess is that was a Dungy pick.

Wasn't Asante's forty slower than 4.53? I know Jerry Rice ran a slower forty than that.

I would like to see a player time great and look great in every drill, but sometimes that isn't the case, and you have to remember what they did on the football field. If a kid looks fast and quick on the field, then maybe he just times slow? It can also go the other way, where the particular player has great straight line (or forty) speed, but that speed doesn't fully translate to the football field.

I actually hate that the NFL Network recently turned their Combine coverage into basically hours of forty times. Yes, they showed some of the other drills, but they focused heavily on the forty, and I personally think some of the other drills are more interesting.

 

[patchick]

Wasn't Asante's forty slower than 4.53?

4.49, for what it's worth.

 

[PonyExpress]

Wasn't Asante's forty slower than 4.53? I know Jerry Rice ran a slower forty than that.

I was only talking about Cbs

I would like to see a player time great and look great in every drill, but sometimes that isn't the case, and you have to remember what they did on the football field. If a kid looks fast and quick on the field, then maybe he just times slow? It can also go the other way, where the particular player has great straight line (or forty) speed, but that speed doesn't fully translate to the football field.

Obviously college production is important and plays a major role. Figuring out how much of a role is the trick.

I actually hate that the NFL Network recently turned their Combine coverage into basically hours of forty times. Yes, they showed some of the other drills, but they focused heavily on the forty, and I personally think some of the other drills are more interesting.

I agree. But the reason these billion dollar corps continue to hold the combine is that it matters. Obviously the med check and interviews are extremely important. But I've reached the conclusion that when a GM tells the press that "it's about being a football player, and the drill times are overrated" its an inside joke. Otherwise Polian, who uses these scores religiously, wouldn't be so great a success.

I think John Butler, the late Buffalo and SD talent evaluator, was one of the great innovators. He passed on his knowledge to Polian and AJ Smith. The results speak for themselves....

There are always exceptions to every rule. Rules are just guidelines. You have to throw out your rules every once in a while, for sure.

 

[scout]

He was pretty fast when he played center field, tho that was a while ago.

 

[LuthierJr]

here is a highlight video of the 2007 season for Reggie.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RTnKM1fGP6w

 

[sebman2112]

4.49, for what it's worth.

Hmm, I must have been thinking about the forty times he registered during his first year of college. For those who don't remember, Asante used to time really slow, but improved his times with a lot of hard work.

 

[sebman2112]

Obviously college production is important and plays a major role. Figuring out how much of a role is the trick.

Wasn't actually talking about college "production", but how the player in question looked on the field. In other words, did he look fast, quick, and agile on the field, but for some reason timed slowly in one or more of those areas. If the kid looks faster/quicker/or more agile on the field, then I'll take how he looked on the field, over his Combine performance.

I agree. But the reason these billion dollar corps continue to hold the combine is that it matters. Obviously the med check and interviews are extremely important. But I've reached the conclusion that when a GM tells the press that "it's about being a football player, and the drill times are overrated" its an inside joke. Otherwise Polian, who uses these scores religiously, wouldn't be so great a success.

You misunderstand my point. I think forty times can be important, to an extent. I wasn't saying the drills aren't important either. What I was saying is that I would like to see more coverage of the other drills at the Combine. IE: Coverage & agility drills for defenders, 3-cone, and short shuttle. I don't mind seeing players run the forty, but the NFL Network's coverage was heavily focused on the forty, when other drills (that I would rather see) were going on.

 

[zarakotas5]

Since Smith is equally CB and S, a 4.6X isn't horrible as a S, if taken at face value. Since the WR is squawking about the slow surface, maybe that has something to do with it. Smith has never been an elite burner, but he is faster than that. He is also coming off an injury.

I recommend taking a peak at the youtube highlight reel that LuthierJr posted, particularly for folks unfamiliar with the Big XII. I'm in love with Reggie Smith and would be over the moon if this would cause him to fall to 62.

As far as his speed goes, note the fumble recovery against Miami. He's pulling on guys, and Miami recruits athletes (i.e.: burners). He's behind Limas Sweed running a go in CB man coverage (although Sweed is only a 4.5 guy, admittedly). Also, he was PR/KR duty on Oklahoma. Oklahoma has a long history of (at least college-grade) bad-muthas doing that duty. If he was their guy, that meant he was a speed/power demon of the squad. Beyond that, he lays wood and is a sure tackler. There's an oft-quoted saying by BB about giving him guys who can tackle.

Beyond that, just note how just seems like an already-NFLer playing in college. The end-zone INT, patience waiting for blocks, reading the QB, looking for the ball as the intended target w/o incidental contact, etc.

I hope he's on the Pats radar, and I hope even more that we draft him.