Justin Gatlin NFL comments

Sorry, wrong Robert Smith:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Smith_

(running_back)

Robert Woods ran 46 in high school.

In the contemporary NFL damn few receivers weigh as little as 185. Julio Jones is typical at 6'3 and 220 (he runs a 4.4/4.5). Most of the best receivers are similarly sized. They are built more like NBA point guards than like 400m runners.

Where there are guys who look a bit like 400m runners is defensive backs. Some NFL cornerbacks are as small (!) as 180-190. They cover more ground than receivers, a lot of it backpedaling and changing direction. The skill set needed on either side is not sprint speed so much as quickness. Sprint speed is probably most useful for RBs (for example, Herschel Walker, OJ, those guys were supposedly 10.3 guys in the 100).

I read somewhere that most of the top 100 sprinters who became WRs in the NFL played for Al Davis's raiders, because Davis had a thing for speed.

There have been some good long jumpers in the NFL. Both Eric Metcalfe and James Lofton were 8m guys. We've all heard of Bob Hayes and Willie Gault, but after them the 100m guys in the NFL don't look much different than the 400m guys in the NFL - there have been some good ones.

ukathleticscoach wrote:

Can't he just admit he was no good at football?

Bob Hayes was a wide receiver and did pretty well.

Those at sub 10.10/9.3 who played pro football.

Bob Hayes FAMU

Willie McGee Alcorn

Cliff Branch Colorado

Mel Gray Missouri

Frank Budd Villanova

Jim Hines TSU

Trindon Holliday LSU

Jeff Demps Florida

Marvin Bracy FSU

Darrel Green Tex A&I

Alvis Whitted NCSt

Sam Graddy Tennessee

Ron Brown ASU

Jacoby Ford Clemson

The list at sub 10.30/9.5 is a mile long.

The fastest 400m NFLer was Larance "Larry" Jones with his 44.8. Then we had,,,,,

Terry McDaneil Tennessee

Rod Jones who once ran down Bo Jackson, SMU

Robert Smith Ohio State

Ollie Matson USF Oly bronze

Russell Carter SMU

Henry Carr ASU (more 200m)

Rod Barksdale Arizona

Travis Hannah USC

Robert Woods USC....more a HS stud

Jerry Thomas Baylor

Karl Farmer Pitt

TONS of long jumpers, sprinters and hurdlers have played pro football.

Oakland Raiders track team.

Hurdles

Rod Woodson

Willie Gault

Long Jump

Bo Roberson Oly silver

James Lofton

Dokie Williams

Sprints

Jacoby Ford

Gault

Alvis Whitted

Cliff Branch

James Jett

Alexander Wright

Rocket Ismail

Michael Bennett

Bo Jackson

Stanford Routt

James Trapp

Sam Graddy Oly silver

Ron Brown Oly 4x1 gold with Graddy

Napolean Kaufman

Justin Fargas

400m

Terry McDaneil

Rod Barksdale

Tim Dwight 4x4

skinny dude wrote:

Bad Wigins wrote:

Juantorena could have done it! He was 185 at racing weight. You collide with him and you will be flattened.

A 180 pound man moving 20mph will do more damage than a 300 pound man moving 10mph, which is faster than most 300 pounders can go. Momentum is everything.

Have you ... have you ever watched football?

Have YOU ever PLAYED football? That's the question.

In summary his quote was nonsese but it made the front page.