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Ohio State Football: Can any SEC team match this speed?

By Charlie Lockhart

MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 15: Head Coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes walks the sidelines during there second quarter during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 15, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 15: Head Coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes walks the sidelines during there second quarter during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 15, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images) /
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What SEC team has 11 guys clocked at 4.4 or better in the 40?

Nearly every college football commentator will go overboard talking about how the Southeastern Conference is loaded with speed, and they may be correct in their assertion the conference has plenty of it. But can any SEC team match the speed Urban Meyer’s Ohio State football team will have on the field this season? I tend to doubt any of them will.

Urban looks for speed everywhere he can find it, not just down south like many other coaches do. If you are a high school football player who has posted a fast 40 time from any region in the country, you can bet you are on coach Meyer’s radar.

Take a look at the 40 times on the Iron Buckeye Excellence Board that was posted in a tweet from Damon Webb Sr. and you will see what I mean. They are quite impressive to say the least. 

I want to credit Johnnie Ginter of Eleven Warriors for bringing this to my attention. In his article, he listed marks of players in other performance drills as well. But I want to focus primarily on the top 11 times in the 40 yard dash. There was a tie between two players at the number 10 spot.

  • Denzel Ward           4.23
  • Kendall Sheffield   4.25
  • Parris Campbell     4.26
  • J.K. Dobbins             4.32
  • Mike Weber             4.35
  • Elijaah Goins            4.36
  • Terry McLaurin        4.36
  • Jerome Baker           4.37
  • Johnnie Dixon           4.37
  • Dante Booker           4.40
  • Damon Webb           4.40

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Ward, and Sheffield at corner with Webb at safety makes for a fast defensive backfield.

In the offensive backfield there is Campbell, Dobbins and Weber. Thinking breakaway speed there.

McLaurin and Dixon provide speed on the outside. And the former walk-on Goins has earned a scholarship for his senior year. He has been a key special teams player for Urban Meyer.

It’s often noted that what separates the SEC from other conferences is the speed of players who don’t play a skill position. Take a look at Baker’s and Booker’s 40 times. I would say those are fast times for linebackers, wouldn’t you?

Next: An Unusual Kickoff for Week One

There are other players who cracked the top 10 in other speed drills as well and you can check them out if you want. But I think that just the fact Ohio State has 11 players clocked at 4.4 or under in the 40 makes a person realize the Buckeyes are really fast. I just wonder if there is an SEC team that can match their speed?

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