Some fans out there may not know why things are done the way they're done, so here's a great breakdown on each of the drills you see prospects put through at the NFL combine. http://www.nfl.com/combine/workouts
I have to admit, 40's have next to nothing to do with playing football, but I also like the 40 drill the most the positional drills are cool too cause it puts pressure on a guy to do his thing, and its more obvious when you screw up.
You could say a 40 has nothing to do with football, but the 40 at the combine can determine in some cases if you go from a top 10 pick to a late 1st round pick. So it does have more impact than some people give it credit for. Then again, you could run a 4.30 on Monday and then run a 4.52 two days later. So in that aspect, it is a bit overrated.
Its mostly about self improvement from the last time the scouts see a guy. Also teams like to see everyone timed by the same people, more accurate than going by what each college says about a guy.
No doubt. I love watching the 40 as well. I am really interested to watch the combine and start separating some of these players from potentials for the Titans. These mocks are as expected, all over the place as of right now.
I love to sit there and watch 40's with my stopwatch in hand. Position drills are a close second though especially for RBs, DBs, and WRs you get to see who has the best footwork, change of direction, and natural hands.