Watching the top wide receiver draft prospects run the 40-yard dash Thursday was pretty compelling stuff.
Would Henry Ruggs break John Ross' record of 4.22? (Nope!)
Could Jalen Raegor live up to his vow to run faster than Ruggs? (Not even close.)
Would anybody elevate themselves into the first round? (Chase Claypool may have).
All the action from Lucas Oil Stadium got us wondering about the fastest and slowest Eagles in Combine history. Which got us wondering about Eagles players throughout history in other Combine tests.
Thanks to the miracle of Pro Football Reference's Combine play-finder, here are some nuggets we dug up!
These stats are all since 2000, when the combine's timers switched from full hand times to partial automatic times!
NFL
JASON AVANT IS TOO SLOW!: Since the combine went from hand-timing to partially automatic timing in 2000, the slowest Eagles WR on record is Jason Avant, who ran 4.62 back in 2006. That was 38th-fastest out of 41 receivers that ran in 2006. The three slower ones all went undrafted and never played in the NFL. Avant caught 346 passes for 4,118 yards and 13 TDs in a 10-year career as one of the NFL’s top slot receivers.
YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHO ORLANDO SCANDRICK WAS FASTER THAN: DeSean Jackson not surprisingly has the fastest 40 time in Eagles history at 4.35. But he was only 9th-fastest at the 2008 Combine. Among those who ran faster? Public enemy Orlando Scandrick of all people at 4.32.
CURTIS MARSH WAS FASTER THAN LITO: The Eagles’ seven fastest corners on record are Avonte Maddox (4.39), Jaylen Watkins (4.41), Curtis Marsh (4.42), Brandon Boykin (4.44), Jack Ikegwuonu (4.44), Eric Rowe (4.45) and Macho Harris (4.46). You have to go down to 4.47 to find Lito and Sheldon, the Eagles’ best homegrown cornerbacks of the past 20 years.
OK, THEY'RE FAST, BUT ...: Six of the 12-fastest Eagles drafted in the last 20 years were Quintin Demps (4.39), Jaylen Watkins (4.41), Curtis Marsh (4.42), Earl Wolff (4.44), Ikeguonu (4.44) and C.J. Gaddis (4.45). They combined for 12 career starts for the Eagles.
THE BEST EAGLES' RUNNING BACKS ARE SLOW: The Eagles’ three-fastest running backs over the last 20 years are Ryan Moats (4.46), Wendell Smallwood (4.47) and Donnel Pumphrey (4.48). All ran faster than Miles Sanders, LeSean McCoy, Carrell Buckhalter, Dion Lewis and Brian Westbrook.
TONY HUNT WAS RIDICULOUSLY SLOW: The slowest running back drafted in the last 20 years in the first three rounds was Tony Hunt, who the Eagles took in the third round in 2007. Hunt had 25 career rushing yards on 14 carries.
REGGIE BROWN WAS GOOD AT SOMETHING: The best Eagles vertical jump on record is 41.5 inches, shared by Reggie Brown in 2005 and linebacker Keenan Clayton in 2010. The worst is guard Mike McGlynn’s 23.0 in 2008. Brown played five years, Clayton three years, McGlynn eight years.
JEFF OWENS HOLDS AN NFL RECORD: Most reps of 225 pounds: Brodrick Bunkley and Jeff Owens, both did 44 reps. They’re both tied for the most on record with 2012 Chiefs 1st-round pick Dontari Poe. Owens played one game in the NFL. Fewest reps? Pumphrey did five, the fewest ever by a running back. Shelton Gibson did eight reps, the fewest of any WR in 2017.
FIREMAN WAS BAD AT THIS TOO: Top broad jump was Earl Wolff’s 134 inches in 2013, tied for 4th-farthest over the last 20 years by a safety. Worst is Danny Watkins’ 92 in 2011, 3rd-worst over the last 20 years by an eventual 1st-round pick.
MAX JEAN-GILLES HAD A BAD COMBINE: Top 3-cone drill time ever by an Eagle draft pick goes to Maddox at 6.51. Worst was guard Max Jean-Gilles’ 8.56. That’s 4th-worst by any player drafted in the last 20 years.
MAX JEAN-GILLES HAD A REALLY BAD COMBINE: Cornerback Dexter Wynn posted the fastest shuttle time in Eagles history at 3.90. Coming in last once again was Jean-Gilles at 5.08.
THAT JOSH MCCOWN COULD SURE SHUTTLE! The second-fastest quarterback in the last 20 years in the shuttle was a 22-year-old Josh McCown back in 2002.
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