40 times aren't everything. Speed from running in a straight line in shorts vs running through a defense in pads is a big difference. Looks like the scouts like him...
and fwiw, the average 40 time for TE's last year was 4.87. Not that it really matters. Just saw the replay of his run. I have to agree with the commentators, it looked like a pretty bad start and that he hasn't prepared for the 40 enough.
In the OU game, Finley was covered by Ryan Reynolds in the first half. Ryan Reynolds. He was battling shoulder injuries and coming off a year he missed due to a knee injury. If RR had to run the forty the morning of the OU-Texas game, he probably wouldn't be doing better than Finley did yesterday. It still amazes me why it took an entire half to get Reynolds off the assignment of covering the TEs.
Not true, Reynolds wasn't on Finley, though he may have had ONE catch in Reynolds zone. Finley had a catch on Lofton, Baker and either Wolfe or Holmes (one of the safties).
One thing to consider on Finley is that when he was playing hoops in high school and in that all-star game he was in the 210-215 range. He hasn't that weight in quite some time.
Finley's stock is going to take a pounding. His upside was based on his combine. Looks like Bennett made him some money and Finley didn't. Did he hire an agent? Can he come back?
Who here on this board can run a 4.8 right now? I think I'm really darn close to that and I'm an old guy. I'm serious. Of course, I'm short, I weigh a buck fifty, I'm not very strong and I can't jump very high, but I'm pretty sure I can throw down a 4.8 on the forty.
And you are also not trying out for the NFL or got outpaced and performed by your competition in a position that does not get used much by many teams. You did not come out of school banking on going to the pros and needing a great combine and not getting it. I think that if any of us had to have a certain goal to reach to have a good or better shot at making millions of dollars we would get close to that. It is not about what anybody here got at the combine, it is about what HE got at the combine.
His combine perfomance along with his mouth probably will drop him severely.. Honesly I expected a slower 40 time compared to others...he's not the fastest obviously..but i didn't expect the weakness and mouthiness.(if that's even a word).
Finley is slow but has great potential. There have been plenty of great and slow TE in the NFL. I am really disappointed at his decision to smear the coaches though.
Hagy, I'll give you $100 if you can crank out a computer-timed 4.8 as you are, without training for it (the conditions you stated). Actually, make it $200. I was significantly faster than 4.8 at my fastest in high school and I couldn't run within .5 of that right now...although I wasn't close to 150 in high school and I'm even further away from 150 now.
Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice did not have great times in the 40 either and they had pretty good careers. I would not place too much on how these dudes do.
Alright. PM me. If you're within an hour drive of me, I'll drive to your local HS football field and time you (and if you disagree with my time, we'll find someone local, I'll show them how to time a 40, and they can do it). If not, we'll see what we can figure out. If you run a 4.8 or faster, I'll give you your money and tell everyone here that you were right.
True enough on Smith and Rice, but also recall that both were near top speed very quickly, had great balance, vision, worked their asses off, had a great understanding of the game, and were tough SOB's. Not saying Finley isn't, but he didn't always excel in some of the smaller areas of the game like the two players you sited above.
Screw that, let's tailgate it. I'll bring a case of Shiner if someone cooks a brisket. Oh, it's on...
