Record-setting 40 in regional combine … The NFL is still buzzing this morning about the 4.19 40 that Cumberlands’ WR Wendell Williams reportedly ran at the regional combine in Minneapolis yesterday. If true, that broke – well actually shattered – the existing 40-record of 4.24 that was established by Chris Johnson several years ago. Unfortunately we may never know for sure whether that is a comparative time as electronic timing is not used at the regional combines; instead, it was timed by hand by regional combine staff, although scouts from several teams reportedly recorded similar times. At the same time, though, buried in the NFL.com story on the event is the line that “Williams was clocked at 4.32 seconds by laser timing.” Whatever, Williams is a great athlete; he also had a 45-inch vertical at the regional which would have topped all vertical jumps at the regular combine at Indianapolis, plus he’s a track star who was the NAIA national champion in the long jump and was fourth in the country in both the 100 and 200 meters. The 5-10, 185-pound Williams was also named an NAIA All-america kick returner this past season when he also averaged over 30 per reception, although he only had 15 total catches.in the spring.
