NFL Combine 2013: Defensive Backs 40-Yard Dash Results
By Josh Hill
Defensive backs took the field on Tuesday to run their 40-yard dashes in an effort to see who’s the fastest in their draft class. Both cornerback and safety prospects participated in the 40-yard dash together and the results were pretty much what we had expected.
Darius Slay is a name that hasn’t been discussed too much when it comes to first round picks but he’s getting his moment in the Combine sun as he proved to be the fasted defensive back in the draft. Alabama’s Dee Milliner, a guy many believe is not only the best cornerback in the draft but a viable top 5 pick, came in as the second fasted defensive back in the 2013 draft class.
One surprise was that Mississippi cornerback Johnthan Banks turned in a 4.61 40-yard dash time which was good for the 40th best out of all the defensive back prospects who ran. Banks hasn’t been touted for his speed, but his slow 40-time might be something that slighty affects his stock. In that same vein, Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro ran a 4.64, which was four spots slower than Banks, but his 40-time is not expected to hurt his current draft stock.
Here are the top 30 best 40-yard dash times for defensive backs at the 2013 NFL Combine:
| NAME | COLLEGE | POSITION | TIME(SECONDS) | |
| Slay, Darius | Mississippi St. | DB | 4.36 | |
| Milliner, Dee | Alabama | DB | 4.37 | |
| Trufant, Desmond | Washington | DB | 4.38 | |
| Alford, Robert | Southeastern Louisiana | DB | 4.39 | |
| Taylor, Jamar | Boise St. | DB | 4.39 | |
| McGee, Brandon | Miami | DB | 4.40 | |
| Commings, Sanders | Georgia | DB | 4.41 | |
| Webster, Kayvon | South Florida | DB | 4.41 | |
| Sweeting, Rod | Georgia Tech | DB | 4.42 | |
| Thomas, Shamarko | Syracuse | S | 4.42 | |
| Williams, Steve | California | DB | 4.42 | |
| Rhodes, Xavier | Florida St. | DB | 4.43 | |
| Amerson, David | N.C. State | DB | 4.44 | |
| Hawthorne, Terry | Illinois | DB | 4.44 | |
| Wolff, Earl | N.C. State | S | 4.44 | |
| Williams, Shawn | Georgia | S | 4.46 | |
| Gratz, Dwayne | Connecticut | DB | 4.47 | |
| Adams, Johnny | Michigan St. | DB | 4.48 | |
| Mathieu, Tyrann | LSU | DB | 4.50 | |
| Davis, Will | Utah St. | DB | 4.51 | |
| Simon, Tharold | LSU | DB | 4.51 | |
| Webb, B.W. | William & Mary | DB | 4.51 | |
| Reid, Eric | LSU | S | 4.53 | |
| Robey, Nickell | USC | DB | 4.53 | |
| Wooten, Khalid | Nevada | DB | 4.53 | |
| Wreh-Wilson, Blidi | Connecticut | DB | 4.53 | |
| Elam, Matt | Florida | S | 4.54 | |
| Johnson, Keelan | Arizona State | S | 4.54 | |
| McCray, Demetrius | Appalachian St. | DB | 4.54 | |
| McFadden, Leon | San Diego St. | DB | 4.54 |
And here’s the best of the rest including those who didn’t record a 40-time:
| NAME | COLLEGE | POSITION | TIME(SECONDS) | |
| Poyer, Jordan | Oregon St. | DB | 4.54 | |
| Edwards, Mike | Hawaii | DB | 4.56 | |
| Hyde, Micah | Iowa | S | 4.56 | |
| Ryan, Logan | Rutgers | DB | 4.56 | |
| Swanson, Daxton | Sam Houston St. | DB | 4.56 | |
| Wilcox, J.J. | Georgia Southern | S | 4.57 | |
| Bushell, Adrian | Louisville | DB | 4.58 | |
| Evans, Josh | Florida | S | 4.58 | |
| McDonald, T.J. | USC | S | 4.59 | |
| Banks, Johnthan | Mississippi St. | DB | 4.61 | |
| Hester, Aaron | UCLA | DB | 4.62 | |
| Miles, Rontez | California (PA) | S | 4.62 | |
| Anthony, Marc | California | DB | 4.63 | |
| Vaccaro, Kenny | Texas | S | 4.63 | |
| Starling, Jawanza | USC | S | 4.64 | |
| Johnson, Josh | Purdue | DB | 4.65 | |
| Thomas, Phillip | Fresno St. | S | 4.65 | |
| Lester, Robert | Alabama | S | 4.66 | |
| Swearinger, D.J. | South Carolina | S | 4.67 | |
| Stafford, Daimion | Nebraska | S | 4.69 | |
| McDougald, Bradley | Kansas | S | 4.74 | |
| Jefferson, Tony | Oklahoma | S | 4.75 | |
| Motta, Zeke | Notre Dame | S | 4.83 | |
| Boyett, John | Oregon | S | – | |
| Cyprien, John | Florida International | S | – | |
| Hayden, D.J. | Houston | DB | – | |
| Rambo, Bacarri | Georgia | S | – | |
| Reid, Greg | Florida St. | DB | – | |
| Slaughter, Jamoris | Notre Dame | S | – | |
| Williams, Duke | Nevada | S | – |