The Scouting Combine doesn’t solely rely on stopwatches for timing players; it also incorporates chips worn by every player to track their speed during drills.
Last year, this player tracking data shed light on the abilities of Puka Nacua, a relatively unknown receiver from BYU. Despite being a fifth-round pick by the Rams, Nacua emerged as the most productive rookie receiver in NFL history.
Nacua’s performance in traditional athleticism tests, like the 40-yard dash, wasn’t outstanding; he clocked in at 4.57 seconds. However, the player tracking data revealed that he was the fastest receiver in the gauntlet drill, reaching a top speed of 20.06 mph, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
This insight indicated that Nacua played faster than his recorded speed, a notion he proved throughout his rookie season.
This year, Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman displayed traits similar to Nacua’s. Despite a lackluster 40-yard dash time of 4.61 seconds, Coleman excelled in the gauntlet drill, reaching an impressive speed of 20.36 mph—faster than Nacua’s record from the previous year.
Coleman reached the second-fastest speed among wide receivers in his group while running a go route, hitting 21.71 mph.
While the player tracking data is relatively new, its correlation to NFL success is still being studied. However, it suggests that players who demonstrate elite speed in drills resembling on-field actions may outperform those who excel only in straight-line speed tests.
In hindsight, teams may regret not placing more emphasis on Nacua’s player tracking data over his stopwatch time. Coleman hopes teams will take note of this during this year’s draft.
