INDIANAPOLIS — Official 40-yard dash times for wide receivers have been filed, and Abilene Christian’s Edmond Gates and Fort Valley State’s Ricardo Lockette clocked in as the best of the bunch at 4.37 seconds. That type of speed impacts draft stock for two guys coming out of less-hyped programs, but 40 speed doesn’t always matter.

“That’s going to get my attention, but I’m going to look at the tape to see if that translates,” NFL Network analyst Brian Billick said Sunday. “I’d much rather have a hurdler, because that’s explosion.”

Wide receivers were put on red alert when Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor knocked out an unofficial 4.45 time, good enough to equal Tennessee WR Denarius Moore‘s official time.

Highly touted Georgia WR A.J. Green, considered by many to be a top 10 pick in this April’s NFL Draft, clocked a 4.5. Alabama WR Julio Jones, also a potential first-round choice, was much faster, at 4.39.

Here’s the top times:

1t. Gates: 4.37
1t. Lockette: 4.37
3. Jones: 4.39
4t. Leonard Hankerson, Miami: 4.43
4t. Al Robinson, SMU: 4.43
4t. Torrey Smith, Maryland: 4.43
7. Joe Morgan, Walsh: 4.44
8. Moore: 4.45

– Marc Sessler

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