Aside from “Refrigerator” Perry, no NFL player succeeds entirely because of one skill or attribute. Nonetheless, one elite-level ability can change a career. Widespread expectations thought former Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride would improve his draft stock with such a showcase.
Not to make too much of what is still an amazingly-fast 40-yard dash, but Pride’s 4.40-second dash at the NFL combine on Sunday fell well short of those expectations, even if it was the fifth-fastest among all defensive backs in Indianapolis. Before ending his sprinting career in early 2019, Pride set a personal record in the 100-meter dash in May of 2018 with a 10.