Speed would not appear to be an issue for Chiefs rookie running back Knile Davis. After all, we’re talking about someone timed at 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard-dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
However, Chiefs running backs coach Eric Bieniemy reportedly believes Davis can become even faster on the field.
As Davis told KCChiefs.com, it comes down to arm movement. Bieniemy, Davis said, has encouraged the rookie tailback to focus on “keeping my arms pumping.”
Said Davis: ". . . I had a tendency, when I first got here, to drop my arms and I would slow down, but he’s shown me little techniques to help me get out of my cut, run faster, how to stretch the field and showing me the different concepts of why I’m doing it; not only did he tell me the detail and correct it, but he let me know why I’m doing it and I put it all together.
“The NFL is big on knowing what you need to do and knowing why.”
One more obvious area in which is Davis can improve is his ball security. He fumbled 13 times in less than 400 career touches at Arkansas, per Pro Football Weekly’s 2013 Draft Preview. The hunch here is that if Davis wants to show he’s increased his speed, he’ll first need to show he will hold onto the ball.