Chris Jones may be the sausage king of Indianapolis, but John Ross officially is the king of speed at the Scouting Combine.
The former Washington receiver’s unofficial 4.22-second 40-yard dash has become official, giving Ross the distinction of being the fastest man to ever cover 120 feet in the stadium where the Colts play. Ross broke the record set nine years ago by Chris Johnson, who parlayed a 4.24-second 40 time into a first-round selection in the draft.
Adidas had concocted a goofy “free island” contest for any player who set the all-time record, but Ross was wearing Nike shoes. Which means that he wasn’t eligible for the more-trouble-than-it-would-have-been-worth award.
Ross suffered cramps during the run and participated in no further drills. There’s really nothing more he needs to do to prove his speed.
The bigger question is whether Ross can play. Of the players with the five fastest times in Combine history -- Ross, Johnson, Dri Archer (4.26 seconds), Jerome Mathis (4.26 seconds), Marquise Goodwin (4.27 seconds), Stanford Routt (4.27 seconds), and Tyrone Calico (4.27 seconds) -- only Johnson’s play was ever as impressive as his wheels.