CeeDee Lamb 40 time: How fast did the Cowboys' WR run the 40-yard dash?
By Jerry Trotta
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is one of the most unique talents in the NFL regardless of position. Lamb led the league with 135 catches last season and finished second only to Tyreek Hill in receiving yards.
What makes Lamb's numbers all the more impressive is that he ranked 16th in yards per catch amongst receivers who saw at least 100 targets, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). While Lamb is certainly capable of taking the top off of defenses, he's elite at winning off the snap against press coverage and picking up yards after the catch.
Lamb burns secondaries with the ball in his hands on a weekly basis, and that has led to a common question among Cowboys fans: just how fast is the All-Pro wideout? He's no Tyreek Hill, but Lamb has plenty of giddy-up. Believe it or not, though, his 40 time was regarded as a huge letdown before the 2020 draft.
Lamb ran an official 4.51 40-yard dash at the 2020 combine. That could explain why Lamb fell to the Cowboys in the middle of the first round.
Where CeeDee Lamb's 40 time ranked among wide receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft
The 2020 draft might go down as one of the best wide receiver drafts in NFL history. In addition to Lamb, it produced Justin Jefferson, Brandon Aiyuk, Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman and Jerry Jeudy. Of that group, Lamb, Jefferson, Aiyuk and Jeudy all went in the first round.
Incredibly, Lamb's 4.51 40-yard dash didn't crack the top 10 for wide receivers. Here is how his time compared to his peers.
Player | 40 time | Draft by |
|---|---|---|
Chase Claypool | 4.42 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Justin Jefferson | 4.43 | Minnesota Vikings |
John Hightower | 4.43 | Philadelphia Eagles |
Jerry Jeudy | 4.45 | Denver Broncos J |
Jalen Reagor | 4.47 | Philadelphia Eagles |
Donovan Peoples-Jones | 4.48 | Cleveland Browns |
Brandon Aiyuk | 4.50 | San Francisco 49ers |
CeeDee Lamb | 4.51 | Dallas Cowboys |
It's worth noting that Henry Ruggs, Quez Watkins, Denzel Mims, Darnell Mooney, Devin Duvernay and Antonio Gibson all ran the 40 in under 4.4 seconds. When accounting for all wide receivers, Lamb's 40-time placed 14th. Fortunately, the Cowboys recognized that straight-line speed wasn't Lamb's game at Oklahoma.
Where CeeDee Lamb's 40 time ranks among star NFL wide receivers
Player | 40 time |
|---|---|
Tyreek Hill | 4.29s |
D.K. Metcalf | 4.33s |
Jaylen Waddle | 4.37s |
Ja'Marr Chase | 4.38s |
A.J. Brown | 4.49s |
CeeDee Lamb | 4.51s |
Amon-Ra St. Brown | 4.51s |
Davante Adams | 4.53s |
While Lamb's 40 time was considered underwhelming, it's noteworthy that only five big-time receivers recorded a faster sprint. Lamb even posted middling numbers in the 20 and 10-yard splits and his vertical and broad jumps weren't overly impressive. It just goes to show that the combine shouldn't be the be-all end-all when projecting a player's NFL potential.
Lamb is the latest piece of evidence that the 40-yard dash really doesn't matter when it comes to evaluating superstar players.
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