Tennessee Pro Day: Running Back John Kelly clocks a 4.5 in the 40 yard dash

There are a few questions about Tennessee running back John Kelly’s game and how it translates to the NFL. He’s undersized and doesn’t have that top end speed that makes scouts drool, but you won’t find anyone that runs harder in college football.

Kelly was able to answer one question today at Tennessee’s Pro Day, clocking a 4.5 in the 40 yard dash. That time was registered on his second attempt, with a 4.65 coming on his first attempt.

Some questions were raised at the NFL Combine when Kelly chose not to run, despite being healthy. And full disclosure here — Pro Day 40 times are notoriously kind to the prospect. I’ll be interested to see if any scouts leak out their time that they recorded. Kelly’s 4.5 is still considered to be unofficial at this point.

If the time does indeed stand, that’s a great time for him. Kelly has always been a guy that’s been quicker than fast — showing more burst and acceleration than top end. Once he gets into the league, I doubt anyone will care what time he put up during his pro day.

My full breakdown of Kelly is here.