INDIANAPOLIS -- The big guys can move, too.
After the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine participants at wide receiver scorched the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium with an unparalleled display of speed on Thursday night, the offensive line group made history of its own a day later. Twelve O-linemen posted a sub-5.0-second time in the 40-yard dash on Friday, which is by far the most players at the position to accomplish the feat in the NFL Network era (since 2003). That's twice as many as the previous high (six in 2013), per NFL Research.
The top time of the night among O-linemen belonged to Kentucky's Dare Rosenthal, who clocked a 4.88. Coming in just a beat slower than him were Arizona State's Kellen Diesch, Tulsa's Chris Paul and Northern Iowa's Trevor Penning, who each ran a 4.89.
N.C. State offensive tackle Ickey Ekwonu finished tied for seventh with a time of 4.93 seconds. NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranks him as the No. 2 overall player in this year's draft class. He lived up to his billing, impressing NFL.com draft analyst Bucky Brooks with his performance.
Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal -- who is currently projected to be the draft's first overall pick by both Brooks and Jeremiah -- declined to work out at the combine and will wait to test at the Crimson Tide's pro day on March 30.
