Getty Cordarrelle Patterson of the Chicago Bears
Three-time All-Pro Cordarrelle Patterson has been a bit of a journeyman in his seven NFL seasons. He has played for the Vikings, Raiders, Patriots, and now, he suits up for the Chicago Bears.
Drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft (29th overall), Patterson has become one of the league’s best and most consistent kickoff returners, and his skills on the defensive side of special teams earned him second-team All-Pro honors in 2019, as well. Bears’ head coach Matt Nagy has also incorporated Patterson into the team’s offense, sparingly, but with dynamic results:
Cordarrelle Patterson ran past a lotttttt of Cowboys defenders on this play
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Cordarrelle Patterson breaks past the defense for 46 yards! @ceeflashpee84 #CHIvsDEN
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Patterson’s speed is one of his best assets as a player, and it’s a huge part of what makes him so dangerous. Here’s a look back at his 2013 NFL Combine performance, which may have helped him get drafted in the first round that year.
Cordarrelle Patterson’s 40-Yard Dash: Has the All-Pro Returner Gotten Faster With Age?
GettyCordarrelle Patterson of the Chicago Bears carries the ball against the defense of the Dallas Cowboys during the game at Soldier Field on December 05, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Patterson ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the 2013 NFL Combine. He reached just over 18.5 mph. Patterson was sixth among all wide receivers in the 40-yard dash at the combine, behind the likes of Marquise Goodwin (4.27) and Kenny Stills (4.38). What may be the most impressive thing in regard to Patterson’s speed is his size. He is 6’2″ and he weighs 238 pounds. Stills is an inch shorter and 30 lbs. lighter, while Goodwin is 5’9″ and 180 pounds, so to have such speed at his size is quite rare.
By comparison, Patterson’s current fleet-footed teammate, Tarik Cohen (who is 5-foot-6 and 191 pounds), also ran a 4.42 40-yard dash.
In his draft assessment after the combine in 2013, NFL.com wrote about Patterson: “From the first game Patterson showed his versatility by making plays from a variety of alignments … he should be one of this class’ top playmakers. He should be a first-round selection and could be the first receiver off the board.”
While Patterson reached speeds over 18 mph at the 2013 NFL Combine, he has seemingly gotten faster. Just last season, on a run against the Denver Broncos Week 2, Patterson was clocked at 22.23 mph, which was the fastest speed an NFL player had been clocked at since 2016.
He is tied for 10th all-time for the fastest speed ever recorded by a ball carrier.
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