Getty Former Penn State QB Trace McSorley
Although speed for a quarterback doesn’t necessarily equate to success at the NFL level, it certainly grabs attention. And former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley made headlines when he put his speed on display at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine in the 40-yard dash.
While McSorley had an up-and-down collegiate career with the Nittany Lions, there’s no denying that he improved as a runner over the years. Over his four-year career, the 6-foot signal-caller threw for 9,899 yards with 77 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. But as a runner, he improved his yardage, average and touchdowns in each of the final three years at Penn State.
McSorley’s time with the Nittany Lions wrapped up with 1,697 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns on the ground. Here’s a look at the breakdown of his year-by-year rushing marks, courtesy of Sports-Reference.
- 2016: 146 attempts, 365 yards (2.5 yards per carry), seven touchdowns
- 2017: 144 attempts, 491 yards (3.4 yards per carry), 11 touchdowns
- 2018: 170 attempts, 798 yards (4.7 yards per carry), 12 touchdowns
His speed was attention-grabbing over the years, but McSorley turned heads at the combine following his senior year by posting the fastest 40-yard dash time among quarterbacks.
Trace McSorley’s 40-Yard Dash Time Best at 2019 Combine
While a number of quarterbacks in the 2019 NFL Draft class failed to impress in the speed category, McSorley wasn’t one. As NFL.com shows, the former Penn State signal-caller posted a 4.57-second 40-yard dash, clocking in as the fastest of the group and .12 seconds faster than all but three quarterbacks in the class.
Behind McSorley was Buffalo’s Tyree Jackson (4.59 seconds), North Dakota State’s Easton Stick (4.62), Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald (4.64) and Missouri’s Drew Lock (4.69). While McSorley impressed in this area at the combine, the question becomes whether his game can transition to the NFL level.
We’re going to look at how the Penn State quarterback’s time stack up against some of the other NFL quarterbacks at the combine.
Trace McSorley’s 40-Yard Dash Time vs. Cam Newton, Other QBs
While Cam Newton is known for his ability to take off and run, he was a part of a draft class that was loaded with speed. The Carolina Panthers quarterback posted a 4.59-second 40-yard dash, clocking in just behind McSorley (who’s also five inches shorter and roughly 45-50 pounds lighter).
Even still, Newton’s time of 4.59 was impressive, but the 2011 class featured Tyrod Taylor (4.51), Colin Kaepernick (4.53) and Jake Locker (4.59), per NFL.com.
Although McSorley topped Newton’s speed, he wasn’t close to the fastest quarterbacks in combine history. As SB Nation’s David Fucillo pointed out, Michael Vick ran an official 4.33 but was clocked at 4.25 unofficially. Beyond that, Texas A&M’s Reggie McNeal ran a 4.35 and Robert Griffin III’s official time was 4.41 seconds.
McSorley’s speed was impressive, but obviously watching him showcase it on the field stands out even more than doing so in any drill. That may help the quarterback’s case when it comes to his future, as he made a number of big plays with his legs throughout his college career.
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