Athletes at the NFL Combine get bigger, faster, and stronger every year. But Kevin O’Connell, who participated in the 2008 Combine and was a third-round pick by the New England Patriots in that draft, can hold bragging rights over the Minnesota Vikings quarterback room.
O’Connell joined Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah in the NFL Network broadcast booth for the Combine on Thursday. Highlights of O’Connell running his 40-yard dash and throwing passes to receivers in 2008 were shown.
Jeremiah asked O’Connell if anyone in the Vikings’ quarterback room had a better 40-time than O’Connell’s time of 4.61 seconds. O’Connell replied that no one does. Although J.J. McCarthy may think he can run faster than him, O’Connell said, “These guys all get advised not to run [the 40-yard dash]. And that’s the risk you run, [which is] possibly having a coach who put down an official time right in front of everybody to see in this hypothetical. We don’t deal in hypotheticals.”
It’s true. McCarthy has shown off his speed in-game before, but the only tests he participated in during the Combine were the 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle. He also participated in throwing drills to receivers.
So until McCarthy does an official laser-timed 40-yard dash, O’Connell will continue to hold the title of “fastest quarterback in the room” over his signal callers in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Kevin O’Connell leads the Vikings QB room when it comes to one test