Why it matters: For wide receivers and running backs, breakaway speed can be the difference between a modest gain and a game-changing play. A measurable combination that NFL evaluators pay close attention to for cornerbacks is length (height and arms) and 40 speed. Safety is another position to keep an eye on, particularly for players who will be asked to cover a lot of ground in the deep middle of the field. The chart below shows the most desirable times, the average combine times over the past five years and the times that should raise a red flag for evaluators.

Past standout: Saints WR Brandin Cooks. This is a good example of a player who looked fast on tape coming out of Oregon State and showed off his speed in the 40. He ran a 4.33 prior to being drafted in the 2014 first round. That is tied for the fourth-fastest WR time of the past five combines. Cooks’ speed has certainly transitioned to the NFL. He tied for the league lead last season with six catches of more than 40 yards.

Impact of WR Mike Williams not running the 40

Mike Williams not running the 40 a ‘red flag’

The NFL Insiders questions WR Mike Williams’ decision not to run 40-yard dash because it won’t alleviate concerns about his top level speed.

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The Champions League has proved profitable for us so far, and we stayed scorching hot in the Premier League over the weekend.

Now, in what is one of the most anticipated weeks of the club calendar thus far given the quality of matches, let’s keep the momentum going.

Bayern Munich (-120) at Chelsea (+275), Draw (+300)

Chelsea picked up a crucial win Saturday over Tottenham to improve their top-four chances. Tuesday provides a massive step up in quality though, and I think the reputation of the Premier League – which is in the midst of a down year – is baked into this line. The Blues have made good progress under Frank Lampard, but they’re not ready to contend with a club like Bayern Munich just yet, especially on the back end.

Chelsea’s leaky defense is going to have a miserable time up against Bayern’s attack, which scored 24 goals in six group matches, including 10 in two games against Spurs. Die Roten are in top form and should simply have too much for the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

Pick: Bayern Munich (-120)

Barcelona (+120) at Napoli (+210), Draw (+250)

Napoli remain one of the more underappreciated squads on the continent and have a real chance to make a statement. The Partenopei have lost just once from 12 Champions League matches over the last two campaigns – a narrow 1-0 defeat at Anfield last season in a match where they deserved at least a point. They drew at Anfield in November and beat Liverpool in September at Stadio San Paolo, where they will be playing Tuesday night.

Barcelona’s road results have underwhelmed of late, and they were hardly convincing outside of Camp Nou during the group stage. Additionally, the Blaugrana have just one win from their last eight Champions League knockout matches away from home (two draws, five defeats). Their name power has a significant influence on this line, but Napoli are legitimate Champions League contenders this season and deserve much more respect.

Pick: Draw (+250)

Juventus (-120) at Lyon (+320), Draw (+260)

As much as I struggle to see Barcelona leaving the San Paolo with a win, the same is true of Juventus at Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday. The Bianconeri were nearly perfect in the group stage – Hector Herrera’s equalizer at the Wanda Metropolitano being all that denied them a 6-0-0 record – but a trip to Lyon poses a tough task for Maurizio Sarri’s side.

Lyon are unbeaten in their last eight Champions League home matches, including impressive draws against Barcelona and Manchester City last season. The atmosphere in Lyon will be typically intimidating and should provide Rudi Garcia’s side with an enormous advantage. A 1-1 draw is enough to leave Juventus feeling comfortable heading back to Turin for the second leg, and it’s a result that Les Gones will likely settle for as well.

Pick: Draw (+260)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

Note: This story was originally published April 3, 2019.

From surgeons to pilots to carpenters, mechanics and baristas, every profession has its own language. For the next 22 days, the lingo of the NFL draft will be all over the airwaves as analysts, scouts and fans define the difference between Greedy Williams and Quinnen Williams.

For those doing the drafting and scouting, the lingo is useful.

“It’s because you look at all these [NFL draft prospects] over and over again and you’re trying grade them, stack them, separate one from the other,” former Titans general manager Floyd Reese said. “The best guys at doing it can describe what they mean, why one guy is different or why they remind them of somebody else. You hear it all and then you know right then exactly what they mean.”

The Basics | Obscenity-based | The Secret Menu

Some are well-worn classics; some are so unique only one native speaker is still using them. In preparation for the draft, here’s the ESPN Abridged Draft Glossary.

2 Related

The Basic Terms

Alligator arms (n., al’i-ga’ter arms): From the American alligator (Alligatoridae mississippiensis), which has an average size of 13 feet and 790 pounds. Because of their short legs, these reptiles’ bodies barely move above the ground. In the NFL, the term refers to a specimen who won’t extend his arms for a catch for fear of injury. The less common but still funny synonym: T-rex arms.

See also: someone who won’t reach for the check

Bend and burst (adj., bend and burst): The bend is what a pass-rusher does when turning the corner on an offensive lineman. The burst is the speed to close the deal. It combines a rusher’s flexibility and leverage with speed.

Body catcher (n., bod e kach ‘er): Holden Caulfield heard a song “if a body catch a body …” so maybe that’s where draft analysts got this term for a receiver who pins the ball against his body instead of catching with his hands. Then again, Holden got the song wrong.

Antonym: hands catcher

Bubble (n., bub el): The rear, derriere, can, rump, etc. Likely shortened from bubble butt or its derivatives, especially for big guys who move with power. The term “bubble” is used, according to scouts, so scouts and executives can avoid saying “ass” a lot in meetings.

Catch tackler (n., kech tack’ler): A defender whose tackling strategy is to let a ball carrier run into him and hope he falls.

Click and close (adj., klik en klos): From the Dutch for click. The ability to go backward, then forward quickly. An essential skill for defensive backs spending their professional careers doing this cha-cha in cleats.

Cow on ice (n., kow on is): Picture a cow. Now put that cow on ice and make it move. Hilarious. It’s a player with no balance who spends a lot of time falling and getting up.

Downhill runner (n., down hil run ‘er): Almost exclusively used for running backs. A ball carrier who can power through tackles while almost falling forward and also having the speed to score.

See also: north-south runner; good lean

Fluid hips (adj., floo id hips): Every human has hips with fluid. That’s just anatomy. But some players have more to go around. These liquidy joints allow them to change directions quickly.

See also: oily hips

Antonym: tight hips

Glass-eater (n., glas eder): A bad dude. The rest of us might just be avocado toast eaters, or avocado ice cream eaters in Tom Brady’s case, but these guys literally eat glass to get ready for NFL games and that makes them extra, extra tough. Usually reserved for offensive linemen.

See also: plays with a mean streak

Go-home gear (n., go-hom gir): The fastest possible speed. The ball carrier whose speed immediately separates him once he has the ball.

See also: extra gear; Deion Sanders

Hands catcher (n., hand kech ‘er): Self-explanatory. Reserved for receivers. It’s a player who, according to draftniks, “snatches” the pass with his hands.

Antonym: body catcher

Heavy hands (adj, v., hev e hands): See violent hands.

J.A.G. (n., jag): In a world searching for exceptional people, this ain’t you. Only a handful of prospects in any NFL draft will be among football’s 1 percenters. You might be nice. A pillar of the community. Maybe even a contributor to an NFL team. But when measured against draft elites, you have been deemed Just A Guy.

Tight hips (adj., tit hips): See: hips, fluid.

Violent hands (adj., v., vi-elent hands): From the Latin violentus. Not just normal hands, but just like it sounds, it’s a player whose hands are powerful enough to move people where he wants with the initial impact.

See also: good punch; active hands