Demani Richardson 40 time: What time did he run at the NFL Combine?

Demani Richardson 40 time: Aggie DB gets his chance to run the 40 at the NFL Combine

A mainstay of the Jimbo Fisher era of Texas A&M football, Demani Richardson finally exhausted his eligibility after this previous year. Richardson started even from the first year he was on campus, showing his skills starting in the 2019 season. A highlight for him that year was picking off Tua Tagovailoa in the end zone at Kyle Field—a feat he would replicate against the Tide in what ended up being a much more consequential play two years later.

As I mentioned, Richardson was a mainstay of the lineup for the Aggies. In these final two years, however, there were some fans who felt that he had taken a step back under Durkin. It could be true that his playstyle fits Elko better, but he still was a key player for a suffocating Aggie pass defense in 2022.

Now NFL-bound, Richardson has joined McKinnley Jackson, Layden Robinson, Ainais Smith, and Edgerrin Cooper up in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine this weekend. Richardson had his turn at the 40-yard dash, putting in a time of 4.60 flat. That’s not exactly blazing fast for a defensive back, but speed was never Richardson’s biggest selling point.

If Demani is selected in the NFL draft, it will primarily be for his versatility. He’s a heavy hitter and aggressive tackler, playing well up against the run. He’s an in-the-box safety; a guy who can play hard against running backs coming downhill, but with better coverage skills than a linebacker. As a guy who projects to a specific utility like that, a lower 40 time isn’t the end of things.

Of course, if he had run in the mid 4.4s, then the horizons for his role would immediately have been broadened. It may end up that way anyway, but NFL teams may not see that at first.