Just how fast is DK Metcalf? He will test himself against elite track athletes Sunday
SEATTLE – It’s no secret that Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf is one of the fastest players in the NFL.
But is he really one of the fastest athletes in the country?
Metcalf is going to put that question to the test this weekend.
According to a report Monday from NBC Sports, Metcalf is entered in the 100-meter dash Sunday at the USATF (USA Track & Field) Golden Games and Distance Open at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California.
NBC would know because it is televising the event live at 1:30 p.m. (He was listed as officially entered Monday afternoon).
Seattle’s star receiver appeared to confirm his participation in the meet with a cryptic tweet Monday that showed him dropping a pair of cleats on a track and Sunday’s date.
NBC Sports reported that it is unclear if Metcalf is legitimately attempting to qualify for the Summer Olympics, stating that “Metcalf’s reported NFL agent has not responded to messages seeking an answer over the last week.”
NBC noted that Metcalf clocked a top speed of 22.64 mph when he memorably tracked down former University of Washington and Bellevue High star Budda Baker following an interception at Arizona last October.
In fact, a tweet from Ashley Mitchell, who handles marketing and communications for USATF, stated that Metcalf’s interest in taking part in the event was piqued when USATF tweeted in response to Metcalf’s chasedown of Baker that all NFL players were welcome to come “test their speed against real speed” at the Olympic Trials.
Metcalf had the fifth-best time in the 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL combine, clocked in 4.33 seconds (a time that was third among all receivers).
But as the NBC story noted, Metcalf did not compete in track in college at Mississippi and was a hurdler in high school and not a primarily a sprinter, though he did take part on 400 and 800 relay teams that set school records.
Individually, Metcalf set school records at Oxford High with a 14.64-second time in the 110 high hurdles and a triple jump of 46 feet, 5 inches, and was the runner-up at the state meet in each event.
But, as NBC Sports noted, if Metcalf wants to qualify for the trials in the 100 he would likely have to break 10.2 seconds, with a legal tail wind of no more than two meters per second.
NBC stated a 10.05 automatically qualifies for trials, a time that 15 United States runners currently have achieved. The NBC story stated the field would likely be filled out to get to 32 entries overall and that in 2016, a 10.16 earned a place at the trials.
More importantly for the Seahawks, Metcalf is one of three Seattle receivers who have timed 4.4 or better in the 40. Tyler Lockett had a 4.4 time in the 40 at the NFL combine while D’Wayne Eskridge – drafted in the second round Friday – had a clocking of 4.38 at his pro day at Western Michigan earlier this year.