If So Many Players Are Faster Than Devin Hester, Why Can't They Catch Him?

It's always fun when you watch a rookie who's having a great year to go back and read what people were saying about him before the draft. It was certainly accurate to describe Bears kick returner Devin Hester, who scored his fifth (UPDATE: and sixth) touchdown of the year tonight, as a "tremendously explosive natural athlete who is a legitimate big-play threat every time he touches the ball." That's what Russ Lande, founder of GM Jr., wrote on NFL.com.

But I'm more interested in Hester's 40 time, which is listed as 4.51. Here is an incomplete list of players listed as having a faster 40 time than Hester: Marcus Hudson, Daniel Bullocks, Manny Lawson, Josh Lay, Will Blackmon, Marcus Vick, Thomas Howard, Todd Watkins, Jeff Webb, Jonathan Orr, Vernon Davis, Maurice Jones-Drew, Jimmy Williams, Reggie McNeal. Lawson and Howard are linebackers. Davis is a tight end. Are they really faster than Hester?

If they are, then Hester is only the latest player to show that straight-line speed over 40 yards isn't the most meaningful way to judge a college player. Every team passed on Hester before the Bears chose him on draft day this year. Now a whole lot of teams are learning what it's like to get passed by Hester on the field.