Breaking News: Some People Think Dwayne Jarrett Is Too Slow

I can't blame USC's Dwayne Jarrett getting tired of the questions: "So, how does it feel to be really slow? And how much money do you think it will cost you on Draft Day." Alright, no one has asked him these specific questions, but he's heard every variation thereof.

Dwayne Jarrett doesn't understand it. He found the end zone 41 times during his three years at Southern California - the fourth-most for a receiver in NCAA history. But as the NFL draft approaches, all he has heard this spring are questions about his speed, or the perceived lack thereof.

Yeah, it's hard to dismiss 41 touchdowns, and I don't have a problem with Jarrett being slow (he ran a 4.62 and 4.67 in the forty at his Pro Day). Like he points out, Jerry Rice ran a 4.5-forty back in the day, and his NFL career turned out okay.

But it will be the question about Jarrett's speed -- specifically, his ability to get off the line of scrimmage -- that could haunt him on Draft Day. And then there are the endless -- and mindless -- comparisons to former USC Trojan, Mike Williams.

Williams was the 10th-overall pick of the Lions in 2005, but he has, to put it kindly, struggled in the NFL because he's slow-footed (though, I suspect, a lot of that has to do with being one of the league's fattest wideouts ... apparently, by design). I don't think Jarrett will "pull a Williams in the NFL," but I think he might have a tough time adjusting to the pro game. Not because he's slow, but because NFL teams often overvalue height and put too much emphasis on speed. I guess we'll see in three weeks.