Devin Funchess' Improved Speed at Pro Day Highlights Coveted NFL Versatility

The ability to create mismatches in the passing game is a very valuable commodity in today's NFL. 

During his career with the Michigan Wolverines, Devin Funchess served as a hybrid tight end/wide receiver with enough natural ability to intrigue NFL teams as a potential first-round target. 

With his size (6'4", 232 lbs) and position flexibility, Funchess owns the height and length to make him a tremendous short-yardage or red-zone target. Questions remain, though, about his overall speed and ability to separate once he reaches the next level. 

In an attempt to prove he can excel in multiple roles once in the NFL, the Michigan product needed to run much better at his school's pro day Thursday than he did at the combine in Indianapolis to warrant the level of hype that previously surrounded his draft status. 

He did. 

When Funchess was asked last month what position he preferred to play in the NFL at the combine, the early entrant responded, via The Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson, "I consider myself as a ballplayer."

However, no player came away with a more disappointing performance in the 40-yard dash portion of the event. 

Funchess added during his pre-workout media appearance, "I got sneaky speed. I get up under defenders real quick. It doesn’t look like I’m moving fast, but I cover ground."

Nothing was further from the truth. 

Forty wide receivers participated in the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. Funchess' 4.70-second timing was the worst of the bunch.

For comparison, former USC wide receiver Mike Williams, who was built similarly to Funchess at 6'5" and 229 pounds, ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash prior to the 2005 NFL draft. Even the Carolina Panthers' Kelvin Benjamin, who measured an inch taller and eight pounds heavier than Funchess during last year's combine, ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash. 

A move back to tight end seemed inevitable for Funchess.

It was absolutely vital that he improved upon his time in Indianapolis at Michigan's pro day to warrant first-round consideration, particularly as a wide receiver prospect.

He accomplished his goal, according to three different outlets. 

"Results are starting to trickle in from Michigan, and the big news is Devin Funchess, the No. 1 tight end on my board, unofficially timed in the 4.5s (4.53/4.52)," DraftInsider.net's Tony Pauline reported, via WalterFootball.com. 

The Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett later confirmed the earlier report: 

The school officially announced that Funchess was even a tick faster than initially anticipated: 

The reality is Funchess' actual speed falls somewhere between all of these reported results, starting with his performance at the combine to the impressive number posted by the university. 

After all, the times at pro days are all hand-timed. The latest results can still be encouraging for teams considering Funchess in the early rounds, though. Concerns over the massive target's ability to create space from defenders should be eased.

Instead of trying to find a favorable comparison between a former first-round wide receiver to run a 4.70-second 40-yard dash since the turn of the century (hint: there isn't any) and Funchess, teams can rely on the improved times measured in Ann Arbor. 

The option to convert him to tight end still exists, but it opens the door of possibilities.

Improved speed only makes Funchess a bigger mismatch, whether he's lined up at wide receiver or at tight end. Teams now have the option of choosing which he plays on a down-by-down basis instead of pigeonholing him into a particular position.

Concerns still linger beyond the former Wolverine's top-end speed. His overall route running and inconsistent hands are questionable. 

Both were addressed to varying degrees during the pro day. 

"I'm told Devin Funchess looked good catching the ball, which is no surprise," Pauline reported. "His route running was improved, but still needs a bit of work."

Improvements in both areas also build a stronger case for Funchess as a top prospect at whatever position he eventually plays. 

In a league that was rocked when the New Orleans Saints traded All-Pro Jimmy Graham, who spends more time lined up wide than as a traditional tight end, to the Seattle Seahawks, teams will envision using Funchess in a similar capacity. 

That versatility will once again place the Michigan product into the first-round conversation. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL draft for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.