Gator Back Jeffrey Demps: The Fastest Player in Football?

The NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships began today in Eugene, Oregon.  On display to tracks fans is the debated fastest player in football.  

Florida running back Jeffrey Demps will begin qualifying for the 100 meters finals today, looking to break his seasonal personal best of 10.06.

In 2010, Demps will share carries with fellow Gators Chris Rainey, and Emmanuel Moody. Why the 5-8', 183 pound athlete doesn't recieve more touches is beyond me.  

In 2008, he ran for 605 yards on 78 carries with seven touchdowns, and an eye-catching 7.8 yards per carry average.

Last season, Demps totaled 745 yards on 99 carries with seven touchdowns, and only a 7.5 yards per carry average.

Demps has been officially clocked at 4.23 in the forty-yard dash. In comparison, former LSU Tiger Trindon Holliday ran a 4.27. The fastest man in the NFL ,Chris Johnson, was timed at 4.24 during the 2008 NFL combine. The 4.23 of Demps makes him one of the fastest football players in the country.

Official electronically timing didn't take place until 1999, leaving former greats Darrell Green, Deion Sanders and countless others in the unofficial category of this group.

Reportedly, Green ran an unofficial time of 4.09 in the forty yard dash. Other notable times at the combine include a 4.24 by Rondel Melendez, a 4.29 by Philadelphia receiver DeSean Jackson, and a 4.31 by San Francisco receiver Teddy Ginn Jr.

With human error, different running surfaces, and the advances in technology all of these times could be questioned. Without a fictional forty yard dash with all of these players in the primes of their careers, the title of fastest man in football will never be crowned.