For former Syracuse cornerback Tanard Jackson, four years of work will be shortened to 40 yards. It’s a bit more complicated than that, but Jackson is on the verge of the biggest job interview of his life.

What and where his job is will depend on how fast he runs 40 yards.

Jackson will participate in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, along with two other former SU players, linebacker Kelvin Smith and punter Brendan Carney. The combine features 327 of the top NFL Draft prospects. It started Wednesday and lasts until Tuesday. The NFL Draft is April 28-29 in New York City.

When the combine began in 1982, it was an event to ascertain medical information on prospects. It’s evolved into a crucial event that features physical and psychological tests in front of hoards of NFL coaches, general managers and scouts.

For most the players in the combine – and especially skill players like Jackson – no event is more important than the 40-yard dash.

‘It’s sad to say, but it is,’ Jackson said. ‘It’s been all over the news, on ESPN. It still comes down to how you play football, but right now, you’re judged by the 40.’

The 40-yard dash is a decisive event to scouts, used to quantify what’s often considered the most important physical characteristic among football players – speed.

Jackson is aiming to run the 40 in 4.4 seconds, a sacred number for skill-position players. Much of his draft worth right now is centered on his versatility. Jackson played safety at the Senior Bowl, a spot he’s capable of playing with his 6-foot-1, 193-pound frame. But most NFL cornerbacks – and certainly ones selected in the first rounds – are capable of running the 40 in 4.4. If Jackson runs 4.5 or worse, NFL teams might view him as primarily a safety.

‘Some teams are looking at me as a swing guy, some teams are looking at me as a safety, some teams are looking at me as a corner,’ Jackson said. ‘It just benefits me, my versatility. Plus, I think transition from corner to safety is easier than safety to corner.’

He’s been working at the Athletes’ Performance training facility in Carson, Calif., to chop the milliseconds off his 40 time, which is reported to be in the 4.5 range. The training has focused on core work, mainly on his abdominals. He’s been pulling a sled and working on 10-yard intervals of the dash because the 10-yard and 20-yard dashes are also measured.

‘As far as making the decisions, if he runs a 4.4, it’s great because he can play everywhere,’ said Anthony Slater, the performance manager at Athletes’ Performance. ‘If it’s a 4.5, he’s not that utility guy.’

The difference between a 4.4 and 4.5 is a mere tenth of a second, but it could be the difference between the first round, second round or third round – which amounts to millions of dollars.

‘The perception is there,’ Slater said of the difference between 4.4 and 4.5. ‘I’ve seen some great football players that ran 4.5. They just go a few picks lower.’

Slater said the combine preparations haven’t involved football, but instead have been like training a track and field runner. There are components of the running that can be taught or improved, like the start and the physical movement patterns.

‘A lot of guys who play football ran track and field,’ Jackson said. ‘I never ran track, never tried to run. So now I’m trying different techniques, putting your feet right up to you, push the ground up to you, little stuff like that that’s supposed to improve my time.’

Other events include the 10-yard dash, 20-yard dash, 225-pound bench-press repetitions, vertical jump, broad jump, 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drill. No where in there are actual football events.

‘This is a great event because it’s quantitative and gets people focused,’ Slater said. ‘But these guys are football players. That’s what they love.’

Jackson said after the 40-yard dash, the most important events for defensive backs are the vertical jump and the shuttle run. Jackson already has impressive height for a defensive back and a strong vertical will make him more desirable to teams in divisions that feature tall wide receivers. The shuttle run measures agility, important for defensive backs that must change directions quickly.

The combine also includes the Wonderlic test, a timed IQ exam given to prospects to try to quantify their decision making. NFL team representatives also meet one-on-one with the players in an attempt to evaluate their personalities.

‘Some teams disregard the Wonderlic, some teams pay attention to it,’ Jackson said. ‘It’s an important test, but you don’t need it in order to be a successful. (Tennessee Titans quarterback) Vince Young is a great example. He scored low and he was the best rookie quarterback.’

Jackson had experience with the Wonderlic and interviews with teams at the Senior Bowl. He also excelled during the practices leading up to the Senior Bowl and performed well in the game, which raised his stock and makes him SU’s most intriguing prospect.

It also shot him up some preliminary mock drafts. A few even have him in the first round, including Yahoo! Sports on Feb. 8, which listed Jackson at No. 30 to the San Diego Chargers. They’re all preliminary, though, and evaluations change after the combine.

‘I see one had me in the first round, I saw others that had me in the third and fourth,’ Jackson said. ‘I don’t pay much attention to that. It’s just the combine now. I’ll have a better idea after that.’

Published on February 21, 2007 at 12:00 pm