Dylan McCaffrey’s speed a topic of conversation at NFL Combine

It remains to be seen who will be Michigan’s starting quarterback in 2020, but whoever it is will be a dual threat QB. All three quarterbacks vying for the job (Dylan McCaffrey, Joe Milton, Cade McNamara) have a good amount of speed to their game.

At the NFL Combine, McCaffrey was mentioned by former Michigan cornerback Lavert Hill as one of the fastest players on the Wolverines roster.

Per The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, “Lavert Hill said today that, off the top of his head, there might have been 10 players at Michigan last year faster than Dylan McCaffrey. But not more than that.”

While 2019 starter Shea Patterson could extend plays with his legs and ran a 4.67 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine on Thursday night, McCaffrey’s speed appears to be at a higher level. McCaffrey hasn’t received a lot of live game reps, but someone like Hill who practiced against McCaffrey day in and day out would fully know his capabilities.

Even with a limited amount of reps the past two seasons, McCaffrey has still been able to rack up some of the most explosive runs we’ve seen from a Michigan ball carrier during the Harbaugh era. During that timeframe, McCaffrey has rushed 23 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns, a total that would have been 75 yards greater if his long scamper versus Nebraska in 2018 wasn’t called back.

Having impressive speed is a dangerous weapon to have in an arsenal, but for McCaffrey to reach his full potential he’ll have to continue fine-tuning his craft as a passer, something he’s surely working real hard on right now.

It’ll be an exciting quarterback competition this spring, but as it stands right now, it sounds like McCaffrey has the edge in the speed department and the rest will be determined in the days ahead.