Jaylen Waddle is a top NFL Draft WR. But without a 40 time, they're checking his GPS.

Jaylen Waddle didn't run the 40-yard run at Pro Day in Alabama because he still hadn't fully recovered from a broken ankle.

But anyone who's ever seen a soccer game knows that waddle is different. Waddle is one of the fastest, most exciting receivers in recent college history.

But for a team like the Dolphins, which holds the sixth overall win, it sure would be nice to have a 40 yard dash time on the waddle file. After all, this could be an important part of comparing with players like Ja'Marr Chase and Kyle Pitts.

This is where GPS comes in.

If Miami chooses Waddle, which could be a bit of a surprise given the attention, focus, hype and ink that has gone into Chase, Pitts and Heisman winner DeVonta Smith, it will surely be after an evaluation of the wearable, Wearable Technology Data from Alabama is happening.

What was Waddel's top game speed? What was Waddle's average game speed? How much has Waddle's average speed decreased from Quarter 1 to Quarter 4?

And what about exercise? What were Waddels Miles an Hour for Alabama Practices?

"Speaking to some teams in the league, Waddle had the fastest GPS of any receiver in the country," said Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network. "Don't fool your eyes when you're watching him. He's damn fast."

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Jeremiah admits that he cannot access all of the data stored by all of the top athletes in all of the top programs. Which teams receive how much information from which colleges is "mysterious," as he says.

What is no mystery is this: Chris Grier, general manager of Dolphins, and Brian Flores, trainer, have a positive relationship in every way with Nick Saban of Alabama. After all, Grier seems to take one Crimson Tide player every year.

And if Grier asks - nicely, of course - it can be stated that Alabama is likely to come up with some helpful analysis on Waddle and Smith and bring back Najee Harris, all of which the Dolphins are sure to consider.

"If I were to lead a team, I would be moving heaven and earth to make sure I had access to all of this information," said Jeremiah. "Because I don't think there is anything more valuable."

Looking at the top 15 receivers, as ranked by The Athletic's Dane Brugler, only two had non-40 yard hitting times on Pro Days. Those players are Waddle and Smith of Alabama who also chose not to run.

When looking at the top 15 running backs classified by Brugler, only one had not recorded a 40 yard dash time on his Pro Day. That was Najee Harris, the receding bama who hadn't fully recovered from an ankle injury.

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Everyone knows that Smith and Harris are pretty quick. However, having access to the in-game GPS information could really help Grier. He'll have the 40 yard dash info from Chase and Pitts and Travis Etienne of Clemson and Javonte Williams of North Carolina.

And there's a good chance he can access some tracking data from those programs too, as most Power 5 programs use similar technologies. Some teams even monitor how their athletes sleep! (We don't know how much of this information gets into the NFL teams before it is drafted.)

If Pitts is chosen by the Falcons with the fourth selection and Chase by the Bengals with the fifth selection, an internal Dolphins debate between Smith and Waddle would be fascinating.

Smith is silky smooth despite being only 170 pounds, an elite route runner and pass catcher and a Heisman winner.

Size isn't a positive for waddle either, as he's only 5-foot-9,180 pounds. But Waddle is one of the most dynamic playmakers of the last 10 drafts.

On the tap, Waddle reportedly covered 40 yards in 4.37 seconds before even stepping onto the Alabama campus. Former teammate Henry Ruggs ran a 4.27 in the last NFL Scouting Combine.

Ruggs, the fastest timed player, is said to have left Wadde behind only once in a race.

Get Waddle the ball in space - and Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa knows this all too well - and watch the magic happen.

Time and again, Waddle has been compared to Tyreek Hill of the Chiefs.

"He's able to make the same impact in the NFL," says Jeremiah. "Exceptional speed and playability."

Would Miami or could Miami pass on another Tyreek Hill?

"Exciting, breakthrough talent," said Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

"With his elite lateral agility, his view of the field and of course his top speed, I don't think there is a more dangerous player in the country holding the ball," said Todd McShay of ESPN.

Not only is Waddle an elite receiver - he drives great, deep distances and can bring slants and screens to the house - but he has the potential to be one of the best returnees in the NFL, which could add to his perceived worth.

Waddle also showed toughness and returned for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Hard Rock Stadium, though he was apparently not fully back from a broken right ankle that suffered in October 2020.

"Jaylen Waddle is a phenomenal player, a phenomenal competitor," said Alabama manager Nick Saban in October. “He's one of those guys, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan. You can make games when no one else can make the same game. "

When Saban compares any of his players to Iverson, Bryant and Jordan, you can be sure that Grier and Flores will listen. So it was no surprise they actively engaged Saban on the field at the Senior Bowl in Alabama.

For comparison: Jeremiah and Brugler each took Waddle one place ahead of Smith. McShay took Smith one place ahead of Waddle. ESPN's Mel Kiper has two slots ahead of Waddle for Smith.

Arguments can be made for either tide.

Brugler believes the waddle is a unique athlete with rotatable hips and a low center of gravity. According to Brugler, Waddle misses the players and switches between speeds masterfully.

"If the gas hits from his breaks," says Brugler. "Uses late explosiveness to destroy people and zone cover."

Without an NFL Scouting Combine this year, teams will rely more than ever on Pro Days information. However, there could be some inconsistencies in these tests, occurring in locations across the country and with different equipment.

And as is the case with Waddle, some top players have failed to show results for some tests, such as the 40-yard dash.

Any team capable of obtaining academic performance tracking information based on today's wearable technologies would have an advantage. In the case of Waddle, McShay believes it's pretty obvious what those results would show.

"Waddle didn't run a 40-yard run this spring because he has an ankle injury, but I don't need to see him to confirm what we all already know," said McShay. "He's a world class burner. He hits top speed very quickly and if he's there, good luck catching it. Waddle can get past high school and chases the deep ball very well."

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