Incoming freshmen have started arriving at Big 12 campuses for the summer, taking part in offseason strength and conditioning programs as well as 7-on-7 work with teammates, an especially important exercise for spread offenses popular in the Big 12.
Wide receiver Ra'Shaad Samples signed with Oklahoma State last February as the nation's No. 19 receiver, No. 166 overall recruit and the Cowboys highest-ranked signee of the 2013 class, but just a few months later, he's already turned a few heads when he announced via Twitter that he'd run a 4.32 40-time in summer workouts. He got some corroboration on the social networking site when starting quarterback (probably) Clint Chelf congratulated him and said in addition to running the 4.32 40, he "balled out" in a scrimmage.
Now, spare me your arguments on the faulty times we constantly see on 40s. I agree with you. It's silliness. Samples did not run a 4.32, no matter what the stopwatches in Stillwater tell you. The only times I truly trust are those at the NFL combine, and Samples' 4.32 would have been faster than all but Texas' Marquise Goodwin at last Feburary's combine in Indianapolis. That means guys like Tavon Austin, Denard Robinson and others would be left in Samples' dust. I don't buy it.
Still, to quabble over tenths of seconds is even sillier. Samples is clearly fast, and he claimed the time was the fastest ever for a freshman in Oklahoma State history. I believe that, but cornerback Justin Gilbert, who'll get a shot of his own at next year's combine, chimed in on Twitter with a little smack talk that one can only assume was directed at Samples.
"Might i add...we didnt run fortys when we came in as freshmen lol," Gilbert tweeted.
Gilbert's a guy with a case as the fastest man in the Big 12, an informal title that Baylor receiver Tevin Reese and Kansas State WR/KR Tyler Lockett all have a claim to, but I'd love to see Oklahoma State settle this at some point in fall camp. Maybe a little after practice showdown?
I joked on Twitter earlier this week that if Oklahoma State set up and hyped the event, it could bring in at least 2,500 fans at a dollar a pop. The general consensus I got from OSU fans was that number was way, way low.
Either way, I'd love to see it happen. Samples vs. Gilbert. Who you got?