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NFL combine 2014: Ka'Deem Carey slow in 40-yard dash

The Arizona football running back didn't help the perception of speed being his biggest weakness.

Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Wildcats running back Ka'Deem Carey ran a 4.62 and 4.65 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine, a disappointing number for a player whose only on-field knock is his breakaway speed.

The former Arizona running back measured in just shy of 5-foot-9 and at 207 pounds, but Washington's Bishop Sankey, who is two pounds heavier and the same height, ran his 40-yard dash in 4.47, unofficially.

Carey even struggled to separate himself in pass-catching drills.

In general, NFL teams will red flag Carey, and it could cost him a round if he continues struggling. The combine results and his off-the-field run-ins won't help him head-to-head with the best backs. But the game tape doesn't lie. While Carey struggled with breakaway speed and his longer runs were helped by the Wildcats' spread attack, his strength lie in his vision, ability to make the correct cut quickly and then in gaining yards after contact.

CBS Sports' Rob Rang says Sunday will hurt Carey's positioning in the draft, but like De'Anthony Thomas failing to break 4.5 seconds, it's not telling of how fast he plays on the field.

The 5-09, 207 pound back's staggeringly slow time will certainly drop his draft stock, though he plays much faster than this workout indicates. He's an instinctive, determined runner with good quickness whose soft hands and grit as a pass blocker make him a weapon on all three downs.