If you watched any of the NFL combine this past weekend, you probably saw some of the 40-yard dashes. Wide receivers were on Saturday, and the standout was West Virginia's Kevin White. White, who's 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, ran the 40 in a blistering 4.35.

NFL.com's Dan Jeremiah says that enforces his view that White is the clear-cut No. 1 receiver in the draft. He compares him to Julio Jones.

Also impressing were Alabama wideout Amari Cooper, who ran a 4.42, and Louisville's DeVante Parker (4.45). All figure to be first-round picks. The overall wide receiver class might not be as strong as last year's, considered to be among the best ever, but there should be some NFL and fantasy stars in this one, as well.

Those 40 times, though, shouldn't be overestimated. We've seen plenty of recent examples of speedy wideouts who were drafted early but proved unable to translate that straight-line speed into NFL success. Some players are drafted too early, perhaps due to those 40 times. Stephen Hill and A.J. Jenkins leap to mind.

The table below shows the 40 times of all wide receivers selected in the first three rounds of the draft over the last five years. Among the hits at or near the top of those performers are T.Y. Hilton, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr. But there are a lot of what look like misses, too: Marquise Goodwin, Hill, Arrelious Benn.

The jury is still out on some of these players, but speed alone doesn't ensure difference-making NFL ability.

Wide receivers drafted in the first three rounds since 2010 are presented below, sorted by 40 times. Times denoted with an asterisk are for players who didn't run at the combine; they're from Pro Days or other workouts.

40s FROM DRAFTED WRs, 2010-2014 (ROUNDS 1-3)
YearRdPkPlayerCollege40 time
2013378Marquise GoodwinTexas4.27
201318Tavon AustinWest Virginia4.28
2012243Stephen HillGeorgia Tech4.28
2010239Arrelious BennIllinois4.28
2014120Brandin CooksOregon State4.31
2013129Cordarrelle PattersonTennessee4.33
2014245Paul RichardsonColorado4.33
2014390Donte MoncriefMississippi4.34
2014391John BrownPittsburg State (Kan.)4.34
2012369T.J. GrahamNorth Carolina State4.34
2012392T.Y. HiltonFlorida International4.34*
2013234Justin HunterTennessee4.36
2012130A.J. JenkinsIllinois4.37
2013259Aaron DobsonMarshall4.37*
2014112Odell Beckham Jr.Louisiana State4.38
201414Sammy WatkinsClemson4.39
201116Julio JonesAlabama4.39
2012368DeVier PoseyOhio State 4.39
2014256Cody LatimerIndiana4.39*
2012113Michael FloydNotre Dame4.4
2013379Markus WheatonOregon State4.4
2010390Taylor PriceOhio4.4
2010382Emmanuel SandersSouthern Methodist4.41
2013241Robert WoodsSouthern California4.42
2010260Golden TateNotre Dame4.42
2014239Marqise LeeSouthern California4.43
2011258Torrey SmithMaryland 4.43
2011379Leonard HankersonMiami4.43
2014242Jordan MatthewsVanderbilt4.44
201417Mike EvansTexas A&M4.46
2011264Randall CobbKentucky4.46
2014386Josh HuffOregon4.46
2013392Stedman BaileyWest Virginia4.46
2011383Jerrel JerniganTroy (Ala.)4.46
2010388Andre RobertsThe Citadel (S.C.)4.46
201215Justin BlackmonOklahoma State4.46*
2012245Alshon JefferySouth Carolina4.47*
2013374Terrance WilliamsBaylor4.48
2012120Kendall WrightBaylor4.49
201114A.J. GreenGeorgia4.5
2011126Jon BaldwinPittsburgh4.5
2012233Brian QuickAppalachian State (N.C.)4.5
2013127DeAndre HopkinsClemson4.51
2010122Demaryius ThomasGeorgia Tech4.52*
2010124Dez BryantOklahoma State4.52*
20122suppJosh GordonBaylor4.52*
2011244Titus YoungBoise State4.53
2011259Greg LittleNorth Carolina4.53
2010377Damian WilliamsSouthern California4.53
2010387Eric DeckerMinnesota4.54*
2012263Rueben RandleLouisiana State4.55
2014253Davante AdamsFresno State4.56
2014261Allen RobinsonPenn State4.57
2010384Jordan ShipleyTexas4.57
2012254Ryan BroylesOklahoma4.57*
2010236Dexter McClusterMississippi4.58
2013376Keenan AllenCalifornia4.58*
2010378Brandon LaFellLouisiana State4.59
2014128Kelvin BenjaminFlorida State4.61
2011378Austin PettisBoise State4.61
2012383Mohamed SanuRutgers 4.62
2011382Vincent BrownSan Diego State4.71
2014263Jarvis LandryLouisiana State4.77

--Andy Richardson