We already knew Ali Marpet, an offensive lineman from Division III Hobart, departed the NFL Scouting Combine as one of its biggest winners. It appears he might have at least a little bit of spunk, too.
Marpet was asked Friday if he would beat Jameis Winston, who many project to go first overall in this year's draft, in a race.
"I think I'm going to edge him out," Marpet told CBS Sports Network's *Rome*. "I think I'd beat him."
Here's the thing -- it might sound like a bold prediction for a Division III offensive lineman to make, but it's not a stretch to think Marpet could do it.
Marpet clocked in at 4.98 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, the best time of any offensive lineman. Winston's time was just one one-hundredth of a second faster, at 4.97.
Marpet said he wanted to run a 4.90, so he might be capable of an even faster time.
Would an NFL team have cared if Marpet ran a split-second faster than Winston? No. It's a nice statement for Marpet to make about his athleticism, and he certainly helped himself with his combine performance, but no team is moving Winston down on the draft board because of his slow 40.
Winston, being a competitor, no doubt would want to beat Marpet in a head-to-head race, but that's not going to happen. Winston has probably run the last 40-yard dash of his career. He seems to be the frontrunner to emerge from the field of contenders and hear his name called first when the draft gets underway on April 30. That's the only competition he should be concerned about winning right now.
