HOOVER, Ala. -- If the tales of Jadeveon Clowney's athleticism weren't already the stuff of legend, the star South Carolina defensive end took the buzz to a new level on Tuesday.
Clowney told assembled reporters at Southeastern Conference Media Days that he was timed at 4.46 in the 40-yard dash recently. For a pass rusher whose playing weight stays around 270 pounds, that sort of 40 time would raise eyebrows all over the NFL scouting community. It's an impressive time for a wide receiver nearly 100 pounds lighter than the Gamecocks' dominant pass rusher.
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Not that Clowney's play isn't already turning heads.
"I told my roommate the night before, 'I'm going to get up and run a 4.4 in the morning, I just know I'm going to do it,' " Clowney said. "... I got out there and ran a 4.46."
Clowney said he understood his 40-yard dash to be laser-timed, the ultimate in accuracy for an event that isn't nearly as reliable when results are hand-timed. Gamecocks receiver Bruce Ellington witnessed Clowney run, confirmed that it was an official team-wide testing, and was duly impressed.
"It's just amazing for a guy that big to move that fast," Ellington said. "It should be scary for other teams. ... It was stopwatches, and laser-timed."
Clowney said he has been working to drop weight this summer and, at the low point, fell to 256 pounds. The junior said he now weighs 265, and expects to be at least 270 by the time the season begins. Clowney posted 13 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss last season.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
