The defensive linemen and linebackers went through on-field drills on Sunday, and there are plenty of things to take away from it. The 40-yard dash is the sexy number, but the 10-yard split on the run holds some value.
Few players run a straight line 40 yards in an NFL game, and any that do run it are wearing pads. If a defensive lineman is running 40 yards and his team has not just recovered a turnover, something has gone very wrong. However, the 10-yard split can offer some insight into explosiveness. An edge rusher edge needs explosiveness to beat a tackle, particularly as he develops a bull rush, spin, or other weapon(s) for his pass rush arsenal.