In a moment of free time Sunday night away from the grind of NFL Draft training, Anthony Cioffi was playing a video game.
It seemed like a fitting way to unwind after Cioffi used the real-life application of the speed burst button during the kind of run that could help him sneak into the NFL and the Madden video game.
The former Rutgers' four-year starter in the secondary was clocked by hand Friday running a 4.37 in the 40-yard dash, longtime sports performance coach Chip Smith told NJ Advance Media. Others at Smith's Atlanta-based training facility timed Cioffi's sprint on FieldTurf at 4.30 seconds.
"4.37 is flying," said Smith, who only disclosed times because they were spread on social media. "His drive phase -- his first 10 yards -- is ridiculously fast. His first step is so explosive, his lower body is so powerful. I think he's at 19 strides in the 40. We want to be efficient at everything."
If you were wondering what a 4.30 sec 40 yd dash looks like, here it is. @anthonycioffi31 again giving everything has to make it to the NFL. pic.twitter.com/FaOgM74ZEH
-- Evolution Fitness (@EvolutionFitNJ) February 11, 2017
Cioffi's speed shouldn't come as a surprise to those who followed his career, from the time he won the 2012 NJSIAA Group I state title in the 100-meter dash for Dayton High School to the time he chased down Michigan's Jabrill Peppers at the end of a 63-yard run in 2016.
But a 4.37 dash would have tied for the fourth-best mark among defensive backs at the 2016 NFL Combine, while a 4.30 would have topped the field. Miami's Demarcus Van Dyke set the combine record for defensive backs with a 4.28 in 2011.
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"The stuff that he (Smith) has us doing is a lot of band work with harnesses on, and the leg lifts are crazy," said Cioffi, who never ran an official 40-yard dash during his time at Rutgers. "We're getting stronger and we're building up resistance. I'm running pretty fast. These are the times that I'm trying to shoot for. Now that I know it's there, I want to get lower."
Smith said that he uses both hand-held clocks and electronic touch pad technology to measure 40-yard dash times. In Smith's nearly 30 years of experience, stopwatches typically result in faster times by about a 0.3 second difference.
In Cioffi's case, the math equates. His best electronic time is a 4.62, which is near the top of Smith's class.
Rutgers football players training for NFL Draft"I don't take credit for any of that," Smith said. "A lot of people have invested in him. He was fast when he got to me. We looked at him as a diamond, and we knew if we get the right polish, we could make him sparkle. But that's God-given talent. I hope that he gets the opportunity to play at the next level because I think he'll be a star."
With Darius Hamilton and Julian Pinnix-Odrick out of Rutgers Pro Day, Cioffi's speed figures to be one of the main attractions for NFL scouts. He is not projected as a draft pick, but Pro Day times could influence that opinion.
Because of the margin for error with stopwatches, common practice at the NFL Combine -- where it's hand-held start times and a laser finish -- and Pro Days is for scouts to compare times on a prospect, toss out the high and the low and average the rest, Smith said.
"They clock you slow coming in and fast coming out," Smith said. "Until the NFL starts using true electronic times, the only consistency is inconsistency. What he runs for me doesn't really count for anything other than to show improvement, but I will tell you he is one heck of a worker. He is as fine a young man as I've ever worked with."
With no invite to the NFL Combine, Cioffi will remain in Atlanta until March 3, working to lower times across the board in the 40, the 20- and 60-yard shuttles, and the 3-cone drill.
"I feel that it's going to turn a lot of people's heads as far as all the timed stuff goes," Cioffi said. "I know I didn't get invited, but that would cut my training short. I'm kind of excited that I have more time and effort to put into this training with Chip."
On Mondays and Tuesdays, Cioffi spends two hours on positional training with former NFL All-Pro cornerback Ray Buchanan and two hours on speed training with Smith. On Wednesdays, the schedule is regeneration in the pool and 7-on-7 practice periods.
"The first week he was with me I walked down to Ray and said, 'Who really has impressed you?'" Smith said. "He pointed to Anthony and he said, 'That kid is explosive.' I watched him do his change of direction in DB drills: Quick feet and good acceleration, and all those are the things that translate to making him a really good football player."
Cioffi played in 47 games with 33 starts at cornerback, free safety and strong safety, totaling 168 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and eight interceptions. He also played on four special teams units.
"Ray really teaches it and breaks it down for you so you really get a great understanding for the drills and what the scouts are looking for," Cioffi said. "He's been through it."
Ryan Dunleavy may be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook
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