The 10-yard split

NFL numbers

At the NFL combine, running backs averaged 1.58 s for the 10-yard split from 1999 to 2012, according to the National Football Post. NFL.com puts the prototype range for wide receivers at 1.53 to 1.61 s. Those are the fastest players in the country, timed electronically.

For high school players, the best source we found is McKay et al. (2020), who tested 7,478 players at recruiting combines and published 10 and 20-yard norms by position and grade. The tables are behind a paywall, but the abstract reports that the biggest jump came between freshman and sophomore year.

Why the 10 is hard to time

A 10-yard split lasts about a second and a half, and most of that is the start, so a small change in how the clock starts shows up as a big share of the time. Haugen and Buchheit's review of sprint testing found that standing 1 m behind the first gate instead of 0.5 m made short sprint times 0.06-0.08 s faster. A three-point start, a two-point start and a first-movement start all give different numbers.

If you track your 10-yard split, use the same stance and start every time and compare yourself with yourself.

What the 10 tells you

A fast 10 with an average 40 means you get going well and need top-speed work. A slow 10 with a decent 40 means you finish well and lose time in the first steps. You need both times to know which one you are.

Measuring it

With gates, a 10-yard split takes a third gate at 10 yards. Sprintbrick reports the 10, 20 and 30-yard splits on every rep from the same distance trace, along with your 40 and your top speed.

The 10 is where Sprintbrick is still catching up. Our clock starts when the sensor on your lower back has moved 0.5 m, and in our latest test against OVR gates the first 10 m read 0.04 to 0.09 s slower than the gates, while splits from 10 m onward agreed within 50 ms. We'll publish the next test once the start work is done. Full results.