Coming into the NFL Combine, Florida Football wide receiver Chimere Dike didn't generate much buzz. Most mock drafts ignored him, and he was viewed as a fringe Day 3 pick at best.
And even though most Gator fans paying attention knew Dike had some speed to him, the bulk of the college football world did not. But after a blistering 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, Dike's draft stock is about to skyrocket.
Florida Football: Need For Speed
Dike ran 4.34 seconds in the 40-yard dash to finish 3rd among all wide receivers and 7th overall among all players at the Combine. Montrell Johnson ran 4.41 seconds and Elijhah Badger also ran 4.43 seconds.
But it was Dike who stole the show and had the NFL community turning their heads. He came to Florida after a down year at Wisconsin but eventually emerged as a solid receiver with 42 catches for 783 yards.
4.34 for Chimere Dike.
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) March 1, 2025
As of now, second fastest among wide receivers.#Badgers pic.twitter.com/41nYso1gpr
Even with those numbers, he was viewed as a nice player who could maybe add value as a returner. Then he went to the Senior Bowl and had a great showing there, but if someone besides a Gator fan claims they had Dike running the third-fastest 40-yard dash at the Combine, they are probably lying.
As we know, simply running a fast 40 doesn't guarantee NFL success. But with the NFL looking at tweaking its kickoff rules even more to encourage returns, Dike's potential breakaway and instant touchdown speed is going to cause at least one team in the Draft to reach for the sky and take a stab at Dike far sooner than many would have expected prior to this weekend.
The NFL Draft is from April 24 through April 26. It will be held in Green Bay, with the first round on the 24th, rounds two and three on the 25th, and rounds four through seven on the 26th.