Inside The Huskies

Carson Bruener Shows a Need for Indy Speed

The former Husky linebacker runs with the fastest in his position group at the NFL Combine.
Dan Raley|
Washington linebacker Carson Bruener runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Washington linebacker Carson Bruener runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The speed question first came up for Carson Bruener after he was used as a reserve linebacker for the entire 2022 season by Kalen DeBoer's then-University of Washington coaching staff after starting the year before.

After Bruener had enjoyed a 16-tackle, 1.5-sack performance against Stanford and was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week.

After he had intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards against Oregon.

After he had collected 14 more tackles against Arizona State and averaged 11 per game over his five starting assignments in that 2021 season.

What else could it be?

However, Bruener protested mightily back then against the suggestion that he somehow was too slow to play his position at a high level.

On Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-2, 226-pound UW eventual starter for Jedd Fisch's staff, team captain and third-team All-Big Ten selection demonstrated once more that he's not lacking for foot speed -- by running the 40-yard dash in 4.58, to rank among the swiftest linebackers in Indianapolis.

Bruener's time left him tied for seventh in that position group with Georgia's Smael Mondon Jr. and South Carolina's Demetrius Knight Jr., a pair of SEC linebackers. UCLA's Kain Medrano turned in the top 40 time at 4.46.

Nearly two years ago, Bruener stood in Dempsey Indoor at the UW answering questions about his speed to the point he good-naturedly deferred to William Inge, his then Husky linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator and now at Tennessee.

"You can ask Inge about speed," Bruener said, next noting the measuring stick used. "We've got our GPS's. I'm doing good for me. You want the numbers? You can ask him."

It's all moot now as the NFL numbers don't lie and Bruener clearly passed inspection in terms of mobility and no doubt increased his chances of finding pro football work somewhere with his fleetness.

So, once more, why didn't he start for DeBoer's coaching staff?

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

Published
Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

Home/Husky Legends