The 40-yar dash is a sprint covering 40 yards (36.576 m). It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can heavily impact his prospects in college or the pros. This was traditionally only true for the 'skill' positions such as running back, wide receiver, and defensive back, although now a fast 40-yard dash time is considered important for almost every position.