The final day of the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine was beset by controversy and USC’s chiseled free safety Taylor Mays was smack dab in the middle of it. Depending on whose stopwatch you believe, Mays ran his 40-yard dash somewhere between 4.28 seconds and 4.43 seconds. Huh?

Either the electronic clocks were askew or something is rotten in the state of Indiana. NFL Network’s unofficial time for Mays was under 4.3. The official time from the Combine crew was 4.43. Mays former coach Pete Carroll clocked him at 4.19. Some scouts on Twitter claimed he was in the 4.3 neighborhood. What a friggin’ mess.

Speed merchant Deion Sanders questioned the initial time and correctly pointed out that Mays was a bit off kilter halfway through his run. Then the replay wizards at the Network synced up Jacoby Ford’s 4.28 sprint with Mays and the evidence was telling: Mays did not run under 4.3.

Now that I’ve cleared that up, here’s what else I observed on Tuesday:

- Interestingly, safeties proved faster than corners. No wonder this is considered one of the deepest classes of safeties in years, and the corner class is graded as being somewhat weak. Florida’s Joe Haden, the top-rated cornerback, ran slower than expected.

- I learned a long time ago that 40 times don’t mean much in the grand scheme. Unless a guy totally flops at the Combine and his pro day, there isn’t really a reason to be concerned.

- Fresno State’s A.J. Jefferson put on a workout warrior show. However, his back pedal needs work and his ball instincts are marginal. He can return kicks, so he has added special teams value, which will benefit him come April. Seems to be a developmental player.

- Eric Berry did nothing in my mind to hurt himself. He looks and plays like a stud. Should be a top 10 pick.

- Quote of the day came from Deion: “I’m 42. I’m too old to be tweetin’.” Classic.

- I love watching the back pedal drill. It will expose guys who are stiff and have trouble making the turn. Mays was okay. Earl Thomas was sharp, as was Division II prospect Akwasi Owusu-Ansah.

- Brandon Ghee probably helped himself the most. He ran well and displayed excellent explosion. Might give Joe Haden a run as the first corner selected. Haden still looks better on tape.

- Florida State’s Patrick Robinson has the pedigree and attitude you want in a corner. He will need coaching, but he could develop into a solid starter in a couple years.

- Rich Eisen running the 40 never gets old. I lost it when they synced him up with Ford and Mays. Hilarious.

That’s a wrap for the 2010 Combine. The poking and prodding will continue over the next month as individual pro days begin to roll out. I’ll be back tomorrow to preview free agency which begins Friday. Does the NFL ever sleep?