Falcons WR Christian Blake to compete in 40 Yards of Gold competition

Christian Blake has yet to play a regular season down for the Falcons, but he’s got a chance to make his mark in another type of competition. Blake will compete alongside some of the fastest players in the NFL in the new 40 Yards of Gold 40-yard dash tournament.

This year marks the inaugural event, and it will be held on June 29, 2019. The venue has yet to be announced.

The tournament seeding will be established based on fan votes. Fans can vote here, and voting will remain open until midnight on Sunday, May 26. Here’s the full list of participants:

OFFENSE

Ted Ginn Jr.
Jeff Badet
Corey Coleman
Tarik Cohen
Robby Anderson
Richie James
Damiere Byrd
Alvin Kamara
Mark Ingram
Kevin Snead
Christian Blake
Jacoby Ford
Mystery Participant

DEFENSE

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Trae Waynes
John Franklin III
Kevin Byard
Quinton Dunbar
Rashard Robinson
Terrell Sinkfield
Jerome Baker
Jalen Myrick
Budda Baker
Donte Jackson
Charles James II
Mystery Participant

Blake, who spent a chunk of 2018 on the Falcons’ practice squad, is entering his second NFL season after signing with Atlanta as an undrafted free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft. Blake had 83 catches for 972 yards and six touchdowns over his college career. He ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at his pro day.

He’ll face some stiff competition. Budda Baker ran a 4.45 40, and Kevin Byard ran a 4.44. Also featured on the defensive lineup are TV stars John Franklin III from Last Chance U, who claimed to run a 4.19, and Hard Knocks fan favorite Charles James II, who ran a 4.4. Notably absent from the list is the man who currently holds the title for the fastest 40-yard dash, Bengals wideout John Ross, who ran a 4.22 at the NFL Combine in 2017. Maybe he’ll be the mystery participant.

You can keep up with the latest on this competition by checking out the 40 Yards of Gold website.