re: Don Hutson, not Moss or Rice, was the most dominant receiver in NFL history.

The average time for running backs at this spring's NFL Combine was 4.62 seconds. The receivers averaged 4.52 seconds and the corners averaged 4.57-second times.

Hudson ran a 9.7 100 yard dash.


9.7 for 100y converts to...

100m = 10.61
110y = 10.67

As long as the player is normal in proportion and doesn't have shorter legs or isn't a long strider, then the following formula should be accurate 80 to 90 percent of the time.
100-meter time converted to 40-yard dash time

10.2 --- 4.34
10.3 --- 4.38
10.4 --- 4.43
10.5 --- 4.49
10.6 --- 4.54 *
10.7 --- 4.58
10.8 --- 4.63
10.9 --- 4.75
11.0 --- 4.85

So Hudson would be slightly about average speed wise for receivers in todays league.

About the 100 yard dash ...

The world record for the 100 YARD dash was 9.3 in 1943. In the 30's Jessie Owens ran a 9.4.
Usain Bolt ran a 9.14 in 2011.


So we have enough data here to infer that Hutson was present day NFL fast, but not incredibly fast.

But you also have to remember that black athletes at that time ran slower times. so anybody from the 40s running a 4.5 ish 40 is in credible.