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On Tuesday, Panthers receiver Kelvin Benjamin made a startling claim about his effort (or lack thereof) in the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine.

Benjamin told David Newton of ESPN.com that he purposely ran the standard test of straight-line speed in 4.61 seconds. Why did he do it?

“Because I wanted to play for the Carolina Panthers,” Benjamin said, adding that he’d been clocked at 4.41 seconds.

So the theory is that Benjamin deliberately tanked so that he’d slide to No. 28. Even though the later a guy gets drafted, the less money he makes. (Actually, it’s better to slide all the way out of round one if a guy is going to be taken at No. 28, since players taken at the top of round two aren’t subject to the fifth-year option.)

Chris McClain of WFNZ’s Mac Attack mentioned Benjamin’s comments during the weekly Wednesday PFT visit to the Charlotte-based station, someone from the Panthers was listening, and this following text message was promptly received after the segment ended: “Kelvin was kidding about the Combine. Wasn’t even close to being serious. Didn’t know he was being interviewed for a story.”

So there you have it. Benjamin tanked the 40-yard dash. Unless he didn’t. Actually, he apparently didn’t.