I don't care of some farmboy from Elkhorn has dreamed of playing for Nebraska since he was a kid, and his daddy was a Husker. If he can only run a 4.8, and some kid from Arizona who weighs 20 lbs more runs a 4.4, I'll take the Arizona kid, thank you very much.
The question isn't what anyone can run -- it's what they
will run. If that guy that runs 4.4 doesn't give a crap, and runs a 4.6 on the field because of a bad attitude, and that 4.8 guy from Elkhorn plays his heart out and runs a 4.6 on gameday, I'll take the dude from Elkhorn every day of the week.
Talent is important, and work ethic is more important. The question isn't "What did this guy do in high school", the question is "What will this guy do for us at Nebraska". Past performance can indicate future performance, but there are outside factors. In addition to all that, if the dude that runs a 4.4 doesn't have a team attitude, and is just out to make himself look good, I'll take the 4.8 guy that's dreamed of playing for Nebraska, because you know he'll be willing to do nearly anything that allows him to accomplish that dream.