Could the NFL Combine 40-yard dash record fall in 2026? One WR is up to the challenge

NFL Draft season is in full swing, and next week will take it to another level as the top prospects in this class, and every NFL team will gather in Indianapolis for the 2026 NFL Combine. The event can send prospects flying up NFL Draft boards or tumbling completley as the athletic testing helps teams identify who has the talent to become a star.

Among all of the events at the NFL Combine, no event can spawn a superstar quite like the 40-yard dash. Running a blazing fast 40-yard dash can send a prospect up draft boards in shocking fashion, especially for a player that breaks the record.

Which player could break the NFL Combine 40-yard dash record?

As the NFL Combine has grown in popularity, the 40-yard dash has become a must watch event, especially when there's a player that can break the record. Xavier Worthy broke the record in 2024, and it helped him become a 1st Round Pick. Before Worthy, John Ross' 4.22 second time allowed him to go 9th overall in the draft. Chris Johnson's 4.24 time tied a record back in 2008, but it was a massive deal.

If there's any player that's going to compete to break the record in 2026, it will be Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson. When you watch Brenen Thompson play, the speed is impossible to miss as he effortlessly runs by defenders.

The tracking data backs up Brenen Thompson's speed as the only player to run faster than him this season was South Carolina wide receiver and track star Nyck Harbor who won't be at the NFL Combine this offseason.

It would take a stunning performance for Brenen Thompson to dethrone Xavier Worthy, but he also can't be ruled out. While Thompson has been training to impress at everything, a player with his speed can get drafted alone off 40-yard dash time, and he's likely been training for the event and could shock the world.