The lead-up to the NFL Draft is like nothing else in sports, as top prospects are dissected for months as teams try to find the next superstar. The process is on full display and at its peak each year at the NFL Scouting Combine. Prospects all make their way to Indianapolis, where they show that they have the physical tools to become stars at the next level.
While prospects go through interviews, medical testing, and other drills, the 40-yard dash is king at the combine. The drill is just players running in a straight line, but for skill position players, the drill can determine if you’re a first round talent or if you’re stuck waiting around to hear your name called on draft night.Â
The quickest way for a prospect to catch the attention of the scouts is by running an incredible 40-yard dash. We’ve seen countless times players run shockingly fast times, and it’s resulted in a major boost to their stock. Among the best showings at the combine, these players put on the biggest shows running the 40.
The 10 fastest 40-Yard Dash times ever clocked at the NFL Combine
T10. Stanford Routt - 4.27 Seconds - 2005
In the early 2000's, you could pencil any player who wowed with speed at the combine in as a pick for Al Davis and the Raiders. Defensive Back Stanford Routt wowed with a 4.27 40-yard dash, leading to the Raiders taking him in the 2nd round of the draft. Routt would go on to have an 8-year career, finishing with 258 tackles and 12 interceptions.
T10. Marquise Goodwin - 4.27 Seconds - 2013
Marquise Goodwin turned heads at the 2013 NFL Combine with a stellar 4.27-second 40-yard dash. The top-end speed led to the Bills taking Goodwin with the 78th Overall Pick in the 3rd round of the draft. Goodwin posted great seasons in 2016 and 2017, finishing his career with 3,023 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns.
T10. Henry Ruggs - 4.27 Seconds
Anyone who watched Henry Ruggs during his time at Alabama knew he could absolutely fly as he made some of the SEC's best defenders look slow. When Ruggs showed up to the combine and ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, it all but solidified his place as a top prospect. Ruggs would flash that speed in his brief time with the Raiders, but he derailed his career.
T6. Jerome Mathis - 4.26 Seconds - 2005
At the High School level, Jerome Mathis was a track star before joining the Hampton Pirates at the FCS level. Mathis was an electric kick returner during his time at Hampton, earning him an invite to the NFL Combine. After running a 4.26 40-yard dash, Mathis was taken in the 4th round by the Texans. Mathis made an instant splash as a Pro Bowler, All-Pro, and the Special Teams Player of the Year, but a fracture foot ended up derailing his career.
T6. Dri Archer - 4.26 Seconds - 2014
During his college career at Kent State, it seemed like Dri Archer out-ran everyone, and when he showed up in Indianapolis and ran a 4.26 40-yard dash, it made perfect sense. Archer would go on to be a 3rd Round Pick to the Steelers, but he never quite caught on, finishing his career with just 40 yards rushing.
T6. Tariq Woolen - 4.26 Seconds - 2022
Coming into the Draft process, Tariq Woolen was a rising star after making the switch from wide receiver to cornerback at UTSA. Woolen running a 4.26-second 40-yard dash only bolstered his stock, leading to him being picked in the 5th Round. The pick couldn't have worked out better as Woolen made the Pro Bowl as a rookie and helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl.
T6. DJ. Turner - 4.26 Seconds - 2023
During his career at Michigan, it was always clear that he had the speed to keep up with the Big Ten's top cornerbacks. When Turner showed up at the combine and clocked in at 4.26 seconds, it only locked in his place as a top cornerback prospect. Turner was picked in the 2nd Round by the Bengals, with 119 tackles and 2 interceptions in 3 seasons.
T4. Rondel Menendez - 4.24 Seconds - 1998
The NFL first started using the electronic timing system in 1998, giving the league a universal system rather than using stopwatches. The scouts in attendance likely thought the system was broken when Rondel Menendez stunned with a 4.24-second time. Menendez sadly had his career cut short with a torn Meniscus in the final game of his first preseason.
T4. Chris Johnson - 4.24 Seconds - 2008
Before he became CJ-2K, Chris Johnson famously took the world by storm running a 4.24-second 40-yard dash. The blazing speed helped Johnson get picked in the 1st Round, going 24th overall to the Titans. Throughout his career, that speed was displayed as he finished his career winning the Offensive Player of the Year with 3 Pro Bowl nods, and an All-Pro selection.
3. Kalon Barnes - 4.23 Seconds - 2022
Coming out of High School, Kalon Barnes' speed was well known with his feats on the track. After his time at Baylor, Kalon Barnes wowed at the combine, running a 4.23-second 40-yard dash. The time helped Barnes get drafted in the 7th Round, but his NFL career has been limited to stints on the practice squad.
2. John Ross - 4.22 Seconds - 2017
After lighting up opposing defenses at Washington, everyone was excited to see what John Ross could do in the 40-yard dash. Ross only got one attempt at the forty as he strained his calves, but his 4.22 mark broke Chris Johnson's record. The thrilling performance only helped John Ross' case as he went 9th Overall to the Bengals spending 6 seasons in the NFL.
1. Xavier Worthy - 4.21 Seconds - 2024
At the 2024 NFL Combine, all eyes were on Xavier Worthy as everyone saw his speed at Texas and thought he could break the record. After clocking in at 4.25 seconds on his first attempt, Xavier Worthy gave everyone the thrilling moment they came to see as he ran the forty in 4.21 seconds, setting a new record. Worthy's blazing 40 time helped him rise up the draft boards, becoming a 1st Round Pick by the Chiefs.