Who Is the Fastest Player in the NFL?

The answer to who is the fastest player in the NFL may surprise you. We take a look at the top contenders and see who has the speed to take the title.

Introduction

With the opening of the 2019 NFL season upon us, fans are eager to see which players will take their game to the next level. One thing that always brings excitement is speed. Who is the fastest player in the NFL?

There are a few ways to measure speed, but one of the most commonly used is the 40-yard dash. This measures how fast a player can run a straight line distance of 40 yards.

While there are many players who have run fast times in the 40-yard dash, there are a few who stand out above the rest. These are the top 5 fastest players in the NFL based on their 40-yard dash time.

The Case for Tyreek Hill

Tyreek Hill is widely considered to be the fastest player in the NFL. The case for him is pretty simple: he ran a 4.24 40-yard dash at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine, which is the fastest time ever recorded at the event.

But there’s more to being the “fastest player in the NFL” than just having the fastest 40-yard dash time. Hill also excels in other measures of speed and quickness, like the 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone drill. He has explosive speed in short bursts, which makes him a threat to score anytime he touches the ball.

In addition to his raw speed, Hill is also a skilled routes runner and has good hands, which makes him a dangerous weapon in the passing game. He’s able to get open against almost any coverage, and he has the speed to take advantage of any opening he finds.

The only knock on Hill is that he’s had some off-field issues in his past, but he seems to have put those behind him and has become one of the most productive and exciting players in the NFL.

The Case for Marquise Goodwin

Marquise Goodwin of the San Francisco ers is one of the fastest players in the NFL. In 2017, he ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, tied for the third-fastest time among all participants that year. Goodwin also recorded a broad jump of 10 feet, 9 inches (tied for second-best among all combine participants in 2017) and a vertical jump of 39.5 inches (sixth-best).

The Case for John Ross

John Ross of the Cincinnati Bengals ran a 4.22 40-yard dash at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine, setting a new world record.

Some have argued that Ross wasn’t actually the fastest player in the NFL, because his time was hand-timed rather than electronically timed. However, Ross’s time was still faster than the electronically timed 4.24 run by Chris Johnson in 2008.

In addition, Ross’s speed has been backed up by his on-field performance. He’s averaging 17.5 yards per catch in his career, and he had a touchdown catch of 75 yards in a game against the Raiders in 2018.

Based on his combine performance and on-field production, John Ross is currently the fastest player in the NFL.

The Case for Ryan Switzer

Ryan Switzer is a wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at North Carolina.

Switzer was considered one of the top wide receiver prospects for the 2017 NFL Draft. He was ranked as the seventh best wide receiver prospect by NFLDraftScout.com and was ranked as the ninth best wide receiver by Sports Illustrated.

Switzer ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, which was tied for the ninth fastest among all wide receivers. He also had the second highest vertical jump among all wide receivers with a 39-inch vertical jump.

The Case for Jakeem Grant

In recent years, the NFL has seen a dramatic increase in the prevalence of speedsters who can take any touch the distance. While there have been many players who have shown elite speed, Jakeem Grant may be the fastest player in the NFL.

Grant was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 6th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played his college football at Texas Tech, where he was a 3-time All-Big 12 selection. In his senior year, he had 76 receptions for 1,285 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also returned 2 kickoffs for touchdowns. Grant’s speed was on full display during his collegiate career, as he was clocked at 4.34 seconds in the 40-yard dash at Texas Tech’s Pro Day.

Since coming into the NFL, Grant has continued to display his game-breaking speed. In his rookie season, he had 19 receptions for 293 yards and 1 touchdown. He also returned 5 kickoffs for touchdowns. In 2017, Grant had 33 receptions for 499 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also returned 1 punt for a touchdown. Last season, Grant had 42 receptions for 653 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also returned 1 punt for a touchdown and 1 kickoff for a touchdown.

Grant’s speed has helped him to be one of the most productive returners in the NFL over the last three seasons. He has 4 punt return touchdowns and 6 kick return touchdowns over that span. His 10 total return touchdowns are tied for the most in the NFL over that span with Tyler Lockett of the Seattle Seahawks.

While there are many players who can lay claim to being the fastest player in the NFL, Jakeem Grant has certainly made a case for himself with his production on both offense and special teams.

Conclusion

After analyzing the data, it is clear that John Ross is the fastest player in the NFL. He has proved time and again that he has the speed to outrun any other player in the league. With his 4.22 second 40-yard dash time, Ross has cemented himself as the fastest player in the NFL.