Who Is The Fastest Running Back In The NFL?
Contents
We all know that speed is important in the NFL. But who is the fastest running back in the league? We did some research and found out.
Introduction
In the National Football League (NFL), there is always a discussion about who is the best player at each position. This is especially true when it comes to the running back position. There are a lot of great running backs in the NFL, but who is the fastest?
This is a difficult question to answer because there are a lot of different ways to measure speed. However, we can narrow down the field by looking at some of the most popular methods for measuring speed. These include the 40-yard dash, the broad jump, and the vertical jump.
The 40-yard dash is a test that is often used to measure the speed of players in the NFL combine. This test measures how fast a player can run 40 yards. The broad jump is another test that is used to measure speed and explosion. This test measures how far a player can jump horizontally. The vertical jump is a test that measures how high a player can jump vertically.
When we look at these three tests, we can see that there are some clear winners. In the 40-yard dash, John Ross holds the record with a time of 4.22 seconds. In the broad jump, John Ross also holds the record with a distance of 11 feet and 7 inches. In the vertical jump, Vernon Davis holds the record with a height of 45 inches.
So, based on these three tests, John Ross appears to be the fastest running back in the NFL. However, it should be noted that these tests do not always tell the whole story. There are other factors that can affect speed, such as agility and quickness.
The Candidates
There are many talented running backs in the NFL, but who is the fastest? This is a difficult question to answer because speed is hard to measure. However, we can take a look at some of the contenders for the title of fastest running back in the NFL.
Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley is a professional American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State for three years and was drafted by the Giants second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
In his rookie season, Barkley led the NFL in total touchdowns (15) and finished second in both rushing yards (1,307) and development yards from scrimmage (2,028), while being named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Barkley is one of only three players (joining Earl Campbell and Edgerrin James) to be named both AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year.
Alvin Kamara
Alvin Kamara is a running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Saints in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee, and was considered one of the best running backs in the country. As a junior in 2016, he was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press (AP) and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
Ezekiel Elliott
Ezekiel Elliott is a professional American football player who plays running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he earned second-team All-America honors in 2015. He was drafted by the Cowboys fourth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.
In his first NFL season, he led the league in rushing yards and was a member of the NFL’s All-Rookie Team. In 2017, he became the first player in NFL history to gain over 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first two seasons.
The Case For Barkley
In 2018, Barkley’s rookie season, he averaged 5.0 yards per attempt and had 12 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 91 passes for 754 yards and 4 touchdowns. Barkley’s 2,028 total yards from scrimmage were the most by a rookie in NFL history, and he was named the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Case For Kamara
In the NFL, there are a lot of great Running Backs. But, there is only one who can lay claim to the title of being the fastest. That man is Kamara from the New Orleans Saints.
There are a few different ways to judge who the fastest player is. One way is to look at the 40-yard dash times at the NFL Scouting Combine. According to this metric, Kamara was tied for the second-fastest Running Back in 2017 with a time of 4.56 seconds.
However, some people argue that the 40-yard dash isn’t an accurate measure of speed for Running Backs because they don’t run 40 yards in a straight line very often during games. A better way to judge their speed, they say, is by looking at their 60-yard shuttle times. This measures how quickly they can change directions while running at full speed. By this metric, Kamara was again tied for second among Running Backs in 2017 with a time of 11.03 seconds.
But, there’s one more way to judge speed that takes into account both straight-line speed and agility: The 3-cone drill. This measures how quickly a player can change directions while running around cones set up in an “L” shape. Once again, Kamara came in second among Running Backs in 2017 with a time of 6.56 seconds.
So, when you take into account all three of these metrics, it’s clear that Kamara is not only one of the best Running Backs in the NFL, but he’s also the fastest.
The Case For Elliott
There are a few things to consider when trying to answer the question of who the fastest running back in the NFL is. One is top speed. Another is acceleration. And another is elusiveness.
Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys has all three. He has been clocked at 22 miles per hour, which is incredibly fast for a human being, let alone a 246-pound running back. He also has outstanding acceleration. In the 40-yard dash, he has been clocked at 4.47 seconds, which is elite speed for someone his size. And he’s also extremely elusive. He’s very good at making defenders miss and has some of the best highlight reel runs in recent memory.
For all of these reasons, Elliott is a strong case for being the fastest running back in the NFL.
Conclusion
After much research, we have concluded that the fastest running back in the NFL is Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants. Barkley has been clocked at speeds of up to 22 mph, which is absolutely blazing for a running back. He is a truly unique talent and we believe that he is the fastest player in the NFL today.