Who Ran The Fastest 40 Yard Dash In The Nfl?

We all know that speed is important in the NFL. But who is the fastest player in the league? We took a look at the data to find out.

Introduction

In the National Football League, the 40-yard dash is considered to be one of the most important tests during the Scouting Combine. It is a measure of a player’s speed and explosiveness, and it is often used to determine whether a player has the athleticism to succeed at the NFL level.

There have been many great 40-yard dashes in NFL history, but there are a few that stand out above the rest. Here are the five fastest 40-yard dashes in NFL history:

1. John Ross, Cincinnati Bengals – 4.22 seconds
2. Willie Gault, Chicago Bears – 4.29 seconds
3. James Jett, Los Angeles Raiders – 4.30 seconds
4. Darrien Gordon, Denver Broncos – 4.31 seconds
5. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans – 4.24 seconds

The Fastest Players in the NFL

Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson is the fastest player in the NFL. He ran a 4.24 40-yard dash at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He has played for the Titans, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and Houston Texans.

Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders is widely regarded as one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play in the NFL, and his speed was a big part of his game. Sanders was so fast that he was also a successful Major League Baseball player, and he is the only person to ever hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week.

Sanders ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash at the 1989 NFL Scouting Combine, and he would have likely been even faster if not for his famously poor start. In fact, one scout clocked Sanders at 4.19 seconds in the 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, which would have been even more impressive.

Bo Jackson

Bo Jackson is a legend. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1986 NFL Draft, but he decided to instead play baseball for the Kansas City Royals. In 1987, he returned to football, this time with the Los Angeles Raiders. He played for both the Raiders and the Royals until 1990, when he was injured while playing baseball. He retired from football shortly thereafter.

Jackson holds the record for the fastest 40 yard dash time in NFL history, clocking in at an astounding 4.12 seconds. To put that into perspective, the average 40 yard dash time for a wide receiver is 4.5 seconds, and the average 40 yard dash time for a running back is 4.64 seconds. Jackson’s speed was truly remarkable.

In addition to his speed, Jackson was also an incredible athlete. He was selected to play in both the Pro Bowl and the MLB All-Star Game, and he won the Heisman Trophy in 1985. He is one of only two men to ever be named an All-Star in both baseball and football.

The Fastest 40 Yard Dashes in the NFL

The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering 40 yards. It is used to evaluate the speed and acceleration of NFL prospects for the draft. Here are the top 10 fastest 40-yard dashes in NFL history.

John Ross

John Ross of the Cincinnati Bengals holds the NFL Scouting Combine record for the 40-yard dash. Ross ran the drill in 4.22 seconds in 2017. Ross’ record is especially impressive given that he is a wide receiver, a position not typically known for its speed.

Marquise Goodwin

Marquise Goodwin is an American football wide receiver and track and field sprinter who is a free agent. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played college football at the University of Texas, and was a two-time NCAA All-American in the long jump.

At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials, he finished third in the long jump, but did not make the U.S. team for the 2012 Summer Olympics. As a member of the U.S. national team, he won gold medals at both the 2013 and 2015 IAAF World Championships.

In his first season with the Bills, Goodwin caught 17 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns while also adding 12 kickoff returns for 362 yards and a score.

Tyreek Hill

Tyreek Hill is a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma State, where he was primarily used as a return specialist. He was drafted by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Hill ran a 4.29-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, which would have been tied for the second-fastest time among wide receivers at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine had he been invited and participated.

Conclusion

After looking at the data, it is clear that John Ross ran the fastest 40 yard dash time in the NFL. His time of 4.22 seconds was 0.03 seconds faster than the second place finisher, Adoree’ Jackson.