Seattle Seahawks' DK Metcalf to compete in sprint race
Seattle Seahawks star wide receiver DK Metcalf is putting on a different set of cleats this weekend. The 6-foot-4, 229-pound speedster is set to compete in the USA Track and Field Golden Games and Distance Open in California on May 9th.
Metcalf is scheduled to run in the 100-metre sprint race. At Oxford High School, he was a stand-out hurdler and long jumper.
The wideout is known for his scorching speed and will test himself against some of the country's finest sprinters.
Is DK Metcalf the fastest player in the NFL?
It’s hard to declare that one NFL player is the fastest without having a race between the fastest players in the NFL. However, DK Metcalf is definitely in the conversation.
The Pro Bowl wide receiver ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. Bengals future wide receiver John Ross III ran the fastest 40-yard dash in Combine history with a time of 4.22 seconds in 2019.
The next quickest 40-yard dash time was by Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson at 4.24 seconds. In fact, Metcalf didn't crack the top 15 the fastest 40-yard sprint times in NFL Scouting Combine history.
To give this some context, three-time Olympic 100-metre race champion and world record holder for the fastest 100-metre time, Usain Bolt ran the 40 yards dash in sneakers and equaled the NFL record in 2019.
NFL Next Gen Stats can now show us who ran the fastest during an NFL game.
In 2020 the fastest ball carriers were:
Raheem Mostert (San Francisco 49ers) - 23.09 MPH
Kenyan Drake (Arizona Cardinals) - 22.11 MPH
Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts) - 22.05 MPH
Tyreek Hill (Kansas City Chiefs) - 21.91 MPH
DK Metcalf (Seattle Seahawks) - 21.66 MPH
Metcalf also clocked a top speed of 22.64 miles per hour in his famous chase down of Cardinals safety Budda Baker. The wide receiver sprinted the length of the field to tackle the safety who looked certain to score a pick 6.
This was the moment when DK Metcalf's incredible speed was at its peak and he has since been widely considered the fastest player in the NFL, despite stats saying otherwise.