Fastest 40-yard times in NFL Combine history: Ranking the quickest prospects of all time
Speed kills...everything but your fortunes at the NFL Scouting Combine. There, it could write your professional football ticket.
The 40-yard dash remains one of the most popular and enduring events, which amounts to the world's most scrutinous job interview, as those precious seconds could make or break a prospect's professional football career. Last week's rushing endeavors in Indianapolis weren't short on history, as two defensive backs posted some of the fastest showings ever.
Top 5 fastest 40-yard dashes in NFL Combine history
T-#4 - Dri Archer (2014, 4.26)
Only a school with a nickname like "Golden Flashes" could perhaps host Archer's collegiate affairs: a multi-sport star in his native Florida, Archer was well known for his speed through his time with Venice High School's track team. He would formally introduce himself to the football world with a dominant junior season at Kent State, where he put in 1,429 rushing yards (leading the nation at nine yards per carry) and 23 total touchdowns.
The mid-major prospect jumped up the boards with his 40-time, which partly led to the Pittsburgh Steelers choosing Archer with the 97th overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. Alas, Archer (used primarily as a return and receiver) failed to recapture his speedy collegiate magic and was bid farewell after two seasons. He would then spend the 2016 offseason with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills but departed from football shortly after.
UTSA's Tariq Woolen clocked the fastest 40-yd dash time by any player 6’0” or taller OR any player 200+ pounds, and his 4.26 is tied for the 4th-fastest time by any player at the #NFLCombine since 2003 per @NFLResearch
#BuiltByUTSA | #BirdsUp 🤙 https://t.co/aon7cxeDys
T-#4 - Tariq Woolen (2022, 4.26)
Woolen, standing at 6-foot-4-inches and 205 lbs., set new top records thanks to his unique size: the Texas-San Antonio's Archer-tying effort was a personal best for prospects over 200 lbs., bolstering his chances at shooting up the draft board. Woolen, a converted receiver turned secondary defender, is coming, a strong career at UTSA, where he earned 60 tackles, nine pass breakups, and two interceptions over the last couple of seasons.
#3 - Chris Johnson (2008, 4.24)
The legend of "CJ2K", at least on the NFL level, began with a mere 40. Johnson, then a mid-major prospect from East Carolina (where he capped off his career as a Buccaneer with 1,951 yards from scrimmage and 23 total touchdowns), was projected to be a second or third-round pick in the draft before his historic run to glory. But his strong effort in Indianapolis (which also featured strong showings in the vertical and broad jump exhibitions) catapulted him to the first round of the draft, where the Tennessee Titans chose him with the 24th overall pick. It took only two seasons for Johnson to break Marshall Faulk's hold on the record for most yards from scrimmage in a single NFL season, breaking out for 2,509 during the 2009 campaign. Injuries cut Johnson's career short (a tenure that also featured stops with the Jets and Arizona Cardinals), he still holds several notable NFL marks based on his speed. For example, he's the only player in NFL history with six touchdown rushes of at least 80 yards (no other player has more than four), and he's also the only rusher to earn at least three 80-yard scores in multiple seasons.
OFFICIAL TIME:
a 4.23 for Baylor's Kalon Barnes!!!!!!!
https://t.co/q6QVUojfKa
#2 - Kalon Barnes (2022, 4.23)
Another converted receiver, Barnes, capped off the most recent Combine showings in style, clocking in the best-ever showing for a defensive back. Barnes wasn't among the top defensive prospects entering Indianapolis but undoubtedly raised his stock amongst scouts. He wasn't the only Baylor Bear to leave an impression over the weekend: receiver Tyquan Thornton nearly made this list himself, running a 4.28 during his showcase. Baylor thus becomes the only program in Combine history to have two representatives with a sub-4.3 dash.
The combine starting is always a good excuse to show John Ross flying
https://t.co/55TYTebzbg
#1 - John Ross (2017, 4.22)
Despite a breakout redshirt junior year at Washington (1,150 yards, 17 touchdowns), Ross knew he had to leave an impression on Indianapolis attendees after being diagnosed with a torn labrum and was revealed to have re-aggravated a shoulder injury during the College Football Playoff's semifinals. He became a Combine legend to the tune of a record-breaking 40 time that stands to this day. Already projected to go relatively high, even with the ailments, Ross was chosen with the ninth overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals. Alas, his injury woes have continued to haunt his NFL endeavors, as he has yet to play an entire season. He spent last season with the New York Giants and will hit free agency later this month.