The 5 Fastest 40-Yard Dash Times in Combine History

At the NFL Combine, new player prospects get to showcase their physical ability in the hopes of being drafted to a professional team. One of the best gauges for picking offensive players, receivers and running backs alike, is the famed 40-yard dash. While players time and time again compete against each other to take the fastest 40-yard dash times, only a handful break records. In this article, we’ll discuss the five fastest 40-yard dash times in NFL combine history, including who ran it, what college they were from and what team they were drafted to in the NFL, if indeed they made it to the pro game.

5. Tariq Woolen (2022), Dri Archer (2014), DJ Turner II (2023) – 4.26 seconds

Starting the list of fastest recorded football players at the NFL Combine is a three-way tie for fifth place between Tariq Woolen (University of Texas), drafted to the Seattle Seahawks in 2022, Dri Archer (Kent State University), drafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014, and DJ Turner (University of Michigan) drafted to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023, all with a 40-yard dash time of 4.26 seconds. Of the three, Dri Archer did not have the most impressive NFL career, which ended in 2015 after just 2 years of play as a wide receiver with the Steelers. Turner and Woolen on the other hand respectively have two and three seasons in the NFL under their belts.

By way of comparison, the fastest combine time by a quarterback was 4.33 seconds by Michael Vick back in 2001.

4. Chris Johnson, 2008 – 4.24 seconds

Next up is the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash time with a 4.24-second record set by Chris Johnson back in 2008, a record that was only recently broken in 2017 before being shattered 2 more times since then. Drafted to the Tennessee Titans in the 2008 NFL Draft from East Carolina, Johnson has established a formidable career, playing six seasons for the Titans before joining the New York Jets for a season in 2014. Johnson then went on to play for the Arizona Cardinals for three seasons before retiring as one of the fastest running backs to ever be drafted.

3. Kalon Barnes, 2022 – 4.23 seconds

Up next is the Baylor-committed Kalon Barnes, close to setting a new 40-yard dash combine record at 4.23 seconds back in 2022. In the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Barnes was taken as a cornerback by the Carolina Panthers and played in two games for the team. Currently, he plays for the San Antonio Brahmas in the UFL, coming out of the NFL just after one season.

2. John Ross III, 2017 – 4.22 seconds

John Ross III set the second-fastest 40-yard dash time (fastest at the time) back in 2017 during the Combine of that year. With a time of 4.22 seconds, Ross previously held the fastest 40-yard dash record, only recently falling short to one other player after having a spectacular college career at the University of Washington. He was drafted to the Cincinnati Bengals as a wide receiver after showcasing his explosive running ability. He’d play for the Bengals for four seasons, playing in 27 total games before moving to the New York Giants for a season. In 2024, he’d move to the Philadelphia Eagles, his current team.

1. Xavier Worthy, 2024 – 4.21 seconds

The fastest NFL Combine 40-yard dash time in history was set in 2024 as Xavier Worthy clocked in at 4.21 seconds. Reigning Super Bowl champs the Kansas City Chiefs would be delighted to draft the speedster in the first round in the 2024 NFL Draft as a wide receiver after having a solid college football career at the University of Michigan. Worthy has lived up to his name so far in Kansas City and takes the trophy as the legitimate fastest sprinter to get drafted to the NFL with the fastest overall 40-yard dash time.