Fastest 40-yard dash in NFL Combine history
Xavier Worthy's 4.21 in 2024 is the fastest 40-yard dash ever recorded at the NFL Combine. The Texas receiver broke John Ross's 4.22 from 2017, which had broken Chris Johnson's 4.24 from 2008. The table lists every official Combine 40 of 4.27 or faster since the Combine began electronic timing in 1999.
| # | Player | Pos | Year | 40 time | Avg mph | Est. 100m* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xavier Worthy | WR | 2024 | 4.21 | 19.43 | 9.62 |
| 2 | John Ross III | WR | 2017 | 4.22 | 19.39 | 9.65 |
| 3 | Kalon Barnes | CB | 2022 | 4.23 | 19.34 | 9.68 |
| 4 | Rondel Menendez | WR | 1999 | 4.24 | 19.30 | 9.70 |
| 4 | Chris Johnson | RB | 2008 | 4.24 | 19.30 | 9.70 |
| 6 | Jerome Mathis | WR | 2005 | 4.26 | 19.21 | 9.76 |
| 6 | Dri Archer | RB | 2014 | 4.26 | 19.21 | 9.76 |
| 6 | Tariq Woolen | CB | 2022 | 4.26 | 19.21 | 9.76 |
| 6 | DJ Turner II | CB | 2023 | 4.26 | 19.21 | 9.76 |
| 6 | Brenen Thompson | WR | 2026 | 4.26 | 19.21 | 9.76 |
| 11 | Stanford Routt | CB | 2005 | 4.27 | 19.16 | 9.78 |
| 11 | Marquise Goodwin | WR | 2013 | 4.27 | 19.16 | 9.78 |
| 11 | Henry Ruggs III | WR | 2020 | 4.27 | 19.16 | 9.78 |
| 11 | Lorenzo Styles Jr. | S | 2026 | 4.27 | 19.16 | 9.78 |
*Est. 100m is our model's conversion of each 40. None of these players ran that 100m. Combine 40s are hand-started, so the converted times are optimistic; see how the estimate works.
Why the list starts in 1999
The Combine started in 1982, but its early 40s were hand-timed. Since 1999 the clock has been started by hand and stopped electronically by a laser at the finish. Famous older times are left off for that reason. Deion Sanders' 4.27 in 1989 came from the hand-timed era, and Bo Jackson's famous 4.12 was never run at the Combine at all (what Bo Jackson ran instead).
Pro Day times don't count either. Tyreek Hill ran his 4.29 at West Alabama's Pro Day in 2016 after the Combine passed on inviting him (more on Tyreek Hill's 40 time).
The last three Combines
- 2026
- Mississippi State WR Brenen Thompson ran 4.26, tying Jerome Mathis for the third-fastest receiver time since 2003. Ohio State S Lorenzo Styles Jr. ran 4.27, the fastest by a safety since at least 2003, and LSU WR Zavion Thomas ran 4.28.
- 2025
- Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston was fastest at 4.28, with Texas WR Matthew Golden next at 4.29.
- 2024
- Xavier Worthy set the record at 4.21 on his second attempt after opening with a 4.25. Clemson CB Nate Wiggins had been fastest before him at 4.28.
Fastest Combine 40 by position
From the NFL's Combine database (since 2003), updated with 2026 records.
| Position | Player | 40 time |
|---|---|---|
| Wide receiver | Xavier Worthy, 2024 | 4.21 |
| Defensive back | Kalon Barnes, 2022 | 4.23 |
| Running back | Chris Johnson, 2008 | 4.24 |
| Safety | Lorenzo Styles Jr., 2026 | 4.27 |
| Quarterback | Reggie McNeal* | 4.35 |
| Defensive line | Amaré Barno | 4.36 |
| Linebacker | Shaquem Griffin | 4.38 |
| Tight end | Kenyon Sadiq, 2026 | 4.39 |
| Offensive line | Terron Armstead | 4.71 |
*McNeal went pro at another position; excluding players who did, Robert Griffin III's 4.41 in 2012 is the fastest.
Your 40 against Worthy's
Enter your 40 to see how far behind Worthy you'd be when he crosses the line. You also get your speed in mph and an estimated 100m.
These numbers are estimates from a sprint velocity curve fitted to Usain Bolt's official Berlin 2009 splits. A 40 is timed from first movement and often by hand, so football 40s convert to optimistic 100m times. How the estimate works
- Bo Jackson 4.13 s (claimed)Jackson wins by 5.4 yd
- Usain Bolt 4.20 s (split inside his 9.58)Bolt wins by 4.6 yd
- Xavier Worthy 4.21 s (Combine record)Worthy wins by 4.5 yd
- Tyreek Hill 4.29 s (Pro Day 2016)Hill wins by 3.6 yd
FAQ
More on 40 times
The Sprint University app
Train for a faster 40
The Sprint University app builds start and acceleration work around your current 40 and adjusts it to how recovered you are each day. Lawrence L.O. Johnson, a 6× NCAA All-American and Team USA sprinter, is behind the program.
Get Sprint UniversityPlayers are listed for their public Combine results only and are not affiliated with Sprint University.
Sources
- NFL.com: “Texas WR Xavier Worthy sets NFL Scouting Combine record with 4.21-second 40-yard dash” (2024)
- Sports Illustrated: “Fastest 40-Yard Dash Times Ever at the NFL Combine” (Feb 2025)
- Wikipedia: Rondel Menendez (4.24 at the 1999 Combine)
- Wikipedia: 40-yard dash (36.576 m; Combine hand-start/electronic-stop timing since 1999)
- Associated Press via News Tribune: “Longhorns keep title of NFL combine's fastest receiver” (2 Mar 2025)
- USA TODAY via AOL: “2026 NFL combine 40-yard dash tracker” (1 Mar 2026)
- ESPN: “Mississippi State's Thompson clocks 4.26 in 40 at NFL combine” (1 Mar 2026)
- NFL.com: “Ohio State S Lorenzo Styles Jr. runs fastest 40 by a safety since at least 2003” (2026)
- NFL.com: “Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq runs fastest 40 by tight end since at least 2003” (2026)
- NFL.com: “2026 NFL Combine: best and average 40-yard dash times by position”
- Wikipedia: Tyreek Hill (not invited to the 2016 Combine; West Alabama Pro Day)
- Raiders.com: “Bo knows 40-yard dashes” (Jerry Knaak, 1 Mar 2021)