NFL Analysis
7/31/24
9 min read
Ranking The 10 Fastest Players in NFL History
Even on a field filled with the world's best athletes, the fastest are often the most feared. NFL stars have a rich history of electrifying fans with otherworldly accomplishments. Although pure speed doesn't always guarantee success, many of the fastest players to ever play in the NFL enjoyed tremendous careers.
Who are the fastest players in NFL history? We look beyond the 40-yard dash times to explore the most dangerous playmakers we've seen. The need for speed has never ended and will continue to push the limits of what we know is possible in the future.
Combining 40-yard dash records, track times, Next Gen Stats' tracked miles-per-hour data, and the eye test, these 10 players stand out amongst their peers. We prioritized stars with major on-field accomplishments over underwear Olympic legends who couldn't translate their blazing wheels into NFL competition.
10 Fastest Players in NFL History
10. Deion Sanders
The best cornerback of all time is also one of the few fastest we've seen play the position. Deion Sanders' "Prime Time" moniker was well-earned. During his career, he earned six All-Pro nominations while catching 53 interceptions. Before he even entered the NFL, Sanders made headlines with his speed.
During the 1989 NFL Combine, Sanders completed the 40-yard dash in an impressive 4.27 seconds. Although he once clocked in at 4.21 seconds, this record was not officially recognized due to assistance from the wind. While attending Florida State, Sanders showcased his remarkable speed by running the 100 meters in just 10.21.
Sanders was an extraordinary athlete, excelling in football and baseball. This prowess made him one of the most talented return specialists in NFL history, second only to Devin Hester in non-offensive touchdowns with a total of 19.
Darrell Green’s speed was unfair. He chased down HOF RB’s throughout his legendary career with ease. Take a peek at his most memorable⬇️ pic.twitter.com/y9laXfcSkx
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) May 22, 2020
9. Darrell Green
Speed was the hallmark of Darrell Green's 20-year career and still is to this day. The "Ageless Wonder" claims to have run a 4.43 40-yard dash at 50 years old. It's hard to argue the Hall of Famer is lying based on the workout videos he's posted even into his 60s.
If he wasn't the fastest player in the NFL throughout his long tenure with Washington, Green was barely behind his peers. The urban legend is he ran a 4.09 40-yard dash in the 1986 training camp, which isn't far off the pace of his official 10.08 100-meter dash. There are also multiple instances in which Green erased the gap between himself and Hall of Famers, such as Tony Dorsett and Eric Dickerson.
Green had 54 interceptions, six touchdowns, more than 1,200 tackles, and made seven Pro Bowls throughout his career. The 5-foot-9, 184-pounder will forever be a franchise icon, and the tales of his blazing speed will fuel his legacy in the future.
8. John Ross
The ninth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, John Ross didn't have the career anyone had hoped. He totaled only 957 yards and 11 touchdowns on 62 receptions in five seasons as injuries limited his availability. However, Ross was so explosive in the flashes we saw that we can't keep him off this list.
He caught seven touchdowns on 21 receptions in his second season, then averaged 18.1 and 20.4 yards per catch in the next two seasons that he played more than three games. Ross couldn't stay healthy enough for more volume, but the 4.22 40-yard dash sprinter was every bit of the dynamic presence many had hoped for when he came out of Washington.
Ross was measured to run 23.2 miles per hour in a 2018 practice. That number is higher than any in-game mark measured since Next Gen Stats began tracking later that season. While his talent might've been debatable, Ross' speed was not.
Only injury prone player I want the 49ers to keep is Raheem Mostert.
— THIS IS THE WAY! (@RoscoesMr) February 15, 2022
At the end of the day, you can’t teach special speed
Trey Lance with Mostert = explosive offense pic.twitter.com/bFK1jOqPgP
7. Raheem Mostert
After bouncing around through four teams in his first two seasons, Raheem Mostert finally found a home in San Francisco in late 2016. At 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, and boasting a 4.34 40 time at the combine, Mostert was considered a flier addition. However, his fit in Kyle Shanahan's one-cut system brought out the best of the speedster.
Since seeing the field more in 2018, Mostert has been electric. His impact hit a high with the Miami Dolphins in 2023 in Mike McDaniel's offshoot take on Shanahan's scheme, and he led the NFL with 18 rushing scores. At the core of his game, Mostert still relies on speed.
Since 2020, Mostert has routinely been among the fastest players by GPS. He posted the two fastest times in 2020 alone, 23.09 and 22.73 mph. No one has logged a faster time than 23.09 since the tracking began.
6. DK Metcalf
At 6-foot-4, 235 pounds of pure lean muscle, DK Metcalf is arguably the most impressive physical specimen in the NFL today. His Adonis-esque build has become less of a talking point as Metcalf has tallied at least 900 yards in each of his first five seasons and totaled 43 touchdowns. But at the heart of his game, Metcalf's overwhelming physical profile is still his foundation.
He reminded everyone of his 4.33 40-yard dash speed this past season, posting the fastest on-field GPS time of anyone in 2023. His 22.23 mph time on a 73-yard touchdown reception was comfortably ahead of his competition. What's funny is it didn't look like Metcalf was trying as hard as he could.
Metcalf also made the list in 2020, ranking 10th with a time of 21.66 mph. Now 26, it's impressive that Metcalf has increased his speed to match the NFL's current elite despite weighing at least 40 pounds more than most receivers. His blend of density and explosiveness is something usually only achieved in video games.
5. Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson was a freight train masquerading as a human being. At 6 feet tall and more than 220 pounds, Jackson's frame was enough to deter defenders from standing in his way. Then, add the fastest verified 40-yard dash time of 4.13 and a play style that embraced his natural power and leverage, and it's no wonder Jackson became a Hall of Famer.
Injuries limited Jackson to only four seasons in the NFL, but his impact was remarkable. He totaled 2,782 yards on only 515 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per touch.
Although Jackson and his fans were robbed of what would've been a legendary career, moments like this will forever headline NFL highlights.
Bo knows unparalleled speed & power.
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) November 30, 2020
Happy 58th birthday to @BoJackson! pic.twitter.com/EzS6tdqFbp
4. Tyreek Hill
Tyreek Hill's play speed is the most impressive blend of raw acceleration, agility, top-end speed, and ability to maintain his quickness through cuts, which makes him unguardable. He didn't run a 40-yard dash at his NFL Combine but did log a 4.29 at his pro day.
He plays even faster; the eye test and tracking technology confirm this.
In each season since 2018, Hill's top-speed marks land well above 21 mph. That includes a headlining speed of 22.01 in 2023 on a 64-yard touchdown reception. Hill also had the seventh, ninth, and 15th-fastest speeds in 2023.
He is on his way to a Hall of Fame career at his pace, but Hill has yet to slow down despite turning 30 this spring. The five-time All-Pro continues to improve by decreasing the inefficiencies that usually come with lightning-quick footwork. He's become an A-plus route runner and creator with an unprecedented blend of speed and agility.
⚡️Top 10 NFL’s Fastest Players in History
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) July 15, 2023
(excluding active players)
1. Chris Johnson | 22.9mph #ReelSpeed
🔗https://t.co/veTsAlQqhc pic.twitter.com/dQFSJXGxjd
3. Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson began his dominant run in the NFL before he suited up for the Tennessee Titans. He clocked a 4.24 40-yard dash at the 2008 NFL Combine, and side-by-side videos actually show Johnson running faster than John Ross' 4.22 finish. Nevertheless, his 4.24 time was an NFL record, immediately translating to success.
"CJ2K" racked up six straight 1,000-yard seasons, including an NFL record 2,509 total yards in 2009. Giving him a crease was a death sentence, and the Titans revamped their offense to maximize Johnson's touches.
The result was three consecutive Pro Bowls to start his career and plenty of explosive plays.
2. Xavier Worthy
As if setting the NFL Combine record for the fastest 40 time wasn't enough to establish Xavier Worthy as an elite speedster, the on-field metrics reflect Worthy's talent. Next Gen Stats logged Worthy at a max speed of 24.42 mph during his 40, and Reel Analytics tracked him as 22.7 mph on a punt return. Only Mostert (23.09 and 22.73) has raced to a faster top speed in the NFL.
At only 172 pounds, it's unsurprising that speed is Worthy's superpower. He plays so fast that he's yet to accomplish what Hill has as a route runner. Instead of being crisp with his steps and cuts, Worthy's foot speed makes it difficult for him to make sharp steps and play within the offense's timing.
Experience helped Hill improve, and Worthy's playmaking upside is similarly devastating for defenses.
1. Bob Hayes
Claiming the title of the fastest man in the NFL means breaking world records in the 100-meter dash, an honor once held by "Bullet Bob" Hayes. During his time in the NFL in the 1960s and 1970s, Hayes made his mark on the sprinting world by setting groundbreaking records in 1963 and 1964.
He shattered the 100-yard dash world record with a time of 9.1 seconds, which had remained unbeaten for eleven years. In the same year, he also achieved an unofficial world record in the 200-meter dash.
Bob Hayes, the only man in history to have won both a Super Bowl ring and an Olympic gold medal, was the personification of "speed."
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) December 20, 2023
On the day the late Hayes would've turned 81, we honor his career. #HOFForever pic.twitter.com/ZwBS59Wyth
Hayes showcased his exceptional speed on the global stage at the Olympics the subsequent year. Despite competing in borrowed shoes after forgetting his own, he seized the 100-meter dash gold medal with a time of 10.06 seconds, setting a new world record. He also delivered the fastest 4x100 relay leg in history, clocking in at 8.60 seconds, narrowly outpacing Usain Bolt’s 2015 relay performance by five-hundredths of a second.
Hayes entered the NFL in 1964, drafted by the Cowboys as a "future" pick. He contributed for a decade and was honored with a Hall of Fame induction in 2009, seven years after his passing.
Hayes remains the sole individual to to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl.
