Who are the fastest players in the NFL? You might think it’d be running backs; “run” is in the name, after all. But nope — it’s wide receivers. At least, it is if you decide strictly based on historical 40-yard dash times at the NFL Combine. But who is the fastest of the fast — the speediest of the speedy — to ever run those fateful 40 yards in Indianapolis each year?
Fastest Wide Receiver 40-Yard Dash Times in NFL Combine History
Electronic 40-yard dash timing was first implemented at the NFL Combine in 1999. Below are the WRs who’ve displayed the fleetest of feet across the Lucas Oil Stadium turf.
WR John Ross (2017) – 4.22 Seconds
Heading into the 2017 NFL Draft, everyone knew John Ross was fast, but no one knew he was this fast. Ross’ 40-time of 4.22 seconds is still the fastest in NFL history, and it no doubt helped boost his draft stock.
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The former Washington Huskies wideout was selected ninth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals, but his speed never translated to top-tier NFL production. Ross’ best season came in 2019 when he hauled in 28 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns.
WR Rondel Menendez (1999) – 4.24
The only other wideout to ever run a sub-4.25 40-yard dash, Rondel Menendez is also the oldest player on this list. Menendez’s record held until the aforementioned Ross broke it 18 years later, though legendary NFL RB Chris Johnson tied Menendez in 2008.
The pass catcher out of Eastern Kentucky was selected in the seventh round and spent just three seasons in the league before retiring from football.
WR Jerome Mathis (2006) – 4.26
A high school track star and elite collegiate kick returner, Jerome Mathis was a major contributor from the first minute he set foot on an NFL field. Selected in the fourth round by the Houston Texans, Mathis was best known for his special-teams ability. He was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl roster as a rookie as the conference’s best kick returner.
Notable Wide Receiver 40-Yard Dash Times
WR Marquise Goodwin (2013) – 4.27
An Olympic track and field athlete? You’re darn right he’s going to be explosive. Goodwin represented the United States at the 2012 Olympic Games in the long jump, placing first in the qualifying round before rounding out his Olympic performance with a 10th-place finish in the finals.
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Goodwin hasn’t done too shabby in the NFL, either. He’s put together a decade-long career with five teams as a rotational wideout, appearing in 102 games with 44 starts, accumulating 187 receptions for 3,023 yards and 18 touchdowns.
WR J.J. Nelson (2015) – 4.28
Sometimes, being super small can be a good thing in the NFL. Though, if we’re being honest, that’s probably limited to this exercise. At 5’10” and just 156 pounds, J.J. Nelson is one of the lightest wideouts in NFL Combine history. In fact, he weighed in nine pounds lighter than the smallest starting WR in the league in 2022, DeVonta Smith (165 pounds).
Against all odds for a man of his size, Nelson played five seasons in the league, starting 16 games and compiling nearly 1,500 receiving yards.
WR Tyquan Thornton (2022) – 4.28
The most recent draftee on our list, Tyquan Thornton was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots at 50th overall. The former Baylor Bear played sparingly as a rookie, but he’s expected to see significant snaps in his sophomore season and should be deployed as a deep threat in new OC Bill O’Brien’s Patriots attack.
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (2009) – 4.30
Picked ahead of highly-touted prospects in Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, Darrius Heyward-Bey is another prime example of blistering measurables pushing a player up the draft boards following a stellar Combine performance. Heyward-Bey maxed out at 786 receiving yards in a single collegiate season, yet he was selected seventh overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Much like Ross, his speed never translated to NFL success. The former Maryland Terrapin peaked with the Oakland Raiders in his third season, reaching 975 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He stuck around the league for a decade as a kick returner and depth option on offense.
WR Calvin Johnson (2007) – 4.40
We may take it for granted in today’s league when 280-pound defensive linemen like Northwstern’s Adetomiwa Adebawore run 4.49 40-yard dashes, but what Calvin Johnson accomplished back in 2007 was practically unheard of at the time. “Megatron,” measuring in at 6’5″ and 239 pounds, ran a blazing 4.40.
MORE: Fastest Offensive Linemen 40-Yard Dash Times in NFL Combine History
A man that large simply shouldn’t be able to run that fast. There’s a reason the Pro Football Hall of Famer was selected second overall (one of just six WRs ever drafted first or second overall). Even before he touched the field, everyone knew just how special Johnson could be.