Top contenders to run fastest 40-yard dash at this year’s combine

Who will be the fastest man at this year’s combine, and who has the best chance of breaking Chris Johnson’s record? A look at the leading contenders from the 2016 NFL draft class.

Will Laws | Feb 25, 2016

Top contenders to run fastest 40-yard dash at this year’s combine /

Free agent running back Chris Johnson admitted to SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday that he hopes his 40-yard dash record of 4.24 seconds, which was set at the 2008 NFL combine, continues to stand up through this weekend. He also said he was surprised someone hadn’t broken it yet.

Is this the year an NFL hopeful snatches the crown away from CJ2K? As if prospects need any motivation to prove their worth, adidas is offering $1 million to any combine participant who can beat Johnson with a time of 4.23 seconds or less.

Last year, UAB wide receiver J.J. Nelson led all participants with a 4.28 40-yard dash. PointAfter runs down the top five contenders to end up atop the leaderboard this weekend in Indianapolis.

Kolby Listenbee, WR, TCU

Fastest reported time: 4.36

NFLDraftScout overall ranking: No. 148

What direction are Titans going to take with No. 1 draft pick?

Listenbee isn’t considered a top prospect, but he’s been anointed as the favorite to post the fastest 40 time this weekend by various analysts. The lanky 6' 1" wideout must test well to , because his statistical production at TCU wasn’t overly impressive.

Fellow Horned Frog Josh Doctson bested Listenbee in receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, and actually finished third on the team in 2015 with 597 yards on 30 catches in 11 games. That being said, Listenbee showcased his potential as a deep threat by averaging 41.4 yards on his five touchdown receptions last year.

This isn’t an especially strong class for wide receivers. If Listenbee can deliver on the hype and show he’s a cut above every other wideout when it comes to straight-line speed, he could very well jump up big boards across the league. We know from history that certain teams (ahem, Raiders) love taking fliers on speedy flankers, for better or worse.

Oakland's Obsession With Speed | PointAfter

LeShaun Sims, CB, Southern Utah

Fastest reported time: mid-4.3s

NFLDraftScout overall ranking: No. 248

A four-year starter at Southern Utah, Sims reportedly clocked in the mid-4.3s in front of NFL scouts last spring, before his redshirt senior season. That earned him a surprise invite to the combine, where two of his Thunderbird teammates will also try to make an impression.

FCS prospects are under additional pressure to open eyes at the combine, since film exploits can be explained away by facing weaker opposition. The combine puts all players on an even scale, and Sims can show he belongs with a 40 time that stands out from his FBS peers.

A sub-4.3 time could boost Sims’s stock into the middle rounds, so you can bet he’s invested a lot of time into perfecting every portion of his form.

SI’s best photos from the NFL combine through the years

Classic SI Photos from the NFL Combine

2016

Jared Goff

2016

Ronnie Stanley

2016

Bronson Kaufusi

2015

Todd Gurley

2015

Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota

2015

Amari Cooper

2015

Leonard Williams

2014

Jack Mewhort and Jake Matthews

2014

Johnny Manziel

2014

Andre Williams

2014

Jadeveon Clowney

2013

Travis Frederick

2013

Luke Joeckel (27)

2013

Manti Te'o

2012

Ryan Tannehill, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson

2012

Robert Griffin III

2012

Trent Richardson

2011

Cam Newton

2011

A.J. Green

2011

Julio Jones

2011

Von Miller

2010

Ndamukong Suh

2010

Tim Tebow

2010

Sam Bradford

2009

Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez

2009

Mike Wallace

2009

Michael Oher

2009

Beanie Wells

2008

Matt Ryan

2008

Jake Long

2008

Chris Johnson

2008

Tom Coughlin

2008

Peyton Hillis

2008

Darren McFadden

2007

Adrian Peterson

2007

Greg Olsen

2006

Jay Cutler

Despite an influx of innovations, many NFL teams are fiercely loyal to the old-school ways of measuring prospects, as Aaron Rodgers demonstrated at the 2005 combine.

2005

Alex Smith

2004

Ben Roethlisberger

2004

Steven Jackson and Chris Perry

2004

Robert Gallery

2001

Drew Brees

1995

Steve McNair

1995

Mike Holmgren, Bill Parcells and Buddy Ryan

1995

Kerry Collins

1995

Warren Sapp

Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State

Fastest reported time: 4.32

NFLDraftScout overall ranking: No. 46

Miller took a break from destroying cornerbacks’ dreams at the Senior Bowl to tell reporters he wanted to run a 4.28 at the combine. That’s a lofty goal for the former quarterback and two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, but he might possess the athletic ability to do it. As a QB, Miller frequently outran defensive backs at Ohio State, and even after switching positions he often took handoffs in the backfield last season in an effort to get the ball in his hands by whatever means necessary.

Braxton Miller Rushing/Receiving Yards in 2015 | PointAfter

After focusing on honing his passing for most of his collegiate career, a full season of training as a skill player and this winter’s pre-combine workouts could’ve unlocked another level in Miller’s speed. We’ll see on Saturday, when wide receivers run the 40.

Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame

Fastest reported time: 4.42

NFLDraftScout overall ranking: No. 43

Fuller couldn’t crack the first two rounds of Chris Burke’s latest mock draft, but the Notre Dame product could improve his stock by offsetting his mediocre size (6-foot, 184 pounds) with top-flight speed. A long strider for his height, Fuller took the top off of defenses for two years as the primary target in Notre Dame’s offense.

Will Fuller 2015 Receiving Yards and Touchdowns | PointAfter

He burned USC track star Adoree’ Jackson in their highly anticipated clash last season, then outran Ohio State’s secondary on an 81-yard catch-and-score in the Fiesta Bowl.

Whether or not Fuller’s 40 time this weekend reflects it, he clearly possesses the open-field speed to cut it in the NFL.

Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State

Fastest reported time: 4.54 (high school)

NFLDraftScout overall ranking: No. 3

Already pegged as the top defensive back in this year’s class, Ramsey would cement his status as a top-five pick if he can stun scouts and smash Johnson’s record. Don’t discount the possibility of that happening. Ramsey has matured into a world-class athlete during his time as a Seminole and should blow by the 4.54-second time he recorded in high school.

Vernon Adams out to prove lack of height won’t impede NFL future

Ramsey ran the leadoff leg in Florida State’s 4x100 relay team that captured the ACC championship in 2015, when the consensus All-America selection also won the conference’s indoor and outdoor long jump title.

He’ll have the chance to add the title of the draft’s fastest prospect to his impressive résumé on Monday, when defensive backs wrap up on-field workouts and the year’s 40-yard dash champion is crowned.

Published Feb 25, 2016

WILL LAWS

Will Laws is a programming editor who frequently writes about baseball for Sports Illustrated. He has covered MLB since 2014 and, prior to joining the SI staff in February 2020, previously worked for Yahoo, Graphiq, MLB.com and the Raleigh News & Observer. His work also has appeared on Yahoo Sports, NBA.com and AOL. Laws has a bachelor's in print and digital journalism from the University of Southern California.