The Fastest 40 ever...

[BillSU]

I could swear they called Mo Jackson a 4.2 40 runner in '98 or so.

Granted, we take those numbers with a grain of salt. But he was as fast as anybody.

MOE JACKSONS SPEED AND SKILLS SCHOOL​

ELITE SKILLS TRAINING FOR ALL FOOTBALL POSITIONS​

Born and raised in Rochester NY, Moe is one of the most decorated athletes to come out of Rochester. After receiving numerous scholarship offers to Division I colleges Moe chose Syracuse University where he started most special teams as a true freshman. He went on to have a really good college career. Leading the team in receptions and yards per catch his senior year. Moe also lead the team in return yards as a kick returner. Another one of his big accomplishments at Syracuse was becoming the fastest player in Syracuse football history after running a blazing 4.18 second 40 yard dash. Think it was a fluke? He did it again recording a 4.19 a year later. Moe went on to sign a 2 year contract with the Buffalo Bills. He later took his talents to play in the CFL for the British Columbia Lions. Moe ended his career after playing 3 seasons with Rochester Raiders in the AIFL. Moe holds the record in every receiver category for the Raiders. He lead the team to Rochesters first ever minor league professional sports championship.

It was a pleasure to play with a guy who is determined, goal oriented, smart and fast. Moe was a QB's dream. What I mean by that is that you want a guy who can take the top off of coverages and catch any pass that comes his way. Thats called a security blanket. I've had the privilege of playing with different types of WR's and all had different qualities. Moe definitely was one of the fastest.

-Donovan McNabb-

 

[kcsu]

Floyd didnt get caught from behind often.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

When do sprinters reach their prime: late 20's

 

[BillSU]

When do sprinters reach their prime: late 20's

Capt. Tuttle

Yes.

At 18, I was the N.J. State Champion in the 100 yard dash in 1962 @ 9.71 secs.

As a senior the same year, was the NJ Prep All State QB, 6’ 180, threw for 25 TDS ran for 15. Recruited by Rutgers, BC, UMass, and Penn but they didn’t have my major

Walked on to SU football and track. Team mate of Floyds who ran the same time.

Never ran sprints after SU. The below is right on, hope this answers your question.



On August 16, 2009, under the lights of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium at the World Championships, 22-year-old Usain Bolt strikes a lightning-bolt pose and grins before taking his mark. Then the Jamaican, already the fastest man in the world, shatters his own world record in the 100-meter dash, winning the event in 9.58 seconds. He becomes the first to run the event in less than 9.6 seconds.



A sprinter's peak is generally reached between the ages of 23 and 30. The best sprinters (i.e. Gold Medals) generally peak at ages 22, 26, or 30. The mean AND median age is 26.



Older sprinters take shorter steps and their feet spend longer in contact with the ground, presumably because they're less able to generate explosive force with each step. That's consistent with the finding that older sprinters have less muscle, and in particular less fast-twitch muscle, than younger sprinters.



Usain Bolt sets 100-meter dash world record - HISTORY

 

[BillSU]

Floyd didnt get caught from behind often.

No he didn't. As a matter of fact, if he'd broken through the LOS and was in the open running full speed I do not remember anyone catching him.

 

[kcsu]

No he didn't as a matter of fact if he'd broken through the LOS and was in the open running full speed I do not remember anyone catching him.

Agreed. Floyd had amazing game speed

 

[BillSU]

So what's Tim Locastro at?

He was timed at 30.7 ft per second.

Ummm...I am a big Yankees fan and I did not know who Tim Locastro was or where he came from or who he's played for which is now in the post above. From Auburn, N.Y.

Yankees' Tim Locastro: Activated, optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire JUN 3, 2022
Locastro (lat) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday. The Yankees don't need Locastro at the moment, but he could be back up later this summer when their depth gets tested. He is hitting .231 with one home run and four steals in 13 at-bats this season and is primarily used as a pinch runner off the bench

Here is Locastro beating out throws to first:

Anther fans video of thief Locastro
Why Tim Locastro Should Be Your Favorite Weird Player | Baseball Bits

 

[xc84]

The Fastest 40 Yard Dash Ever | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights

There are many football fans who will and have asked the question who ran the fastest 40 yard dash. I came across this article which really looks at that and the history of the 40, why it was developed as a marker for the NFL draft and variables that go into the 40 including three different starting procedures that will affect the real time of the distance.

Then there is a list of the fastest 40’s ever run. Just thought it might interest some people and promote discussion since it has become the signature event at the NFL Combine and carries so much weight on a players draft position depending on his offensive or defensive position. I’ll copy/paste part of the article and post the sub 40 times. This is a current article with some times added this year.


The Fastest 40 Yard Dash Ever

What Research Found Out On This Very Important Topic
By: Chad Wilson-Editor Gridironstuds.com


In 1960, Gil Brandt, the director scouting for the Cowboys along with his department came up with the 40/20/10 measurement. The 40 was used for all players. The 20 yard split time of the 40 was of great significance for linemen since the thought was that they rarely run 40 yards in a game.

The 10-yard split was important for wide receivers as a measure of their burst off of the line of scrimmage. With this, a drill was born and almost 50 years later, it has become the center piece of info on a prospective high school, college or professional football player.

So who had the fastest 40 yard dash ever? Research confirmed what I already knew and that there is no way to really tell. Here are some important things to know about the 40 yard dash:

- A hand time (use of a stop watch) will usually be faster than an electronic time

- There are two types of electronic times:

1. When a watch is started by a coach and an electronic beam records the time when it picks up the player crossing the end point

2. When an electronic beam picks up the movement of a player from the start and starts the clock. An electronic beam also detects the player at the end point and stops the clock.

This time will be slower than version No. 1 and even slower than a hand time in which a coach starts his stop watch when he sees the player begin the run and then stops the watch when he sees the player cross the finish line.

- An accurtrack time will be the slowest of all. Accutrack is what is used at track meets. The clock in accu-track timing starts when the starter’s pistol is shot. The runner’s time for the event is recorded digitally when the technology detects the player crossing the finish line.

Studies have shown that that average reaction time by a human to a starter’s pistol is .25 seconds.

For this reason, anyone who compares a 40-yard split time in a 100 meter event and compares it to reported hand timed 40-yard dash marks is making a big mistake. If you want compare the 40-yard split of a runner in a 100 meter event, subtract .25 seconds from the recorded time.

So, Olympic runner Justin Gatlin’s 4.42 forty-yard dash split recorded during his Gold Medal winning 9.85 100 meter run, would convert to a 4.17 forty yard dash by football standards.

After much research a few things have come up over and over and over. These things plus my own two eyes would lead me to believe that Darrell Green, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were the fastest football players to ever play the game.



Former Hurricanes, Tremain Mack (4.25) and Al Shipman (4.27), ran sub 4.3 forties before my own eyes. Track star Henry Neal recorded a 4.20 forty yard dash before my own eyes in a workout for the Miami Dolphins in 1996.

The Dolphins did not sign Neal since his football background was quite limited. I never watched him run an actual 40-yard dash but after having to cover him in training camp, I am inclined to believe every second of Joey Galloway’s reported 4.18 forty yard dash.

One player that is not on the list is Bob Hayes of the Dallas Cowboys. No doubt, Hayes was one of the fastest men, if not the fastest man to put on an NFL uniform.

However, as it relates to the 40 yard dash, I could find no time recorded for this Olympic Gold medalist. Hayes has the fastest 100 meter time for an NFL player at 10.05.

Should current Florida Gator Jeffery Demps make it to the NFL for any significant amount of time, he will own the fastest time at 10.01. Demps ran this as a high schooler and owns the national prep record for the event.

The fastest recorded 40 yard split on record belongs to Olympian Maurice Greene. During his World Record 60 meter run of 6.33, a mark that still exists, Green crossed the 40 yard mark at 4.18.

Remembering that .25 seconds must be subtracted from that time due to Accu-track timing and you come up with a 40 yard dash time of 3.93 seconds. What’s the problem with that time? It was run on an indoor track with spikes on giving the runner an advantage over the football players who have run on grass with cleats.

In an effort to centralize all the reported 40 yard dash times. I will start what we call the SUB 4.3 Club. I will attempt to keep a running record of the sub 4.3 forty yard dashes and their owners in this list.

I will refrain from adding times of the ridiculous and will do some research on all times that qualify. I will say one thing, can you web surfers stop reporting that Deion Sanders ran a 4.57 forty yard dash backwards. That’s just flat out ridiculous.

Enjoy the following list of reported (and somewhat believable) 40 yard dashes run under 4.3 seconds.

You can view the list at: The Fastest 40 Yard Dash Ever - Gridiron Studs Blog: College Football Recruiting Talk or below

View attachment 217766

Regarding Bob Hayes. He ran the 100M on cinder tracks. His time would be much faster on today's tracks with today's shoes.

 

[OttoMets]

MOE JACKSONS SPEED AND SKILLS SCHOOL​

ELITE SKILLS TRAINING FOR ALL FOOTBALL POSITIONS​

Born and raised in Rochester NY, Moe is one of the most decorated athletes to come out of Rochester. After receiving numerous scholarship offers to Division I colleges Moe chose Syracuse University where he started most special teams as a true freshman. He went on to have a really good college career. Leading the team in receptions and yards per catch his senior year. Moe also lead the team in return yards as a kick returner. Another one of his big accomplishments at Syracuse was becoming the fastest player in Syracuse football history after running a blazing 4.18 second 40 yard dash. Think it was a fluke? He did it again recording a 4.19 a year later. Moe went on to sign a 2 year contract with the Buffalo Bills. He later took his talents to play in the CFL for the British Columbia Lions. Moe ended his career after playing 3 seasons with Rochester Raiders in the AIFL. Moe holds the record in every receiver category for the Raiders. He lead the team to Rochesters first ever minor league professional sports championship.

It was a pleasure to play with a guy who is determined, goal oriented, smart and fast. Moe was a QB's dream. What I mean by that is that you want a guy who can take the top off of coverages and catch any pass that comes his way. Thats called a security blanket. I've had the privilege of playing with different types of WR's and all had different qualities. Moe definitely was one of the fastest.

-Donovan McNabb-

Nice pull! Can't remember what I had for dinner last night, but I remembered that.

 

[xc84]

Fastest 40 by a Cuse player ever?

Mo Jackson? Harrison? Spotwood? Kevin Johnson? Ishmael?

Mike Morris still owns SU's 50M and 55M dash records

 

[Fat tire 13]

Yes hand timed. Believe.
- A hand time (use of a stop watch) will usually be faster than an electronic time
- There are two types of electronic times:
1. When a watch is started by a coach and an electronic beam records the time when it picks up the player crossing the end point
2. When an electronic beam picks up the movement of a player from the start and starts the clock. An electronic beam also detects the player at the end point and stops the clock.
This time will be slower than version No. 1 and even slower than a hand time in which a coach starts his stop watch when he sees the player begin the run and then stops the watch when he sees the player cross the finish line.
- An accurtrack time will be the slowest of all. Accutrack is what is used at track meets. The clock in accu-track timing starts when the starter’s pistol is shot. The runner’s time for the event is recorded digitally when the technology detects the player crossing the finish line.
Studies have shown that that average reaction time by a human to a starter’s pistol is .25 seconds.
For this reason, anyone who compares a 40-yard split time in a 100 meter event and compares it to reported hand timed 40-yard dash marks is making a big mistake. If you want compare the 40-yard split of a runner in a 100 meter event, subtract .25 seconds from the recorded time.

>Back when I was a kid, they stated that Mantle ran down the bases, home to 1st in 3.1 seconds. This was hand timed by the way. Vida Pinson was also timed at that speed.

Mantle was one of the best, if not the best, drag bunters ever. So he was doing the same thing as Ichiro, and he was timed by hand, which also counts for a faster time. Pinson was timed the same way, drag bunting, and both their times were 3.1. If they were timed today, their time would be a little slower using the timers we have today. (See the 40 Fastest Ever post for the difference in timing

Mantle & Pinson both had several feet short of 30 yards (90 feet) while drag bunting out of the batters box.

Here's what I found:

Sporting News, Sept. 3, 1952.

Lefty Batters Running To 1B.

Time Runner

>3.1--Mickey Mantle, Yanks

3.1 seconds

Some say Mantle's knee injury in the 1951 world series had some permanent effects on his speed. Wondering if there are any reliable times from before his injury

For current players, it seems Trea Turner is right up there with the best all time

 

[GeauxSU]

Scouting Report on the Next Great Syracuse Running Back (nfldiamonds.com; Bey)

Over the years, Syracuse University has had several great Running Backs (Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Larry Csonka, Joe Morris, and Floyd Little among many others). In 2021, Sean Tucker broke the all-time single-season rushing record with 1,496 yards. As a 3rd yr Sophomore, he will have 2 more years of eligibility after the 2022 season, but he should be one of the first backs taken in the 2023 draft if he continues to improve.

Name, Jersey #: Sean Tucker #34
School (Code): NYSY
DOB, Class Yr: 10/25/01, 3rd yr SO (2022 Season)
Height, Weight: 5100e, 209e
>40 Yd Dash: 4.54e<
Position/Depth: RB 1
Honors/Captainship: 2021, 1st team All-ACC, 1st team All-American (FWAA), 2nd team All-American (AP)
Season Viewed (yr): 2021
Games Watched: @FLST, NCWF, SCCL, MABC, @NCST
Scout Name/Date: Mike Bey 5/15/22

LAOrange:

This report on Tucker was in tomcat's Thursday's Football Board. I'm guessing that the e means estimated and if correct I can't imagine, with his track work, he hasn't been officially timed in the 40. Watching him run in games and in film of games - to me he certainly looks faster than a 4.5.

I estimate him at a 4.4 or high 4.3. Babers said he's faster but we are going to find out officially at the Combine. I have not seen anyone able to catch him from behind. Once he takes that first step he's gone.

I’ll gladly take a 4.5 with that amount of raw power behind it than a guy who runs a 4.2 with no beef.

He is a thoroughbred

 

[sufandu]

Mike Morris still owns SU's 50M and 55M dash records

He shares the 50m with Joe Morris. Anybody know Joe's 40m time?

 

[BillSU]

He shares the 50m with Joe Morris. Anybody know Joe's 40m time?

4.5
I consider him one of the greatest backs we have ever had continuing the line of the greatest -
JIM BROWN, ERNIE DAVIS, FLOYD LITTLE, LARRY CSONKA, JOE MORRIS.

At 5' 7 1/4 " 190 he was offered #44 by Dick Mac PHERSON but refused feeling he was unworthy then chose #47 and went out and broke all the rushing records at SU.

Maybe Sean Tucker will stay one more year and we'll see what he will accumulate for rushing offense and total yards or perhaps he'll break all this coming year?

TWO SWIFT RUNNERS SELECTED BY GIANTS (Published 1982)

www.nytimes.com

Giants legend Joe Morris to have number retired by Syracuse

 

[BillSU]

I’ll gladly take a 4.5 with that amount of raw power behind it than a guy who runs a 4.2 with no beef.

He is a thoroughbred

More recent fastest 40 times. The 40's vary from writer to writer site to site. Here's another:

Fastest 40 yard dash: Fastest players in NFL Combine history, fastest NFL players in 2024

What is the fastest 40 yard dash ever? From Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders to Tyreek Hill and John Ross, a look at the fastest NFL players ever.

sportsnaut.com

Fastest 40 yard dash: Bo Jackson, Tyreek Hill among fastest NFL players ever​

Matt Johnson


Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Who ran the fastest 40 yard dash ever? Coaches, scouts and general managers flock to the NFL Scouting Combine every year to find the fastest NFL player. While having the fastest 40 yard dash time isn’t a guarantee for success, many of the game’s most iconic players lit up stopwatches with their times.
Check Out: 10 Strangest Super Bowl Facts From NFL History
Let’s look into the record books, data and more to find the fastest 40 times ever in the NFL.

Kalon Barnes runs second-fastest 40 yard dash ever at NFL Scouting Combine​

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Unlike Tyquan Thornton seeing his official 40 time downgraded by the NFL after initially setting the record, Barnes 4.23 40 time is now official. The Baylor cornerback ran that time during the final day of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday.

This means that Barnes is in the record books as running the second fastest 40 time in NFL Scouting Combine history behind John Ross.
Related: NFL games today – 2022 NFL schedule
A fast stopwatch at the 2022 NFL Combine led to buzz when Tyquan Thompson seemingly set the record with a 4.21 40-yard dash time. However, the NFL officially announced following Thursday’s event that Thornton officially finished with a 4.28 time. It would finish just ahead of the Tyreek Hill 40 time set at his Pro Day.

Official fastest 40 yard times at 2022 NFL Combine​

• Kalon Barnes, CB, Baylor — 4.23 seconds
• Tarik Woolen, CB, Texas-San Antontio – 4.26 seconds
• Tyquan Thompson, WR, Baylor – 4.28 seconds
• Velus Jones, WR, Tennessee – 4.31 seconds
• Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis – 4.32 seconds
• Zyon McCollum, CB, Sam Houston State – 4.33 seconds
• Danny Gray, WR, SMU – 4.33 seconds
• Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers – 4.34 seconds
• Nick Cross, S, Maryland – 4.35 seconds
• Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State – 4.36 seconds
• Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State – 4.38 seconds
• Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State – 4.39 seconds

Fastest 40 yard dash times in NFL history​

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Being the fastest player doesn’t make you an all-time great, demonstrated by the Tom Brady 40 time (5.28) and Jerry Rice 40 time (4.71). There are also incredible stories, like the reports Darrell Green ran a 4.09 time in the 40-yard dash at training camp in 1986. For this list, we’ll examine the fastest 40 yard dash times with multiple recordings.
Here are the fastest 40 yard dash times ever.

Fabian Washington, former Raiders cornerback​

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Take a look at the players with the fastest 40 yard dash times and you’ll notice a trend. There are a lot of former Raiders’ draftees. Al Davis loved drafting players who lit up the stopwatch, posting the fastest 40 time, and Fabian Washington is part of that history. The No. 23 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Washington is one of the fastest NFL cornerbacks ever. But Washington’s blowup performance at the 2006 NFL Scouting Combine didn’t pay off, playing just 81 games in six seasons.

• Fabian Washington 40 time: 4.29

Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver​

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Tyreek Hill is the fastest player in the NFL right now, there’s no doubt about it. Frankly, he might be the best wide receiver in 2022. Hill didn’t run at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine due to a domestic violence arrest, which also pushed him down to the 165th pick. But at the West Alabama Pro Day, multiple scouts clocked HIll at a 4.29 40-yard dash. No defensive back has a chance against his speed in the NFL today, making him a matchup nightmare. How fast is Tyreek Hill? Just as everyone that hurts their neck looking back as he blows by them.

• Tyreek Hill 40 time: 4.29 seconds*
• Tyreek Hill top speed: 21.91 mph

Stanford Routt, former Raiders cornerback​

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Did we mention Al Davis loved picking players based on their 40 time? Washington and Stanford Routt were part of the Raiders’ 2005 draft class. Neither defensive back ever made the Pro Bowl in their careers. But Routt did play in the NFL for nine seasons, starting 110 games for the Raiders and delivering a pick-six in 2010.

• Stanford Routt 40 time: 4.27

Deion Sanders, Hall of Fame cornerback​

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
There are legends behind many of the fastest 40 yard dash marks. Unsurprisingly, the sensationalism around Deion Sanders matches his legendary reputation. Sanders set the NFL Combine record for the 40-yard dash in 1989, breaking the mark in ‘Primetime’ fashion. he walked into the stadium and ran a 4.27 in front of teams without stretching and then sprinted out of the building and left. The rest is history.

• Deion Sanders 40 time: 4.27*

Marquise Goodwin, Chicago Bears wide receiver​

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Marquise Goodwin has delivered some memorable moments during his football career, including a tribute to his lost newborn child after a touchdown. But the Chicago Bears wide receiver must also be recognized as one of the fastest football players. A two-sport star at Texas, playing football along with track and field, Godwin was a four-time All-American in track with program records in the long jump. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he clocked in a 4.27 40-yard dash and has made plenty of big plays.

• Marquise Goodwin 40 time: 4.27

Jerome Mathis, former Houston Texans wide receiver​

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
NFL fans won’t recognize Jerome Mathis. A fourth-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, his NFL career only lasted a few seasons. But he’s certainly not one of the draft busts with one of the fastest 40 yard dash times ever. A track and field sensation in Virginia, Mathis became a return specialist in college. He clocked a 4.26 40 time in 2005, one of the best marks in NFL history. While he only played three NFL seasons (2005-’07), he earned first-team All-Pro honors as a returner after is rookie season. Injuries and arrests derailed his career shortly after.

• Jerome Mathis 40 time: 4.26

Dri Archer, former Pittsburgh Steelers running back​

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
College football fans remember Dri Archer. He became a fan favorite at Kent State, especially in his final two seasons. Archer earned an NFL Combine invite after totaling 2,844 scrimmage yards and 719 kickoff return yards in his final two collegiate seasons. He caught everybody’s attention in Indianapolis, clocking a 4.26 40-yard dash. But after being selected 97th overall by the Steelers in the 2014 NFL Draft, in front of Devonta Freeman, Archer played in just 20 games and never played another snap after the 2015 season.

• Dri Archer 40 time: 4.26

Chris Olave, former Ohio State wide receiver​

Mar 2, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave talks to the media during the 2022 NFL Combine. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Those who faced former Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave during his brilliant four-year career with Ohio State knew full well that the 6-foot-1 pass catcher can turn on the burners.
NFL teams watching Olave perform in Indianapolis during the NFL Scouting Combine Thursday evening got a first-hand view of this.
The likely first-round pick put up one of the best 40-yard dash times in the history of the longstanding event. He was timed in at 4.26, tying the likes of Jerome Mathis and Dri Archer with the fifth-fastest 40-yard dash in combine history.

Chris Johnson, former Tennessee Titans running back​

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Heading into the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine, many wondered if we’d ever see a prospect set a new record for the fastest 40 yard dash ever. Then Chris Johnson took the field. The East Carolina running back as a projected third-round pick, Johnson stepped to the line and took off. After 4.24 seconds, everyone was stunned. Johnson went on to become a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was recognized as the fastest NFL player for years and delivered a 2,000-yard season that no one forgets.

• Chris Johnson 40 time: 4.24

John Ross, New York Giants wide receiver​

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Who is the fastest player in the NFL? If based on the 40-yard dash, the title belongs to John Ross. Coming off an incredible 2016 season at Washington (1,150 receiving yards, 19 total touchdowns) everyone tuned in for the 2017 NFL Combine thinking we might see history. That’s exactly what happened. While Chris Johnson believes the NFL rigged it, wanting him to lose crown for fastest 40 yard dash time, the clocks and stopwatches say Ross is atop the official charts.
Unfortunately for the Cincinnati Bengals, it didn’t result in NFL success. After drafting the 5-foot-11 receiver with the No. 9 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, picked ahead of Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, T.J. Watt and two rounds before Cooper Kupp, Ross lasted just four seasons in Cincinnati and has totaled just 957 receiving yards in 37 games.

• John Ross 40 time: 4.22

Tyquan Thornton, former Baylor Bears wide receiver​

Feb 3, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; West wide receiver Tyquan Thornton of Baylor (18) looks to gain yards after making a reception during the East/West Shrine Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Minutes after Ohio State’s Chris Olave ran a 4.26 40-yard dash in front of a shocked audience at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, this little known former Baylor star legit broke the record.
In fact, Thornton’s first run came in at 4.21 seconds, breaking the NFL Scouting Combine record previously held by the aforementioned Josh Ross. While this might not be enough for Thornton to be an early-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, it opened some eyes.

Bo Jackson, former Los Angeles Raiders running back​

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
We arrive at Bo Jackson, the mythical god of sports. ESPN’s 30 for 30 captures his story perfectly, touching on so many of the wild tales that captured his athletic prowess. But the Bo Jackson 40 time is its own tale. Some suggested he broke the 4.0 barrier, posting a 3.9 time at the NFL Combine. But that’s a tall tale.
Raiders’ beat writer Jerry Knaak tracked down the truth, Jackson never attended the 1986 NFL Scouting Combine. Thus shattering the stories. But Jackson did run at Auburn’s Pro Day, with dozens of NFL scouts, coaches and general managers in attendance. They say he clocked in at a 4.16, Jackson suggests it was a 4.13. The NFL won’t recognize it officially as the fastest 40 yard dash ever, but Bo knows. Jackson might just be the fastest NFL player ever.

• Bo Jackson 40 yard time: 4.16*

 

[BillSU]

On that list Qadry Ismail would be my guess.

I remember David Byrd was really fast too. I found something that said he ran 22.0 in the indoor 200m as a sophomore in high school.

​

Not as fast as his brother:​

Qadry Ismail NFL Combine Stats​

Wide Receiver | Syracuse | Atlantic Coast Conference | Division I-FBS​

Player Info​

First Name:	Qadry
Last Name:	Ismail
Nickname:
Position:	Wide Receiver
College:	Syracuse
Draft Class:	1993
Draft Age:	22.5

Measurables​

Height:	72.5 inches
Weight:	192 pounds
BMI:	26.3
Arm Length:	31.63 inches
Hand Size:	9.75 inches
Wingspan:	(N/A) inches
Birthdate:	11/8/1970

NFL Combine Scores​

40 Yard Dash:	4.49 seconds
40 Yard (MPH):	18.22 (MPH)
20 Yard Split:	2.62 seconds
10 Yard Split:	1.59 seconds
Bench Press:	(N/A) reps (225 lb)
Wonderlic:	(N/A) (0-50)
QB Ball Velocity:	(N/A) (MPH)

Vertical Leap:

35.0 inches

What was Rocket Ismail 40 time?
https://www.google.com/search?q=Wha...2ahUKEwjI3u2v5b_4AhVcMlkFHSSFChYQsZYEegQIJxAC

The best unofficial predraft 40 time in Notre Dame's long football history belongs to the aptly named Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, the all-purpose speed demon for the Fighting Irish in the late 1980s and 1990. However, Ismail's reported 4.28 came in a workout other than the combine, which he didn't attend in 1991.

 

[sufandu]

​

Not as fast as his brother:​

Qadry Ismail NFL Combine Stats​

Wide Receiver | Syracuse | Atlantic Coast Conference | Division I-FBS​

Player Info​

First Name:	Qadry
Last Name:	Ismail
Nickname:
Position:	Wide Receiver
College:	Syracuse
Draft Class:	1993
Draft Age:	22.5

Measurables​

Height:	72.5 inches
Weight:	192 pounds
BMI:	26.3
Arm Length:	31.63 inches
Hand Size:	9.75 inches
Wingspan:	(N/A) inches
Birthdate:	11/8/1970

NFL Combine Scores​

40 Yard Dash:	4.49 seconds
40 Yard (MPH):	18.22 (MPH)
20 Yard Split:	2.62 seconds
10 Yard Split:	1.59 seconds
Bench Press:	(N/A) reps (225 lb)
Wonderlic:	(N/A) (0-50)
QB Ball Velocity:	(N/A) (MPH)

Vertical Leap:

35.0 inches

What was Rocket Ismail 40 time?
https://www.google.com/search?q=Wha...2ahUKEwjI3u2v5b_4AhVcMlkFHSSFChYQsZYEegQIJxAC

The best unofficial predraft 40 time in Notre Dame's long football history belongs to the aptly named Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, the all-purpose speed demon for the Fighting Irish in the late 1980s and 1990. However, Ismail's reported 4.28 came in a workout other than the combine, which he didn't attend in 1991.

I wish Rocket had gone to the combine. It was pretty common for guys to run slower times at the combine than other workouts.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The Fastest 40 Yard Dash Ever | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights

There are many football fans who will and have asked the question who ran the fastest 40 yard dash. I came across this article which really looks at that and the history of the 40, why it was developed as a marker for the NFL draft and variables that go into the 40 including three different starting procedures that will affect the real time of the distance.

Then there is a list of the fastest 40’s ever run. Just thought it might interest some people and promote discussion since it has become the signature event at the NFL Combine and carries so much weight on a players draft position depending on his offensive or defensive position. I’ll copy/paste part of the article and post the sub 40 times. This is a current article with some times added this year.


The Fastest 40 Yard Dash Ever

What Research Found Out On This Very Important Topic
By: Chad Wilson-Editor Gridironstuds.com


In 1960, Gil Brandt, the director scouting for the Cowboys along with his department came up with the 40/20/10 measurement. The 40 was used for all players. The 20 yard split time of the 40 was of great significance for linemen since the thought was that they rarely run 40 yards in a game.

The 10-yard split was important for wide receivers as a measure of their burst off of the line of scrimmage. With this, a drill was born and almost 50 years later, it has become the center piece of info on a prospective high school, college or professional football player.

So who had the fastest 40 yard dash ever? Research confirmed what I already knew and that there is no way to really tell. Here are some important things to know about the 40 yard dash:

- A hand time (use of a stop watch) will usually be faster than an electronic time

- There are two types of electronic times:

1. When a watch is started by a coach and an electronic beam records the time when it picks up the player crossing the end point

2. When an electronic beam picks up the movement of a player from the start and starts the clock. An electronic beam also detects the player at the end point and stops the clock.

This time will be slower than version No. 1 and even slower than a hand time in which a coach starts his stop watch when he sees the player begin the run and then stops the watch when he sees the player cross the finish line.

- An accurtrack time will be the slowest of all. Accutrack is what is used at track meets. The clock in accu-track timing starts when the starter’s pistol is shot. The runner’s time for the event is recorded digitally when the technology detects the player crossing the finish line.

Studies have shown that that average reaction time by a human to a starter’s pistol is .25 seconds.

For this reason, anyone who compares a 40-yard split time in a 100 meter event and compares it to reported hand timed 40-yard dash marks is making a big mistake. If you want compare the 40-yard split of a runner in a 100 meter event, subtract .25 seconds from the recorded time.

So, Olympic runner Justin Gatlin’s 4.42 forty-yard dash split recorded during his Gold Medal winning 9.85 100 meter run, would convert to a 4.17 forty yard dash by football standards.

After much research a few things have come up over and over and over. These things plus my own two eyes would lead me to believe that Darrell Green, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were the fastest football players to ever play the game.



Former Hurricanes, Tremain Mack (4.25) and Al Shipman (4.27), ran sub 4.3 forties before my own eyes. Track star Henry Neal recorded a 4.20 forty yard dash before my own eyes in a workout for the Miami Dolphins in 1996.

The Dolphins did not sign Neal since his football background was quite limited. I never watched him run an actual 40-yard dash but after having to cover him in training camp, I am inclined to believe every second of Joey Galloway’s reported 4.18 forty yard dash.

One player that is not on the list is Bob Hayes of the Dallas Cowboys. No doubt, Hayes was one of the fastest men, if not the fastest man to put on an NFL uniform.

However, as it relates to the 40 yard dash, I could find no time recorded for this Olympic Gold medalist. Hayes has the fastest 100 meter time for an NFL player at 10.05.

Should current Florida Gator Jeffery Demps make it to the NFL for any significant amount of time, he will own the fastest time at 10.01. Demps ran this as a high schooler and owns the national prep record for the event.

The fastest recorded 40 yard split on record belongs to Olympian Maurice Greene. During his World Record 60 meter run of 6.33, a mark that still exists, Green crossed the 40 yard mark at 4.18.

Remembering that .25 seconds must be subtracted from that time due to Accu-track timing and you come up with a 40 yard dash time of 3.93 seconds. What’s the problem with that time? It was run on an indoor track with spikes on giving the runner an advantage over the football players who have run on grass with cleats.

In an effort to centralize all the reported 40 yard dash times. I will start what we call the SUB 4.3 Club. I will attempt to keep a running record of the sub 4.3 forty yard dashes and their owners in this list.

I will refrain from adding times of the ridiculous and will do some research on all times that qualify. I will say one thing, can you web surfers stop reporting that Deion Sanders ran a 4.57 forty yard dash backwards. That’s just flat out ridiculous.

Enjoy the following list of reported (and somewhat believable) 40 yard dashes run under 4.3 seconds.

You can view the list at: The Fastest 40 Yard Dash Ever - Gridiron Studs Blog: College Football Recruiting Talk or below

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Very cool! Thank you!

 

[jgeorge322]

Rick Pitino should be on this list somewhere.

 

[SWC75]

When I was going to SU in the early 70's I was in a class with SU DB Jim Kiles and we got to talking about speed. I wonder about Floyd Little's speed and Jim told me that Floyd held the world record for the 40 yards dash with a 4.1 reading. Of course that would likely have been hand timed. Also, I recall Dick Vermiel saying during a broadcast that in his entire career as a coach he never timed anybody in less than 4.5.

I've read that Mantle was 3.1 to first base many time. I've heard a quote for Vada Pinson as 3.3. I've never heard that he was 3.1. Bill James, in his New Historical Baseball Abstract, (2000), says that Tommy, (not Willie) Davis was 3.4 before he broke his ankle.

Bill Jenkinson, in his book 'Baseball's Ultimate Power' says that grading a player's speed depends on whether you have him swing the bat, which will slow him down a bit. Mantle's 3.1 included a swing. Jenkinson found a 1957 article saying a minor leaguer named Joe Caffie was timed in 3.0. it didn't say if that included a swing. George Case of the Indians ran 100 yards across a baseball outfield in 10 flat in 1946. Track people questioned that and so Indians owner Bill Veeck arranged a match race with 32 year old Jesse Owens, both in baseball uniforms and shoes. Jesse won, 9.9 to 10.0, so Case, who led the lead in steals six times and was probably the game's best base stealer between Ty Cobb and Maury Wills, (or Luis Aparicio), was fast. Pitcher Pedro Ramos once challenge the Phillies' Richie Ashburn to an 80 yard dash and beat him by 5 yards.

Jenkinson lists a top ten but doesn't provide any stats: Mantle, Caffie, Willie Davis, Sam Jethroe, Vada Pinson, Deion Sanders, Case, Willie Wilson, Ramos and Ichiro Suzuki. he also has ten 'honorable mentions': Sliding Bill Hamilton, (the one from the 1890's), Someone named Evar Swanson who played from 1929-1934Ashburn, Miguel Dilone, Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman, Bo Jackson, Kenny Lofton, Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury. From the Negro Leagues he adds Cool Papa Bell and Bernardo Baro.

Trying to transfer times from different distances can be misleading. the early part of 100 meters tends to be dominated by the shorter, more powerfully built runners who can explode out of the block faster. The second part of the race is dominated by the guys with the longest legs who eat up the most ground with each stride. The guy ahead after 30 years might not be the guy ahead at 40 yards.