8 of College Football's Fastest Players in 2024

When a player reaches the Football Bowl Subdivision, the discrepancy in talent continues to drop. Sure, you were pretty fast in high school, but everyone is fast around here.

Once in a while, though, a player still manages to turn heads because of his ridiculous speed.

Thanks to Reel Analytics, we can monitor the fastest ball-carriers in college football. Texas receiver Xavier Worthy paced the nation with a peak speed of 22.7 miles per hour in 2023, but he's off to the NFL. Among returning players for 2024, two wideouts share the No. 1 spot.

Each player highlighted notched a max sprint speed of 21.8 miles per hour or higher in the 2023 season.

Harrison Waylee, RB, Wyoming

After totaling 1,018 scrimmage yards with Northern Illinois in 2022, Harrison Waylee entered the transfer portal.

The running back landed at Wyoming, where he quickly became the featured back. He rushed for 947 yards and five touchdowns last season, chipping in 12 receptions for 66 yards to again surpass 1,000 scrimmage yards.

His fastest moment happened in Week 4 when the Pokes pulled off a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Appalachian State.

Facing a 19-7 deficit, Wyoming needed a spark. Waylee took a handoff, sprinted through a tremendously blocked running lane and reached 21.8 miles per hour on a 75-yard touchdown run.

He ended the contest with 156 yards, the second-highest output of his debut season in Laramie.

Isaiah Sategna, WR/PR, Arkansas

After taking a redshirt in 2022, Isaiah Sategna began to make his initial impact with Arkansas last season.

Offensively, he held a small but consistent role until becoming a bigger piece of the offense in November. He ended up making 15 catches for 129 yards and two scores.

Sategna, who served as the Razorbacks' only kick returner, commanded the spotlight in Week 3 opposite BYU.

Early in the first quarter, he hauled in a punt at the Hogs' 12-yard line. He surged past three players, slid by four other potential tacklers, cut across the entire field and maxed out at 21.9 miles per hour for an 88-yard touchdown return.

Sategna also returned three kickoffs for 74 yards that day.

Dequan Finn, QB, Baylor

One of two repeat inclusions, Dequan Finn recorded a 21.7 mph sprint on a touchdown run in 2022. And he narrowly bested the mark in 2023.

During a Week 6 triumph over Massachusetts, the 22-year-old scampered 56 yards for a score on a well-executed read-option. He raced to 21.9 miles per hour as he outraced two UMass defenders down the right sideline.

That explosive run contributed to Finn's career-high 172 rushing yards, and he also threw for 139 yards and two scores in a 41-24 win.

He has since transferred to Baylor, where he's expected to become the starter of a Big 12 program in 2024. He'll compete with Sawyer Robertson for the QB1 label in Waco.

Dylan Edwards, RB, Colorado

Colorado captured a whole bunch of attention when it upset TCU during the 2023 opener. Running back Dylan Edwards piled up 159 yards and four scores in the dramatic win, too.

His production returned to earth the following weekend when he totaled a more modest 63 yards on 12 touches.

Still, the true freshman had a season-best sprint.

Edwards ripped off a 34-yard run—his longest dash of the afternoon—with a max speed of 22.0 miles per hour. The back's speed spiked just before he bowled over a Nebraska defender.

Colorado's 3-0 start quickly faded into a terrible 1-8 stretch in conference play, and Edwards never topped 60 scrimmage yards against a Pac-12 opponent. However, the flashes of his upside ensure he'll be a respected part of CU's return to the Big 12 in 2024.

Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas

In mid-November, an ACL injury sidelined star Texas running back Jonathan Brooks, which meant Jaydon Blue would be playing more snaps.

He delivered in his second game as the backup.

Texas hosted Texas Tech in Week 13 and opened the second quarter with a slim 10-7 lead. Blue slipped through the line of scrimmage and galloped for a 69-yard score with a peak of 22.3 miles per hour.

The touchdown didn't necessarily spark the Longhorns' rout, but they rattled off the last 47 points in a 57-7 win following his run.

Blue, who is expected to share carries with CJ Baxter in 2024, ended the blowout with a career-high 121 yards.

Kapena Gushiken, CB, Washington State

Kapena Gushiken provided one of the 2023 season's most impressive defensive plays in a Week 6 loss to UCLA.

In the final seconds before halftime, UCLA led 9-3 and looked destined to extend the lead. The offense had reached the five-yard line, so the Bruins fully expected to hold a 12-3 edge at worst entering the break.

Gushiken had other plans, though.

Washington State's nickelback blitzed off the edge and impressively managed to snag Dante Moore's pass while leaping. He sprinted down the left sideline, maxed out at 22.4 miles per hour and returned the incredible interception for an 88-yard touchdown.

Along with his memorable takeaway, Gushiken wrapped up the season with 36 tackles and five pass breakups.

Brandon Buckhaulter, WR, UAB

Brandon Buckhaulter is a perfect example of why this particular topic is fun to research every year.

Looking at stats alone, he wouldn't jump out. A transfer from Ole Miss, the wide receiver managed 12 touches at UAB last season. He gained 78 yards on seven carries and caught five passes for 103 yards and a score.

But he's also ridiculously fast.

Week 6 against South Florida, Buckhaulter went in motion and received a jet-sweep touch pass. The sophomore turned up the field through four perfect blocks, and a bad angle from USF's last defender meant nobody would lay a finger on him during a 75-yard touchdown.

Buckhaulter shares the national lead among returning players at a sizzling 22.6 miles per hour.

Barion Brown, WR/KR, Kentucky

Barion Brown is the easiest name to include.

First of all, a 22.0 max speed as a freshman made him the nation's fourth-fastest returning ball-carrier in 2023. Then, the receiver/returner proceeded to record two times that would qualify him on this 2024 chart.

The lesson here—as if special teams coaches need another reminder—is to stop kicking to the 20-year-old.

On a 99-yard return against Ball State, he hit 21.8 miles per hour. He bested himself when Kentucky stunned rival Louisville in the regular-season finale, peaking at 22.6 miles per hour on a 100-yard kick return.

For good measure, Brown also took a kickoff 100 yards for a score opposite Clemson in the Gator Bowl. He finished the season with 43 catches for 539 yards, 12 carries for 147 yards, a nation-best 36.0 yards per kick return and eight total touchdowns.