The Best Runners in Sports

When you think of professional athletes, thoughts turn toward world class talent that in many cases translates to other sports. And running certainly is a huge part of most of these sports.

That said, just who are the best runners in sports today?

Which players have that combination of speed, endurance and agility—with acceleration—and can use that running ability as a competitive advantage?

To answer that question, this article covers the players from the other major sports who potentially could compete with a Usain Bolt, who is arguably the world's fastest man. They aren't runners by trade, but they use that ability to star in their own sports.

Consider the NBA. Basketball players have to run and jump up and down the court. They have to quickly move laterally and change angles suddenly. They are very well coordinated.

Meanwhile, soccer players are closely aligned with runners. They also are in extremely good shape, but their training is tuned more towards endurance. Soccer is more like long distance running with some sprinting sprinkled in at times. 

We all know that golf is different—it is the premier cerebral sport. It takes an impressive amount of planning and strategy. But it is more mental than physical.

As for baseball, it is a game based more on skill than actual athletic ability. There are great athletes in baseball, but they pale in comparison with basketball and soccer players, and probably hockey players as well.

Yes, track and field athletes belong in a different category because while they don't have to be as versatile as those who play team sports, they have to focus on explosiveness and endurance. They are great athletes in their own right, it's just that they focus on only a couple of things.

So let's take a look at the 10 top runners in professional sports today and remember, while agility and mental fortitude are wonderful, speed never slumps.

Derrick Rose

In terms of quickness, speed and explosiveness, there may be no better example of that in the NBA today than the Chicago Bulls guard and the 2011 league MVP, Derrick Rose.

In a foot race, one would have to believe that he could do very well racing against true runners if he focused on doing just that.

From baseline to baseline, he is as fast as anyone who ever has played the game. He slices through lanes and changes angles so quickly he can break an opposing player's ankles.

At 6'3", Rose needs that speed and quickness to succeed. He doesn't have the height to compete for rebounds but he dominates in his own way.

I may be dating myself with this comparison, but he's like Ricochet Rabbit—"ping-ping-ping!"—and he's gone. Nope, certainly no Deputy Droop-a-Long here, folks.

His footwork, speed and agility certainly helps propel him above normal human beings and even other world-class NBA stars.

Michael Vick

No other NFL quarterback has ever had the speed of Michael Vick. But more than that, Vick has the elusiveness running in the open field that is normally reserved for wide receivers and running backs.

Though he has learned the position and become more of a standard QB, Vick still makes a lot of plays with his feet and speed. It's what separates him from the rest.

In today's NFL, it has become increasingly more important for QBs to possess speed and quickness to get out of the pocket and avoid the pass rush.

Over Vick's career he has rushed for over 4,600 yards and scored 32 rushing TDs and he is the only QB in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

At the 2001 NFL Combine, Vick ran a 4.25 40-yard dash.

Running has great value for quarterbacks in two ways. As a threat, a QB who can run is simply more dangerous in the "red zone" than one who can't. And, it is critical as an act of preservation.

No one does it better at the QB position than Vick.

LeBron James

We head back to basketball now, yet unlike a kid like Rose, LeBron James is a monster who can also run. At 6'8", 250 pounds, James is a physical beast and provides the best package of speed and strength in the NBA.

In fact, it may not be hyperbole to suggest that James may be the most impressive all-around athlete in NBA history. His unmatched combination of power and agility allows him to both dominate the competition as well as bring the ball up the court like a point guard.

He may rival Rose as the fastest player from court to court, and he's so big and strong that he's basically unguardable. His quickness also allows him to record many monster blocks from behind when the other team is on the fast break. 

It is rare to see an athlete possess so much brute strength when forcefully slamming the ball into the hoop, yet the gracefulness to maintain balance and agility while moving up and down the court.

One can debate his status as the top player in the game today, as well as his willingness to take the game winning shot. And you don't have to like him and his "Decision".

But one thing you simply cannot question is his speed and athleticism.

Devin Hester, NFL Wide Receiver / Kick Returner

Hester ran a 4.26 40 at the 2006 NFL Combine. But more than that, he takes that speed and combines it with moves that simply amaze fans and other players alike, drawing comparisons with the open-field running ability of a Gale Sayers or a Barry Sanders.

As a wide receiver, he is nothing special. But as a kick and punt returner, he is the best ever. That's because of more than just speed. He has great vision and can seemingly see holes opening up that mere mortals cannot see.

Last season, Hester added to his own NFL record with his 12th career punt return for a touchdown. The Bears are 13-3 in games in which he returns a punt or kickoff for a touchdown. 

The 29-year old Hester also has a 92-yard kickoff return against the Colts in Super Bowl XLI that doesn't count among his career NFL records. But it goes to show just how valuable he has been as a return man.

In fact, he is so special there are arguments being formed that Hester belongs in the Hall of Fame someday. And running is the big part of his game.

Michael Bourn, MLB Outfielder

Born may be the fastest man in baseball, and without that speed, he may not even be on a major league roster. In fact, he owes his riches, livelihood and relative stardom (he is not a superstar) to speed and running ability.

Yes, you have to be able to hit a round ball with a round bat, and that may be the hardest thing to do in all professional sports. But Bourn is able to cover lots of ground in the outfield because of his speed and instincts.

Meanwhile, on the basepaths, Bourn has stolen 50 or more bases in each of the past three seasons. He has 234 career stolen bases in 716 games. His .271/.336/..358 slash line is somewhat pedestrian, but his speed makes all the difference.

Bourn is fun to watch but may never match the greatest players of all-time in stolen bases because he does not get on base often enough.

MLB Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the gold standard for base stealer's, had a career on-base percentage of .401 to Bourn's .336.

But there is no denying that speed is the name of his game, and it is the single thing that keeps him gainfully employed.

(VIDEO COPYRIGHTED TO MLB ADVANCED MEDIA)

Chris Johnson, NFL Running Back

Chris Johnson is blisteringly fast, and his 4.24 second 40 yard dash is the fastest official time in NFL history. To put that in perspective, that is a faster time at the 40-yard mark than Usain Bolt had when he set the world record in the 100-meter race at the 2008 Olympics.

Perhaps more importantly to his team, the Tennessee Titans, is his 10-yard dash record. Since running backs often runs in short spurts, and 10 yards constitutes a first down, this is especially applicable.

Johnson runs the 10-yd split in 1.4 seconds and can accelerate to more than 14 mph in only a second and a half. This is uncharted territory in the NFL and one reason why he has evolved into one of the best at his position.

But perhaps the most impressive numbers for Johnson are his actual rushing yards, the translation of his pure talent into tangible football success.

Johnson, 26, has averaged 4.8 yards per carry in his four-year NFL career. He had an amazing 2,006 yards rushing in 2009.

He has become a mere mortal since then, but still averaged more than 1,200 yards in 2010 and 2011. Johnson has scored 38 rushing touchdowns in 63 games.

He has also caught 194 passes for 1,426 yards and four TDs in his career.

Jacoby Ford, NFL Wide Receiver

Ford was the 2009 NCAA indoor 60-meter champ and 2010 NFL Combine 40 champ, but he is not just a track athlete as he has made it to the NFL as a wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders.

Ford is a 24 year-old who hasn't yet put up big numbers, but has already made his mark with his speed. For a little guy (5'9") he has blazing speed.

Also an accomplished track and field athlete, Ford set an ACC record in the 60-meter dash and was just one-hundredth of a second shy of the NCAA record.

He may not be considered a top wideout, but he owes his ability to make the NFL to his speed.

DeSean Jackson, NFL Wide Receiver / Kick Returner

In a poll conducted by Sports Illustrated of NFL players, Jackson finished second only to Chris Johnson in terms of fastest player.

In terms of breakaway speed, Jackson has never been caught from behind according to some. But he has lost the ball on the one-yeard line when he got stupid and it cost him. Sometimes speed kills your own self I guess.

DeSean Jackson has some of the best acceleration in football and shows it when he goes deep. He actually trains for acceleration. Now, it is true that he is blessed with God-given natural speed but his acceleration is also a product of hard work.

Training your “hip flexors” to get them strong so they can work as an antagonist to your “glutes” is the key. And Jackson does it well.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccer

Who is the fastest soccer player in the world? That question is always debated but since we can't line them up and race them, we'll have to go with the World Cup as a guide.

Speed is increasingly critical in the modern game for both offensive and defensive players and while Ronaldo is known for his tricks and flicks, he is one of the fastest footballers in the world.

Ronaldo was the fastest player in soccer in a study conducted in 2009 and while others may have taken that crown from him, he is still very fast and a great runner.

In fact, Ronaldo has trained with Usain Bolt in the past. Not only does he have fast foot speed, he can perform his tricks very quickly. Pure speed wouldn't be everything if you couldn't play the game, but Ronaldo has speed of kick to go with his running speed.

Mike Wallace, NFL Wide Receiver

There are a lot of NFL teams who wish they hadn't passed up on the opportunity to draft Wallace because they thought he was too short.

Wallace is simply one of the fastest men to ever play in the NFL. According to NFLscout.com, Wallace ran his 40 in 4.28, which ranks among the top in recorded history.  

He has had 1,000 or more yards receiving in each of the past two seasons. He has scored 24 TDs in 48 career games. Wallace had a 95-yard reception in 2011.

This is yet another example of an athlete who owes his career success to his running ability.