The 10 Fastest 40 Times in NFL Combine History
Amid the frigid temperatures of Indianapolis in February, the NFL Scouting Combine is always good for some blazing speed.
No drill, workout or competition inside Lucas Oil Stadium attracts as much attention as the 40-yard dash. Even though the dome is outfitted with a near-endless amount of technology in cameras, timers and more, those in attendance are still breakout out stopwatches.
After all, who doesn't love elite speed?
Sure, the 40 is simply one piece of a much larger evaluation. Forgetting that reality—as several NFL teams have done—can lead to disappointing results, but that's not the point.
The following list is limited to years with electronically timed sprints, which formally began in 1999.
T-7. Jerome Mathis (2005)
1 of 10
40 time: 4.26 seconds
Kicking off the 10 fastest runs is Jerome Mathis, who sprinted to what was the combine's third-best electronic time.
After the Houston Texans selected him in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, he served as the team's return specialist. Mathis made a huge impact as a rookie, taking two kickoffs for touchdowns and earning first-team AP All-Pro recognition.
Although that rookie campaign was also the peak of Mathis' career, he still played three NFL seasons.
T-7. Dri Archer (2014)
2 of 10
40 time: 4.26 seconds
Following a standout career at Kent State, Dri Archer dazzled at the combine with his 4.26-second time.
Archer's profile—a hyper-productive, versatile back with speed to burn—convinced the Pittsburgh Steelers to use the 97th overall pick on him. They drafted Archer in hopes of becoming an explosive complementary weapon in a powerful offense.
However, it didn't happen. Archer managed 143 total snaps over 20 appearances in two seasons.
T-7. Riq Woolen (2022)
3 of 10
40 time: 4.26 seconds
Riq Woolen, meanwhile, has become a major success story.
The cornerback flew under the radar at UTSA, ripped off a great 40 in Indy and headed to the Seattle Seahawks as a fifth-round pick. He promptly snared a league-best six interceptions, finishing third in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
In his three seasons to date, Woolen has surrendered a meager 5.9 yards per target while totaling 11 picks.
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T-7. DJ Turner II (2023)
4 of 10
40 time: 4.26 seconds
The arrow was already pointing up for DJ Turner II in the pre-draft process, and this 40 time locked in his rise.
Soon after, the Cincinnati Bengals added the Michigan product with the 60th pick of the draft. He quickly won a starting job, opening 12 games for Cincinnati as a rookie.
Turner has collected 79 tackles, 15 pass defenses and a fumble recovery in two seasons with the Bengals.
T-5. Rondel Melendez (1999)
5 of 10
40 time: 4.24 seconds
The first year of the electronically timed era resulted in Rondel Melendez setting an impressive record.
But his NFL story is unfortunate.
After the Atlanta Falcons added him in the seventh round, Melendez returned a punt for a touchdown in a preseason game. In the Falcons' final exhibition before the season began, though, he endured a torn meniscus on a return.
Melendez never appeared in an NFL game.
T-5. Chris Johnson (2008)
6 of 10
40 time: 4.24 seconds
In some cases, a fast 40 at the combine just solidifies a prospect. That was the case for Chris Johnson in 2008.
The blistering time led to the Tennessee Titans grabbing him 24th overall and featuring him as a rookie. Johnson ended seventh in AP MVP voting that season, then turned in his memorable CJ2K campaign with 2,006 rushing and 2,509 scrimmage yards in 2009 when he won Offensive Player of the Year.
Johnson topped the 1,000-yard barrier in all six seasons with the Titans. He also played for the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, totaling 11,906 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career.
4. Kalon Barnes (2022)
7 of 10
40 time: 4.23 seconds
Kalon Barnes, in all likelihood, will remain a featured part of this particular ranking for many years.
Right now, however, he's trying to make a roster.
Barnes went to the Carolina Panthers as a seventh-round pick in 2022 but didn't stick. He's since bounced around the league—playing nine special-teams snaps for the Minnesota Vikings that season—and joined five different practice squads.
During the 2025 UFL campaign, the cornerback out of Baylor is set to play for the San Antonio Brahmas.
T-2. Donte' Stallworth (2002)
8 of 10
40 time: 4.22 seconds
Donte' Stallworth parlayed his sprint into a 10-year career.
After his electric 40 in 2002, the New Orleans Saints used the 13th overall selection on the Tennessee wide receiver. He never had a Pro Bowl-worthy campaign but played 10 years.
Stallworth put together a career-best season in 2005 with 70 catches for 945 yards and seven touchdowns. He retired with 321 receptions, 4,837 yards and 35 trips to the end zone.
T-2. John Ross III (2017)
9 of 10
40 time: 4.22 seconds
Hindsight has painted a different picture, but John Ross III looked like a budding star in 2017.
While at Washington in 2016, he reeled in 81 passes for 1,150 yards and 17 scores with another on the ground. Ross also returned four kickoffs for touchdowns during his time in college. Then, he ripped off a 4.22-second run in Indy before the Cincinnati Bengals came calling ninth overall in the 2017 draft.
Ross struggled to establish an NFL footing, and a streak of injuries didn't help matters, either.
He retired in 2023 but reversed course in 2024. Ross' comeback story led to an appearance and one catch with the Philadelphia Eagles—the eventual Super Bowl champions.
1. Xavier Worthy (2024)
10 of 10
40 time: 4.21 seconds
Xavier Worthy looks like another speedy success story.
During the 2024 combine, he broke the shared 40-yard record by a hundredth of a second. Worthy soon landed with the Kansas City Chiefs as the 28th pick of the first round.
The wideout registered 59 catches for 638 yards, rushed for 104 yards and totaled nine touchdowns in the regular season. Worthy surpassed 100 scrimmage yards in both the AFC Championship and Super Bowl while scoring three times, as well.
In short: Not a bad rookie year!
Worthy's mark is officially the one to beat in 2025—and might just remain that way into the future.
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