Fastest 40-Yard Dash Times, NFL History

[JonJon]

Originally Posted by Zimmy Lives

Interesting that Green is the only one I know for sure is in the HOF. Bailey will get there as well as maybe Deion but that's it. All DBs. Hmmmm.

Originally Posted by JackWagon

Deion Sanders is in the Hall.

Yeah, Deion made it last year.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Verdict

There is no doubt that the players on this list are all fast, but I seriously doubt that these times are accurate, and I have to think that in an actual foot race with all of these players lined up on the same starting line at the same time, that the order of finish would be substantially different than this list.

Would be more fun if we put them all in full football pads. I would still take BO on top.

Cowboy

[ZeroClub]

That's quite a list. Interesting in many ways.

I'm a little surprised to see Kevin Williams on the list. He was quick, but I didn't think of him as having elite speed.

[bark]

forgot how fast don bebe was....poor leon..

[hutch1254]

Originally Posted by casmith07

Bo could outrun a routine ground ball to 2nd base. Like, safe at 1st by a mile outrun it. Insanity.

Yes, dude was unreal. Still love him breaking the bat over his thigh like it was a toothpick. One swift motion. Good Lord.

[Zimmy Lives]

Originally Posted by JonJon

Yeah, Deion made it last year.

Thanks guys!

I still find it interesting that no RBs and WRs with speed are in the HOF. Maybe Moss breaks that streak but it's still very telling.

Maybe offensive speed is overrated?

[cobra]

Originally Posted by casmith07

1 Bo Jackson Auburn Tigers 4.12
2 Michael Bennett Minnesota Vikings 4.13
3 Alexander Wright Dallas Cowboys 4.14
4 Darrell Green Washington Redskins 4.15
5 Ahman Green Nebraska Cornhuskers 4.17
6 Joey Galloway Ohio St. Buckeyes 4.18
7 Deion Sanders Florida St. Seminoles 4.21

Random thoughts:

1. The sub 4.2 times are almost certainly inaccurate.

2. I even question Deion's 4.21 time. No doubt he was exceptionally fast. And I am confident that he is the fastest player with pads on in NFL history. But 4.21 seems even too fast for the great Deion on a track.

3. I buy the fastest guys as Alexander Wright, Darrell Green, Deion Sanders and Joey Galloway. Those are all obviously fast runners. I just don't buy their times as that low.

4. I think the Michael Bennett and Ahman Green times are complete nonsense. Bennett is fast, but Green is nothing special. I'd be shocked if he ran better than a 4.35. Chris Johnson at a legit 4.24 would destroy Ahman Green and Michael Bennett.

5. Bo is just impossible to guess. Yes, he was exceedingly fast. That is unquestionable. Fastest NFL player ever? I just can't see it. He was too big. I can't fathom that he could carry his weight more so than these lean sprinters. Of course, Bo at his size at 4.3 is more impressive to me to than Darrell Green at 4.2something. So that is no knock on Bo. He certainly has the greatest combination of size and speed, but I'm just not certain I'll buy him as the fastest outright.

6. Speaking of combination of size and speed, I would expect to see Hershel Walker on this list. He was amazingly fast coming out of college.

[Sam I Am]

I expect the years with those times damnit! You're slacking casmith07!

[Oh_Canada]

Originally Posted by casmith07

My dad said that Bo Jackson was the greatest athlete he had ever seen aside from Carl Lewis.

I really think Bo was an even better athlete than Lewis. If he trained to be a sprinter I have no doubt he would have been world class. On the other hand I don't think Lewis could hit a curveball or run over Brian Bosworth.

[ologan]

Originally Posted by bark

forgot how fast don bebe was....poor leon..

Was thinking the exact same thing!

[casmith07]

Originally Posted by cobra

Random thoughts:

1. The sub 4.2 times are almost certainly inaccurate.

2. I even question Deion's 4.21 time. No doubt he was exceptionally fast. And I am confident that he is the fastest player with pads on in NFL history. But 4.21 seems even too fast for the great Deion on a track.

3. I buy the fastest guys as Alexander Wright, Darrell Green, Deion Sanders and Joey Galloway. Those are all obviously fast runners. I just don't buy their times as that low.

4. I think the Michael Bennett and Ahman Green times are complete nonsense. Bennett is fast, but Green is nothing special. I'd be shocked if he ran better than a 4.35. Chris Johnson at a legit 4.24 would destroy Ahman Green and Michael Bennett.

[View Full Quote]5. Bo is just impossible to guess. Yes, he was exceedingly fast. That is unquestionable. Fastest NFL player ever? I just can't see it. He was too big. I can't fathom that he could carry his weight more so than these lean sprinters. Of course, Bo at his size at 4.3 is more impressive to me to than Darrell Green at 4.2something. So that is no knock on Bo. He certainly has the greatest combination of size and speed, but I'm just not certain I'll buy him as the fastest outright.

6. Speaking of combination of size and speed, I would expect to see Hershel Walker on this list. He was amazingly fast coming out of college.

Dude, Bo Jackson would reach base on routine infield ground balls to 2ND BASE.

[casmith07]

Originally Posted by hutch1254

Yes, dude was unreal. Still love him breaking the bat over his thigh like it was a toothpick. One swift motion. Good Lord.

He once broke a bat over his head. He was holding the bat on top of his helmet, and just flexed and it snapped in two. Here's the video of all his craziness. He is a freak of nature.

[Muhast]

I never really think of Ahman green as a blazer. I know Michael Bennett was a ncaa track champion so ill give him some credit

[hutch1254]

Originally Posted by casmith07

He once broke a bat over his head. He was holding the bat on top of his helmet, and just flexed and it snapped in two. Here's the video of all his craziness. He is a freak of nature.

Thanks for the video. Great stuff. Guy was lightning fast. One of a handful of guys who truly had an extra gear...and then some.

Him outrunning the grounder to a charging second baseman is incredible.

[realtick]

I'm surprised no one else mentioned that it's no small coincedence that 1/3 of the players (in bold) on that list were at one-time former LA/Oakland Raiders.

The Official Unofficial Sub 4.3 Forty Yard Dash List at Gridironstuds.com

1 Bo Jackson Auburn Tigers 4.12
2 Michael Bennett Minnesota Vikings 4.13
3 Alexander Wright Dallas Cowboys 4.14
4 Darrell Green Washington Redskins 4.15
5 Ahman Green Nebraska Cornhuskers 4.17
6 Joey Galloway Ohio St. Buckeyes 4.18
7 Deion Sanders Florida St. Seminoles 4.21
8 Kevin Curtis Utah Utes 4.21
9 Don Beebe Buffalo Bills 4.21
10 Donte Stallworth Tennessee Volunteers 4.22
11 Willie Parker North Carolina Tar Heels 4.23
12 Rondel Melendez Eastern Kentucky (1999) 4.24
13 Chris Johnson East Carolina Pirates 4.24
14 Taylor Mays USC 4.24
[View Full Quote]15 Randy Moss Marshall University 4.25
16 Michael Vick Virginia Tech Hokies 4.25
17 Jerome Mathis Hampton 4.25
18 Devin Hester University of Miami 4.27
19 Darren McFadden Arkansas Razorbacks 4.27
20 James Jett West Virginia 4.27
21 Jacoby Ford Clemson Tigers 4.27
22 Trindon Holliday LSU 4.27
22 Kevin Williams University of Miami 4.28
23 Champ Bailey Georgia Bulldogs 4.28
24 CJ Spiller Clemson Tigers 4.28
25 Rahgib Ismail Notre Dame Fighting Irish 4.28
26 Stanford Routt University of Houston (2005) 4.29
27 Fabian Washington Nebraska Cornhuskers 4.29
28 Laveranues Coles Florida St. Seminoles 4.29
29 James Williams Fresno St. 4.29
30 Gaston Green UCLA 4.29