Predicting the 4 Fastest 40 Times at the 2024 NFL Combine

Everyone, start your engines! The NFL scouting combine is this week in Indianapolis, and the need for speed ever increases.

As the professional game and its athletes grow bigger, stronger and faster with each passing year, the reliance on raw athleticism is more important than ever. Every team prefers to have elite athletes at each position, even if the tape doesn't always show high-end play.

Outliers are what they are for a reason. The selections of Bryce Young and Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall picks look silly in retrospect when their respective classes also featured C.J. Stroud and Josh Allen. Teams are coming to the realization that while intangibles are important, an investment in high-end traits provides a wider runway toward success.

Raw speed is the sexiest of those natural tools. Players who can tilt the field and run down anyone erase a lot of mistakes. As such, every organization wants to acquire game-changing speed.

The complete Bleacher Report Scouting Dept. consisting of Brandon Thorn, Brent Sobleski, Cory Giddings, Derrik Klassen, Matt Holder and Wesley O'Donnell voted for the one prospect it expects to burn up the Lucas Oil Stadium track and claim this year's title as the combine's fastest man.

Typically, the fastest time doesn't come from the biggest name, and the prospect with the most votes for this year's rendition fits that bill.

Votes: 1
Predicted Time: Holder, 4.31

Michigan's Roman Wilson will simultaneously be one of the fastest and quickest prospects attending this year's combine.

His full skill set was never really on display as part of the Wolverines program. Wilson didn't become the team's No. 1 target until his final season on campus. Even then, Michigan preferred a physical, run-first first approach.

Wilson's slow draft ascent basically parallels his recruitment, despite being an outstanding athlete.

"Wilson was lightly recruited heading into his senior year of high school until he went to Nike's The Opening camp and ran a 4.37-second 40, according to MLive.com," Holder said. "Also, Zebra Sports clocked him hitting over 20 mph at the Senior Bowl (with pads on) and Michigan has a great strength and conditioning program that helped DJ Turner II post last year's fastest 40-time (4.26 seconds).

"So, Wilson shaving off a few hundredths of a second from his high school time four years ago and making it back-to-back years that a Wolverine is the fastest player in Indianapolis seems completely reasonable."

Even if the senior prospect doesn't claim the title of fastest 40, he could very well break the combine's change-of-direction records in both the short shuttle and three-cone drill if previously reported numbers are duplicated. Either way, Wilson should emerge as a major talking point regarding his times.

Votes: 1
Predicted Time: Hanford, 4.30

For the past two seasons, Anthony Gould served as the Oregon State Beavers' No. 2 target. The speedy wide receiver never posted big numbers in a passing offense that didn't break the top 50 during that stretch.

Questions about production and route-running are fair, but the enticement of this particular prospect is about one thing. At 5'8", 172 pounds, Gould's calling card is his top-end speed.

"Xavier Worthy, Tyler Owens and Roman Wilson are all logical choices for this year's top 40 time," Hanford said, "but I'm going to go with an under-the-radar choice in Gould.

"Gould never made major waves in the passing game at Oregon State, but he was a prolific return man as a redshirt sophomore in 2022. He also ran a 10.66 100 meters in the state championships as a high-school athlete, and according to Tracking Football put up a 10.49 as well which puts him 2nd among prospects at the combine behind Tyler Owens. I expect he'll put that speed on display in Indianapolis and run a 4.3 flat."

The hope is a great 40 time leads to more opportunities on the field and Gould doesn't become the next in line as a failed, undersized, straight-line speedster.

Votes: 2
Predicted Times: Klassen, 4.28; O'Donnell, 4.29

Unlike others on this list, Texas' Xavier Worthy has been highly regarded prospect since joining the Longhorns program.

"Worthy has been synonymous with speed since before he even stepped on campus and is one of the safer picks to record a top time," O'Donnell said. "What separates him as the absolute fastest among the fastest? His ability to get up to top speed in a hurry paired with natural, yard-eating strides. Worthy gets going in a blink because he's not just fast, he's also remarkably quick. That's a recipe for elite 40 times. He can probably go faster than 4.29, but l'll set it as my floor and still say he's the fastest in this class."

In three seasons, the early entrant caught 197 passes for 2,755 yards and 26 touchdowns. As a pure speedster, the two-time first-team All-Big 12 performer ranked among the top-five times in both the 100m and 200m times for this year's class, per Tracking Football.

"Worthy is a safe pick here, Klassen said. "I'm fine with that.

"The 172-pound receivers erupts off the line of scrimmage and only gets faster from there. If he's ever given a free release at the line, you can bet he's going to torch whoever is across from him. That's exactly what the 40-yard dash is built to showcase. There's a lot of Jameson Williams and Darnell Mooney to Worthy's game on film, both of which are some of the NFL's fastest players."

Votes: 3
Predicted Times: Sobleski, 4.27; Giddings, 4.29; Thorn, 4.30

Texas Tech's Tyler Owens isn't a highly rated NFL draft prospect, but he's a great natural athlete. Currently, Owens is viewed as a late-round possibility. However, he has a chance to light Lucas Oil Stadium's FieldTurf on fire with a blazing 40-yard-dash time.

"As a former 5-star recruit from Plano East High school in Texas, Owens was once considered one of the most elite players in the country," Giddings said. "He was also a top track athlete during his senior year, running the 100-meter dash with a personal best 10.29 seconds and finishing multiple others under 10.60. He is a prospect with the background, talent and long strides to cover ground. If he gets a good start, he could break the 4.30-second barrier."

Owens struggled to find his footing on a collegiate field. He spent three seasons with the Texas Longhorns before joining the Red Raiders, where he finally became a starter in his fifth campaign. But his natural skill set is undeniable.

"The defensive back ran the 100m dash and 4x200m relay at Plano East High School, was clocked in the mid-4.3 range and was an elite all-around athlete before initially committing to the Longhorns," Thorn said. "With his pedigree and background, he has as good of a chance as anyone in this year's group to win the 40-yard dash."

The 6'2", 210-pound prospect brings a different level of explosivity to this conversation considering he's the only vote-getter who weighed in at more than 190 pounds. Fellow safety Zedrick Woods was the last to do so five years ago. Owens would be the heaviest to time the fastest since running back Keith Marshall in 2016.

"Over the last five combines, the average fastest time clocked in at 4.27 seconds," Sobleski said. "Considering that Owens has the fastest recorded 100-meter time among any of this year's prospects as well as topping out at over 23 MPH during a game, it's easy to envision him reaching that number. In doing so, Owens can elevate his status and possibly come off the board much sooner than expected."