Fastest 40 times ever at NFL Combine: John Ross, Chris Johnson lead 40-yard dash record books

Fastest 40 times ever at NFL Combine: John Ross, Chris Johnson lead 40-yard dash record books

It’s about time for the NFL’s annual track meet.

The 40-yard dash is one of the biggest highlights of the NFL Combine every year — blink and you’ll miss it as athletes show who’s the fastest at their respective positions.

Throughout history, there have been some blazing 40 times posted by wide receivers, defensive backs, and running backs. Though it does not always correlate to NFL success, it’s still a popular event for fans to watch, particularly in an era where players are faster than ever.

In the history of the NFL Combine, who has posted the fastest times? Sporting News is taking a look back at the record books.

NFL Combine 40-yard dash record

Everyone knew John Ross would be capable of putting on a show. The Washington wide receiver had a breakout 2016 college season in which he caught 81 passes (17 touchdowns) with 1,150 receiving yards, positioning himself among college football’s most dangerous receivers.

He put that speed fully on display at the 2017 NFL Combine when he ran a 4.22 40-yard dash. That time became the official NFL record, barely placing him ahead of unofficial record-holder, Tennessee wide receiver Donte Stallworth, who was also tracked at 4.22 seconds. ECU running back Chris Johnson held the official record at 4.24.

Official NFL Combine numbers don’t date back to the earliest days of the annual scouting event, but the NFL considers Ross’ record to be the one to beat.

Fastest 40 times ever at NFL Combine

Here’s a look at the fastest 40 times recorded at the NFL Combine, according to data from Pro Football Reference, which dates back to 2000.

John Ross

The Bengals selected Ross ninth overall hoping he could continue the franchise’s remarkable track record of drafting wide receivers. He went the pick before Patrick Mahomes.

Ross had shoulder surgery before his rookie year and battled a knee injury early in preseason camp. A litany of injuries limited him to one rush for 12 yards and no other stats. He saw a larger role in 2018 when he caught 21 passes, including seven for touchdowns, and 210 receiving yards, but he still struggled to be a consistent threat.

His best year came in 2019, when he hauled in 28 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns in just eight games, but he was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and missed half the campaign.

Ross caught only two passes in 2020 before the Bengals allowed him to walk in free agency. He caught 11 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown with the Giants in ’21 and signed a reserve contract with the Chiefs in January ’23, but he opted to retire. He ended his career with 62 catches for 957 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Donte Stallworth

The blazing speed of Stallworth similarly led the Saints to place high expectations on the Tennessee wide receiver. He was taken 13th overall in 2002.

Stallworth was immediately an impact talent for the Saints, hauling in 42 passes for 594 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 13 games. Though he did not quite blossom into a star, he was a reliable part of New Orleans’ offense. He had 485 yards in his second year, 767 yards in his third, and a career-best 945 yards in his fourth season with the Saints.

He was traded to the Eagles ahead of 2006, but he was hampered by a hamstring injury. He still finished the campaign with 725 receiving yards on 38 catches for a whopping 19.1 yards per reception with five touchdowns.

Stallworth bounced around over the remainder of his career. He signed a six-year contract with the Patriots in 2007, but the team used an opt-out in his deal after he posted 697 yards in his lone season there. He inked a seven-year deal with the Browns in ’08. Following a down year in ’08, Stallworth was convicted of DUI manslaughter when he struck and killed a pedestrian in Miami. He entered a plea deal and was sentenced to 30 days in county jail. He missed the entire ’09 season as part of a suspension by the NFL and was released by the Browns following the year.

He returned to play for the Ravens in 2010, the Redskins in ’11, and the Patriots again in ’12, but he appeared in just 20 combined games during those three seasons, catching 25 passes for 454 total yards. He signed a contract with Washington for ’13, but he was waived before the season. He finished his career with 321 catches for 4,837 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Kalon Barnes

Barnes, a former track star in high school, switched from wide receiver to cornerback while in college at Baylor and opened eyes with his impressive 4.23 40 time.

He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft (242nd overall) by the Panthers, but he was waived before the start of the season. He bounced around that year with the Dolphins and Vikings and debuted with Minnesota in Week 16 against the Giants, playing five snaps. He added four more snaps in the final week of the season.

Barnes has since spent time on the practice squads of the Steelers, Jets, and Browns, and he was signed to a reserve/futures contract with Pittsburgh in January.

Chris Johnson

Johnson was the official 40-time record-holder until Ross came along with his time of 4.24 in the 2008 combine. That led the Titans to select him 24th overall in the draft.

Johnson was a star immediately for Tennessee, rushing for 1,228 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie in 2008. He finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and earned a Pro Bowl nod.

His sophomore season was one for the ages. Johnson led the league with 358 carries and 2,006 rushing yards, becoming the eighth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. His 2,509 total yards from scrimmage set a new record, which remains to this day. He was named Offensive Player of the Year and earned his second Pro Bowl nod.

Johnson did not repeat his record-setting 2009 campaign, but he maintained a presence as one of the NFL’s most consistent running backs. He began his career with six straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, one of only six players in NFL history to accomplish it, according to Stathead. He also ranks 10th in NFL history for most yards from scrimmage over a player’s first six years.

As is often the case for running backs, Johnson’s career began to taper off in his late 20s. At 29, he rushed for just 663 yards. He had a much improved 2015 with 814 rushing yards in Arizona, but injuries limited him to just eight combined games over his final two years. He retired midway through the ’18 season after he was left unsigned, and in April ’19, he signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a Titan.

Johnson enjoyed a prolific NFL career with numerous records, including being the only player with six touchdown runs of more than 80 yards and the only player with four touchdown runs over 85 yards. He also had 12 straight games with at least 100 rushing yards, a streak second only to Barry Sanders’ run of 14 straight.

Dri Archer

Archer impressed at the 2014 NFL Combine and wound up being selected in the third round of the draft by the Steelers. The running back handled 10 carries for 40 yards in his first year, and he also returned nine kicks for 161 yards.

That first year wound up being the only scrimmage yards he had in his career. He played in eight games in 2015 and returned 14 kicks before he was waived midseason. He signed a futures contract with the Jets in ’16, was waived in May ’16, and was claimed by the Bills. He did not report to the team and was placed on the did not report list days later. He did not play again in the NFL.

Riq Woolen

The Seahawks had a remarkable 2022 NFL draft class, and Woolen was one of the crown jewels. Taken in the fifth round of the draft after running a 4.26 40 in the combine — the fastest time for a player over 6-0 — Woolen was an immediate difference-maker for the defense.

As a rookie, Woolen led the league with six interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He also had 63 combined tackles and 16 passes defended. The rookie cornerback was named to a Pro Bowl and finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Woolen continued his standout play into his second year. He hauled in two more interceptions and recovered a pair of fumbles in 16 games. He also defended 11 passes and made 53 combined tackles. Along with Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love, and Tre Brown, Woolen is one of the young bright spots in Seattle’s standout secondary.

DJ Turner II

Turner posted the fastest 40 time at the 2023 NFL Combine, and it was among the factors that helped him become the 60th overall pick in the class, with the Bengals taking him in the second round.

Turner was thrust into action early for the Bengals due to the recovery of Chidobe Awuzie and the departure of outside corner Eli Apple to free agency. He appeared in all 17 games for Cincinnati and defended seven passes with 50 combined tackles, including two for a loss. He did not intercept a pass, but he did recover a fumble.

There were some struggles for Turner in coverage in the second half of the season, but he’s largely viewed as part of the team’s future plans in the secondary opposite Cam Taylor-Britt.

Stanford Routt

An NCAA Midwest Regional champion in the 200 meters, Routt came into the 2005 NFL Draft as the fastest player in the field. His 4.27 40 was the quickest time at the combine, and he wound up landing with the Raiders in the second round (58th overall).

Routt was largely a rotational player over the first two seasons of his career before becoming a full-time starter at corner in 2007. He picked off three passes and made 42 combined tackles. In 2010 and ’11, he had the two best seasons of his career, starting 30 games and appearing in all 32 in the two seasons. During those two years, he combined to intercept six passes, defend 28, and make 104 total tackles.

He was cut after the 2012 season and inked a three-year deal with the Chiefs, but he was cut by Kansas City before the end of the year. He signed with the Texans before the end of the season, but he appeared in only two games for the Texans.

Marquise Goodwin

Before Goodwin’s final year of college at Texas, he was part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team in the long jump and earned his spot in the finals, though he wound up finishing 10th in the event. A year later, his track talents were back on display, as he turned in a 4.27 40-yard dash performance at the combine.

The Bills wound up drafting Goodwin 78th overall as a third-round pick. In 12 games his rookie year, he caught 17 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns.

Goodwin was largely hampered by injuries over his next few seasons before catching 29 passes for 431 yards and three touchdowns in 2016. He enjoyed the best season of his career in ’17 when he hauled in 56 passes for 962 yards and two scores.

Brown has appeared in at least nine games every season since, though his usage has been limited, averaging 269.6 yards per season with 10 total touchdowns. He opted out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic. In ’23 with the Browns, Goodwin caught four passes for 67 yards in 12 games.

Henry Ruggs III

Ruggs was part of a talented Alabama receiver room that featured himself, Calvin Ridley, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, and Jerry Jeudy, all of whom went on to be first-round picks. Ruggs put on a show at the 2020 NFL Combine and wound up being the first wide receiver taken in the draft, landing 12th overall with the Raiders.

As a rookie, he put together a solid season for Las Vegas, catching 26 passes for 452 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He missed several games during the middle of the season due to COVID.

Ruggs appeared on track for his breakout season in 2021 when he caught 24 passes for 469 yards and two touchdowns in just seven games. However, on Nov. 2, 2021, Ruggs was driving a car that collided with another car at high speed, killing both the driver and her dog. He was charged with driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless driving. Evidence found he was driving 156 mph and hit the car at 127 mph.

Ruggs pleaded guilty to felony DUI resulting in death and a count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He was sentenced to spend between three and 10 years in prison.

Anthony Schwartz

Like many of the other speedsters on this list, Schwartz participated in several international track competitions, including the World U20 Championships. He posted a time of 4.27 in the 40 at his pro day (the NFL combine was canceled in 2021), and the Browns drafted him in the third round of the ’21 NFL Draft.

Though Schwartz saw action in 14 games, he struggled with drops during his two years with the Browns. He caught just 10-of-23 targets in 2021 for 135 yards and a touchdown, then caught four-of-10 targets for 51 yards in ’22. Cleveland cut him before the ’23 season.

Schwartz signed with the Dolphins to their practice squad in November 2023 and agreed to a future contract in January ’24.