Each and every year, the 40-yard dash is the marquee event of the NFL Scouting Combine. Dozens of the most athletic people on the planet sprinting at top speed with their future careers hanging in the balance? Cinema.
But outside of gauging reactions from Rich Eisen, Daniel Jeremiah and Co., how can you actually evaluate what you’re watching across a couple hundred dashes this weekend? That’s what this article is for: a quick but comprehensive breakdown of the 40-yard dash for each position group, specifically highlighting both the average expectations and the gold standards. And for a short list at this year's combine, check out the top contenders here.
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NOTE: All historical combine data referenced below is according to the NFL’s official database, covering every participant since 2003. Having said that, average 40-yard dash times have steadily dropped over the last 23 years. Just something to keep in mind when evaluating individual players or entire groups against the records of the past.
Wide Receivers
Average Time: 4.52 seconds
Fastest Time: 4.21 seconds (Xavier Worthy, Texas)
Very narrowly, wide receivers have been the fastest position group at the combine, with an average time of 4.52 seconds. They also hold the two fastest times on record — Xavier Worthy's 4.21 in 2024 and John Ross's 4.22 in 2017 — and five of the top 10 times overall. However, it’s also worth diving a little deeper to break up wide receiver times by size. Nine of the 10 wideouts that ran a sub-4.3 weighed fewer than 195 pounds. And only two players ever ran a sub-4.4 at 225+ pounds: Ole Miss product DK Metcalf in 2019 and Memphis “wide receiver” Antonio Gibson in 2020, who was ultimately drafted as a running back.
Here’s a look at the difference in average wide receiver time by weight class in combine history (since 2003):
Ultimately, of the 848 wide receivers to run the 40-yard dash since 2003, just 10 ran a sub-4.3 (1.2%), while 92 ran a sub-4.4 (10.8%). The majority of receivers — specifically 435 out of 848 — ran a 40-yard dash in the 4.4's or 4.5's. The further outside that window a player falls, the more notable the time — for better or worse.
Defensive Backs
Average Time: 4.53 seconds
Fastest Time: 4.23 seconds (Kalon Barnes, Baylor)
Considering they’re responsible for covering the wide receivers, it shouldn’t be a major surprise to see the defensive backs a single millisecond behind them on average. Defensive backs also account for three of the top six times on record, including free agent and Pro Bowl cornerback Tariq Woolen's 4.26 in 2022. The big delineating line with the DB group is the one between corners and safeties — since the combine groups them together, it significantly affects the numbers for both. The average time for players to go pro as CBs drops to 4.50 seconds, while the time for players to go pro as safeties jumps to 4.57 seconds.
Cornerbacks end up running similarly to wide receivers, though cracking sub-4.4 is slightly more common (16.4%). On the other hand, pro safeties are notably slower, with just one breaking 4.30 at the combine — Zedrick Woods in 2019 — and just 23 of 442 running a sub-4.4 (5.2%). When you’re watching the defensive backs on Friday, note the difference between projected corners and projected safeties and otherwise assess the times similarly to the wide receivers.
Running Backs
Average Time: 4.59 seconds
Fastest Time: 4.24 seconds (Chris Johnson, East Carolina)
Moving off the receivers and defensive backs brings a notable tier break in speed, even in the often explosive running back group. Legendary speedster Chris Johnson essentially broke the position with his 4.24 in 2008, but only one other back — 5-foot-8, 173-pound Dri Archer — has ever run sub-4.3. Instead, it is far more common for even the speediest backs in each class to run between 4.30 and 4.40, with the top time falling in that range at 19 of 22 combines since 2003.
But a time in the 4.4's or even low-4.5's is also very good for a running back: Adrian Peterson ran a 4.41 in 2007, Christian McCaffrey ran a 4.48 in 2017 and Nick Chubb ran a 4.52 in 2018. And many backs that run in the 4.6's find their place in the league as well — guys like Le'Veon Bell (4.60) and David Montgomery (4.63). In total, 295 of the 565 RBs since 2003 (52%) run somewhere in the 4.5's or 4.6's, and just 5.5% dip below 4.40 seconds. If you do see a back blaze into the 4.3's on Saturday, keep an eye out … he might be the next De'Von Achane or Kenneth Walker III.
Linebackers
Average Time: 4.71 seconds
Fastest Time: 4.38 seconds (Shaquem Griffin, Central Florida)
Linebackers are a bit of a gray-area group at the combine. They’re not typically fast enough to blow you away or break any records. But they’re too “obviously athletic” to produce the “big-man-movin’” moments we get from 300-pound linemen. Still, their speed matters quite a bit, especially considering the range of the field they’re often asked to defend.
For starters, don’t expect to see a sub-4.4 from the linebacker group — it’s only happened three times since 2003 (Shaquem Griffin, Owen Pappoe and Isaiah Simmons). Even a time in the 4.4's is rare — only 30 of the 581 linebackers to run at the combine have hit that range (5.2%). More commonly, the “fast” LBs will run in the 4.5's — guys like Patrick Queen (4.50), Von Miller (4.53) and Patrick Willis (4.56). And times in the 4.6's and low 4.7's are more than fine — Fred Warner ran a 4.64 and Shaquille Leonard ran a 4.70 (both at the 2018 Combine). Heck, Penn State product NaVorro Bowman ran a 4.77 in 2010 … and went on to earn four First-Team All-Pro selections.
Tight Ends
Average Time: 4.76 seconds
Fastest Time: 4.40 seconds (Vernon Davis, Maryland & Dorin Dickerson, Pittsburgh)
It’s not a major stretch to say the tight ends are sort of the linebackers of the offense, at least in the sense that they’re expected to have enough speed for the pass game but enough size for the run game. That said, they’re a hair (or two) slower than the linebackers on average, and just six of 301 tight ends (2.0%) have ever in the 4.4's at the combine. Like the linebackers, though, the speed sweet spot is typically in the 4.5's, where we find Pro Bowlers like George Kittle, Greg Olsen, Jimmy Graham and Sam LaPorta.
And, as at linebacker, running in the 4.6's or 4.7's is perfectly viable at tight end, even as the position has gotten smaller and faster in recent years. David Njoku ran a 4.64 in 2017 and three-time Pro Bowler Zach Ertz ran a 4.76 in 2013. Only when you break 4.80 do you start to flag serious concern. Also, it’s worth noting that many notable tight ends have skipped the dash the last few years, including Trey McBride, Brock Bowers, Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren.
Quarterbacks
Average Time: 4.82 seconds
Fastest Time: 4.35 seconds (Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M)*
If we eliminate players to run in the QB group but go pro at another position, Robert Griffin III's 4.41 in 2012 is actually the fastest time (hence the asterisk above). Another caveat: expectations and averages for pocket passers like Kirk Cousins (4.93) will obviously be vastly different from those of dual-threats like Griffin or Anthony Richardson (4.43). And a third caveat: perhaps more than at any other position, notable quarterbacks at the combine have foregone running the 40-yard dash in recent years. Only 14 of the 43 QBs to attend the last three combines ran the dash. And just one of the 11 first-round picks over that span — Richardson — made that list.
So what can we take away? Well, if a quarterback runs the 40-yard dash, they’re probably not going in the first round. For the (likely) few that do, anything sub-4.7 is notable (a la Justin Herbert's 4.68 in 2020, hinting at his legitimate rushing upside). Otherwise, though, this group probably won’t be the one to make headlines on Saturday.
Defensive Line
Average Time: 4.94 seconds
Fastest Time: 4.36 seconds (Amaré Barno, Virginia Tech)
As with the defensive backs above, the defensive line group requires a pretty significant split between the defensive ends or “edge rushers” and the defensive tackles. Specifically, over the last five years — as everyone has gotten faster — players from the DL group to be classified as defensive ends have weighed an average of 260 pounds and run a blazing average of 4.70 in the 40-yard dash. On the other hand, players to be classified as defensive tackles have weighed in at 308 pounds and averaged 5.05 seconds. So let’s break them apart.
For the defensive ends, the target numbers are extremely similar to tight ends: very few 4.4's, a speed sweet spot in the 4.5's and plenty of excellent prospects in the 4.6's and 4.7's. While pass rush stars like Brian Burns (4.53) and Nik Bonitto (4.54) made a splash with their sprints, sack-champion Myles Garrett ran a 4.64 and Aidan Hutchinson ran a 4.74.
As for the defensive tackles, the breakdown is significantly different. Anything south of 4.90 is extremely fast, with results like Jordan Davis's 4.78 at 341 pounds blowing minds (and seemingly the laws of physics). Much more commonly, “strong results” will look like Derrick Harmon's 4.95 last year or Chris Jones's 5.05 in 2016. And as always, size matters: Dexter Lawrence's 5.05 at 342 pounds and Vita Vea's 5.10 at 347 pounds are that much more impressive given their heft.
Offensive Line
Average Time: 5.26 seconds
Fastest Time: 4.71 seconds (Terron Armstead, Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
Finally, the offensive line. Their average and fastest times should clue you in pretty quickly: this is the slowest position group at the combine.
Do. Not. Tune. Out. On. Sunday.
Quietly, offensive linemen have one of the stronger correlations between speedy 40-times and NFL success. Consider the two sub-4.8s recorded since 2003: five-time Pro Bowler Terron Armstead (4.71) and six-time Pro Bowler Lane Johnson (4.72). How about a sampling of the 16 guys to run in the 4.8's? Tristan Wirfs. Taylor Lewan. Trent Williams. Even scooting down the leaderboard a bit: Jason Kelce ran a 4.93 in 2011, Joe Thomas ran a 5.00 in 2007 and Joe Alt ran a 5.05 in 2024, all well below the positional average.
There are certainly exceptions — five-time Pro Bowler Travis Frederick ran a 5.58 in 2013 — but the athleticism required to move 300+ pounds at high speeds, even in a straight line, translates well to the trenches. Anything around or below 5.00 seconds should catch your attention, and a sub-4.95 could very well mean day one or two draft capital.