Fastest Players in NFL History Rankings Tier List
Speed kills — and these guys made the NFL look like a track meet. This isn’t just about 40-yard dash times or Combine hype. This tier list ranks the fastest players in NFL history based on in-game speed, real tape, and the kind of eye test that makes defenders look like they’re running in sand. From Deion Sanders’ glide to Tyreek Hill’s joystick cuts, we broke it all down.
Let’s rank the most dangerous burners to ever take the field — tier by tier.
Table of Contents
- Tier 6
- Tier 5
- Tier 4
- Tier 3
- Tier 2
- Tier 1
- FAQ – Fastest Players in NFL History Explained
- Conclusion – Final Thoughts on the NFL’s Fastest Players
Tier 6
Tyler Lockett, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Jonathan Taylor round out Tier 6.
Charles Woodson (Raiders, Packers)
40-yard dash: 4.38 seconds (hand-timed)
He wasn’t just physical — he could run. That 4.38 time at Michigan shocked scouts for a player with his size and technique. Bill Belichick once called him one of the rare corners with “elite closing speed,” and it showed whenever he baited QBs into game-changing picks.
Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
40-yard dash: 4.40 seconds (official)
Quiet, underrated, and lethal. Lockett’s 4.40 speed shows up on tape with clean routes and no wasted motion. Doug Baldwin once said Lockett “moves like he’s in fast-forward” — and that’s exactly how he plays when he hits the seam.
Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings, Bears, Falcons)
40-yard dash: 4.42 seconds (official)
You don’t become one of the greatest kick returners of all time without world-class straight-line speed. Patterson once hit 22.23 MPH on a return — still one of the fastest plays recorded. Rich Eisen described him as “a locomotive with wide receiver wheels.”
Renaldo Nehemiah (49ers)
40-yard dash: 4.10 seconds (unofficial, hand-timed)
An Olympic gold-level hurdler with legendary track speed. Rumored to have run a 4.10, Nehemiah brought track explosiveness to the gridiron. “No one was ever going to catch me,” he once said — and based on tape, he wasn’t lying.
Jonathan Taylor (Colts)
40-yard dash: 4.39 seconds (official)
One of the rare backs whose 40-time actually translates on the field. Taylor hit 22.13 MPH on a 67-yard TD against New England — top-five Next Gen speed that year. If he breaks through the line clean, it’s six.
Jameson Williams (Lions)
40-yard dash: 4.39 seconds (official, post-injury)
Williams ran that after an ACL tear — and reportedly clocked sub-4.3s before the injury. Bama coaches said he was “uncoverable in space” and a blur on every route. His speed doesn’t pop — it detonates.
Fabian Washington (Raiders)
40-yard dash: 4.29 seconds (official)
The fastest man at the 2005 Combine. He once claimed to hit 4.25 in training, and his official 4.29 got him drafted in Round 1. Coaches called him “raw but lightning.” That kind of speed gives you a longer leash in the league.
Rod Woodson (Steelers, Ravens)
40-yard dash: 4.33 seconds (hand-timed)
A former track phenom turned Hall of Fame DB. Woodson’s speed was both sideline-to-sideline and downhill deadly. John Madden once said, “He moves like a corner but hits like a linebacker.” Fast, physical, and built for the big stage.
Tier 5
Tier 5 includes dynamic players like Percy Harvin, Barry Sanders, and Lamar Jackson.
Herschel Walker (Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings)
40-yard dash: 4.28 seconds (hand-timed)
Walker didn’t just run fast — he ran angry. That 4.28 time is still unreal for a 220+ pound back, especially in the ‘80s. Olympic bobsledder, track star, and NFL power back — he was a rare blend. One former DB said, “You couldn’t catch him — you just hoped he’d trip.”
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie – DRC (Cardinals, Giants, Eagles)
40-yard dash: 4.29 seconds (official)
DRC was long, lanky, and flying down the sideline. His 4.29 at the Combine opened eyes, and his recovery speed in coverage was elite. Teams often underestimated him — until they watched him erase deep balls with a single stride burst.
Xavier Worthy (Chiefs)
40-yard dash: 4.21 seconds (official – Combine record)
The fastest 40 in Combine history. Worthy broke John Ross’s record in 2024, and his track background shows in his first-step explosiveness. Patrick Mahomes called him “a Ferrari,” and it’s easy to see why when he’s at full throttle down the seam.
Percy Harvin (Vikings, Seahawks)
40-yard dash: 4.41 seconds (official)
Harvin had “chaos speed.” He wasn’t just fast in a straight line — he could hit top gear mid-cut. His combination of burst and balance made defenders look helpless. As one scout said: “It’s not just that he’s fast, it’s that he’s fast in every direction.”
Adrian Peterson (Vikings)
40-yard dash: 4.40 seconds (official)
Power backs aren’t supposed to move like this. AP hit over 22 MPH on multiple long touchdowns in his prime — and that was post-knee surgery. Teammates said he would win footraces against cornerbacks after practice in full pads.
Barry Sanders (Lions)
40-yard dash: 4.37 seconds (hand-timed)
Barry’s speed wasn’t measured in 40s — it was measured in ankles shattered. His hand-timed 4.37 barely does justice to how violently he changed direction at full tilt. One linebacker said, “You couldn’t tackle him even if you had a 10-yard head start.”
Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants, Browns, Ravens)
40-yard dash: 4.43 seconds (official)
Early-career OBJ had serious wheels — topping 21 MPH on multiple slants and go routes. He got separation instantly and made it look casual. “He’s the kind of fast that gets open even when you know it’s coming,” said a former teammate.
Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
40-yard dash: N/A (estimated 4.34 hand-timed at Louisville Pro Day)
Lamar never ran the Combine, but he didn’t need to. He’s been clocked at over 21 MPH on scrambles, and Michael Vick himself said, “He’s faster than I was.” Lamar’s the only quarterback in NFL history that makes DBs take bad angles on purpose.
Tier 4
Featuring deep threats like John Ross and Julio Jones, Tier 4 still brings serious heat.
John Ross (Bengals)
40-yard dash: 4.22 seconds (official)
The fastest 40-yard dash in Combine history for years — until 2024. Ross’s 4.22 was jaw-dropping, and it wasn’t just track speed. He routinely clocked over 21 MPH on game film. Scouts said his burst off the line was “like being shot out of a cannon.”
Ike Taylor (Steelers)
40-yard dash: 4.18 seconds (hand-timed)
Taylor quietly ran one of the fastest 40s of his era. He was long, physical, and fast enough to shadow anyone. Steelers coaches used to say, “If he got beat, it wasn’t because of speed.” Underrated recovery gear and elite closing burst.
Jacoby Ford (Raiders)
40-yard dash: 4.28 seconds (official)
Ford had track credentials and it showed. He once returned a kick 101 yards while being clocked at 22.6 MPH. Raiders fans remember him as one of the few players who could house it from anywhere. The definition of blink-and-he’s-gone.
Mike Wallace (Steelers, Dolphins)
40-yard dash: 4.33 seconds (official)
Wallace had one job: run straight and run fast — and he was elite at it. Big Ben called him “one of the fastest guys I’ve ever thrown to.” He routinely separated on deep posts by multiple yards. His acceleration was instant.
Champ Bailey (Broncos, Washington)
40-yard dash: 4.28 seconds (official)
Bailey was smooth — too smooth. His 4.28 was paired with near-perfect footwork and the kind of glide that made it look easy. He wasn’t just fast for a DB — he was fast, period. One WR said, “You’d be at full sprint and he’d still be right there. Effortless.”
Jamaal Charles (Chiefs)
40-yard dash: 4.36 seconds (official)
Charles had unreal acceleration. He could hit top speed in three steps and turn the edge like nobody else. He led the league in yards per carry multiple times, and a big reason why? Nobody caught him from behind.
Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)
40-yard dash: 4.34 seconds (official)
PP21 was a Combine warrior — and he backed it up on Sundays. His speed made him an elite returner and a lockdown corner. He hit 21.7 MPH on a pick-six his rookie year. His straight-line burst was deadly once he got moving.
Julio Jones (Falcons)
40-yard dash: 4.39 seconds (official, with broken foot)
Julio ran a sub-4.4 at 220 lbs with a fracture. That alone is ridiculous. On tape, his speed was even more freakish — pulling away from corners 20 pounds lighter. Matt Ryan once said, “He never looked like he was sprinting — but he was always faster than everyone.”
Tier 3
Cliff Branch, Michael Vick, and Willie Gault lead Tier 3 of the fastest players in NFL history.
Willie Gault (Bears, Raiders)
40-yard dash: 4.27 seconds (official)
An Olympic-level sprinter who just happened to win a Super Bowl ring. Gault’s top-end speed was no secret — his 100m PR was 10.10. Coaches said he “could run faster than the ball traveled,” and he was a vertical nightmare on every snap.
Trindon Holliday (Broncos, Texans)
40-yard dash: 4.34 seconds (official)
At just 5’5″, Holliday hit 10.00 in the 100 meters at LSU and looked like a literal blur on returns. He housed punts and kicks in the same postseason game, becoming the first player in NFL history to do so. A true “don’t blink” athlete.
Cliff Branch (Raiders)
40-yard dash: 4.25 seconds (hand-timed)
Before the Combine was even a thing, Branch had already built a rep as one of the fastest deep threats in the league. Raiders QB Ken Stabler once said, “You just threw it far, and Cliff would find it.” Legit Olympic-caliber wheels in an era that didn’t know how to measure them.
Michael Vick (Falcons, Eagles)
40-yard dash: 4.33 seconds (official)
There’s fast — and then there’s Vick. His 4.33 was unheard of for a quarterback, and it translated to the field like a cheat code. He once hit 21.6 MPH in pads. DeAngelo Hall said Vick was “the fastest guy on the team — no contest.”
Marquise Goodwin (49ers, Bills, Bears)
40-yard dash: 4.27 seconds (official)
Olympic long jumper with verified track speed. Goodwin hit 22.23 MPH on a 49ers touchdown and was known for breaking contain before defenders could even react. Coaches routinely had to double him — not because of route-running, but because of fear.
Dante Hall (Chiefs)
40-yard dash: 4.38 seconds (official)
“The Human Joystick” wasn’t just quick — he was fast-fast. Hall’s ability to plant, burst, and pull away was generational. One of the best return men of the 2000s, he was clocked at over 21 MPH during his prime. Every touch felt like a threat.
Ron Brown (Rams)
40-yard dash: 4.28 seconds (hand-timed)
An Olympic gold medalist in the 4x100m relay — and it showed. Brown was raw as a receiver but had jaw-dropping straight-line speed. His 98-yard kickoff return in 1987 was one of the fastest plays of the decade. Pure world-class track speed in shoulder pads.
Tier 2
This tier includes Bo Jackson, Randy Moss, and Devin Hester — true game-breakers.
Bo Jackson (Raiders)
40-yard dash: 4.12 seconds (unofficial, hand-timed)
The most legendary 40-time ever — and the tape backs it up. His 4.12 is the stuff of myth, but defenders from the ‘80s and ‘90s will swear it’s real. Whether he was running over Bosworth or pulling away from MLB outfielders, Bo made the field feel too small. “It looked like a video game glitch,” one former DB said.
Randy Moss (Vikings, Patriots)
40-yard dash: 4.25 seconds (hand-timed)
Moss wasn’t just tall and smooth — he could flat-out fly. His 4.25 was borderline disrespectful at 6’4″, and it translated to effortless separation. Cris Carter once said, “He never looked like he was running hard, but he was two steps past you.” Game-breaking speed that made defenses backpedal on reputation alone.
Raheem Mostert (49ers, Dolphins)
40-yard dash: 4.32 seconds (official)
Mostert owns multiple spots on the all-time Next Gen Stats leaderboard — including a recorded top speed of 23.09 MPH, one of the fastest ever tracked. A former track star at Purdue, he takes outside zone runs and turns them into track meets. Nobody hits the edge like him right now.
DeSean Jackson (Eagles, Commanders, Rams)
40-yard dash: 4.35 seconds (official)
D-Jax was a big-play nuke for over a decade. He led the league in yards per reception multiple times and hit 21+ MPH routinely in his prime. One coach called him “the best deep threat since prime Moss.” His stride length and acceleration were borderline unfair.
Devin Hester (Bears)
40-yard dash: 4.41 seconds (official)
Forget what the 40 says — Hester’s game speed was generational. He holds the all-time record for return touchdowns, and almost every one of them looked like he had a speed boost button. Mike Ditka said, “He’s the best return man I’ve ever seen. Not just quick — fast.”
Joey Galloway (Seahawks, Buccaneers, Cowboys)
40-yard dash: 4.18 seconds (hand-timed)
One of the fastest receivers the league has ever seen, period. Galloway’s 4.18 was whispered about like folklore in the ’90s. Even in his 30s, he was burning corners for 1,000-yard seasons. Teammates said he was still the fastest player on the field in walkthroughs.
Tier 1
Tier 1 features the fastest players in NFL history, including Deion Sanders and Tyreek Hill.
Deion Sanders (Cowboys, Falcons, 49ers)
40-yard dash: 4.27 seconds (hand-timed)
“Prime Time” wasn’t just a nickname — it was a warning. Deion famously ran a 4.27, left the Combine without doing drills, and still became a top-five pick. His closing speed, return ability, and stride length were legendary. As Michael Irvin said, “He could bait you 10 yards deep and still pick it off. That’s speed.” One of the few guys who made world-class athletes look slow.
Tyreek Hill (Chiefs, Dolphins)
40-yard dash: 4.29 seconds (official Pro Day)
If Deion had the glide, Tyreek has the explosion. Nicknamed “Cheetah” for a reason, Hill has clocked multiple plays over 23 MPH — the highest ever recorded by Next Gen Stats. Patrick Mahomes said, “You don’t overthrow Tyreek — you just try.” His stop-start burst is unguardable, and once he’s gone, it’s over.
Darrell Green (Washington)
40-yard dash: 4.09 seconds (unofficial, hand-timed)
Green ran a 4.3 in his 40s. Let that sink in. His 4.09 is one of the most legendary times ever recorded, and his recovery speed was unmatched. He famously chased down Tony Dorsett and Ron Brown — both track guys — from behind. Green played cornerback at an elite level for two decades. Nobody ran faster, longer.
Bob Hayes (Cowboys)
40-yard dash: N/A – Olympic 100m World Record Gold Medalist (10.06 FAT)
Nicknamed “Bullet Bob,” Hayes was literally the fastest man in the world. He won gold in the 1964 Olympics and brought that track speed straight to the NFL. Defenses had to invent zone coverage because man-to-man couldn’t keep up. He changed football forever, and he still might’ve been the fastest man on any field he stepped on.
Chris Johnson (Titans)
40-yard dash: 4.24 seconds (official – Combine record at the time)
CJ2K ran the fastest 40-yard dash ever at the NFL Combine (until John Ross). And he played that fast. In 2009, he rushed for 2,006 yards and was clocked at 23.4 MPH on a touchdown run — one of the fastest verified plays in league history. Johnson once said, “If I break the first wave, they’re not catching me — ever.” He wasn’t wrong.
Every tier of the fastest players in NFL history ranked by in-game speed and eye test.
FAQ – Fastest Players in NFL History Explained
Who is the fastest NFL player of all time?
The fastest player in NFL history is Tyreek Hill. That being said, this list is highly subjective considering in-game speed is the main metric.
What’s the fastest 40-yard dash time in NFL history?
Officially, Xavier Worthy holds the record with a 4.21 at the 2024 NFL Combine. John Ross previously held the record at 4.22, while Chris Johnson ran 4.24. But some hand-timed legends like Bo Jackson (4.12) and Darrell Green (4.09) have times that are even more ridiculous — though unofficial.
Why do some players with slower 40 times rank higher?
Because game speed > Combine speed. Guys like Devin Hester and Barry Sanders didn’t have record-breaking 40s, but their in-game acceleration, fluidity, and ability to hit top speed with pads on made them look faster than most track stars. This list is based on what showed up on Sundays — not just stopwatches.
What’s the difference between track speed and football speed?
Track speed is about running a perfect, straight line in ideal conditions. Football speed includes quick acceleration, lateral movement, and the ability to run through contact — all while reading the play on a football field in football pads. That’s why players like Percy Harvin, Michael Vick, and Deion Sanders stand out — they had both.
How was this list of the fastest players in NFL history made?
This tier list was built using a mix of eye test, verified 40-yard dash times (official and hand-timed), Next Gen Stats, Olympic backgrounds, and real-game film. It’s not just about one run at the Combine — it’s about who actually looked unfairly fast when it mattered.
Conclusion – Final Thoughts on the NFL’s Fastest Players
Speed in the NFL is different. It’s not just about running a 4.2 in shorts — it’s about looking like a human highlight reel when the pads come on and the game’s on the line. The fastest players in NFL history didn’t just break records — they broke angles, broke schemes, and broke games wide open.
Whether it was Deion Sanders gliding past return teams, Tyreek Hill hitting over 23 MPH on the field, or Bob Hayes forcing defenses to invent zone coverage, every name on this list had real, game-breaking speed. Some had Olympic medals. Some set Combine records. But all of them made defenders look slow — and that’s what this list is really about.
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