The 2026 NFL Combine is here, and as a result, football fans will soon find themselves consumed by their need for speed.
The combine is the NFL’s largest information-gathering convention ahead of the draft. Prospects go through many drills, interviews and medical tests that help the league’s 32 teams complete their respective evaluations.
But none of the drills is more popular than the 40-yard dash, which measures a prospect’s straight-line speed and offers fans a tantalizing glimpse at which players could be down-the-field playmakers.
There isn’t a direct correlation with logging a fast 40 time and finding success at the NFL level. And not all of the 319 NFL combine invitees will participate in the drill.
Still, plenty will, and prospects who blaze fast 40-yard dashes will have a chance to etch themselves into the collective consciousness of NFL fans ahead of the draft.
USA TODAY Sports is tracking the fastest 40-yard dashes at the 2026 NFL combine. Below is a look at the fastest overall players as well as the top 10 runner in every position group.
Fastest 40-yard dash times at 2026 NFL combine
Below is a look at the fastest 40-yard dashes from the 2026 NFL combine thus far.
(Asterisks indicate unofficial times.)
Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State: 4.46
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State: 4.46
Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU: 4.47
David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech: 4.50
Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas: 4.51
Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF: 4.52
Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh: 4.53
Namdi Obiazor, LB, TCU: 4.53
Trey Moore, Edge, Texas: 4.54
Karson Sharar, LB, Iowa: 4.56
NFL combine 40-yard dash results 2026
USA TODAY Sports will be tracking the 10 best 40-yard dash times at each position throughout the 2026 NFL Combine. Players scheduled to run the 40-yard dash at the combine will do so between Thursday, Feb. 26 and Sunday, March 1.
(Asterisks indicate unofficial times.)
Defensive linemen
Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State: 4.46
David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech: 4.50
Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF: 4.52
Trey Moore, Edge, Texas: 4.54
Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M: 4.59
Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge, Penn State: 4.63
Jaishawn Barham, Edge, Michigan: 4.64
Romello Height, Edge, Texas Tech: 4.64
George Gumbs Jr., Edge, Florida: 4.66
R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma: 4.67
Linebackers
Sonny Styles, Ohio State: 4.46
Kalen Elarms-Orr, TCU: 4.47
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas: 4.51
Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh: 4.53
Namdi Obiazor, TCU: 4.53
Karson Sharar, Iowa: 4.56
Justin Jefferson, Alabama: 4.57
Jack Kelly, BYU: 4.57
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech: 4.57
Jake Golday, Cincinnati: 4.62
Defensive backs
Defensive back workouts begin Friday, Feb. 27.
Tight ends
Tight end workouts begin Friday, Feb. 27.
Quarterbacks
Quarterback workouts begin Saturday, Feb. 28.
Running backs
Running back workouts begin Saturday, Feb. 28.
Wide receivers
Wide receiver workouts begin Saturday, Feb. 28.
Offensive linemen
Offensive line workouts begin Sunday, March 1.
What is the NFL combine 40-yard dash record?
Xavier Worthy set the NFL combine record in the 40-yard dash in 2024, logging an official time of 4.21 seconds during his run at Indianapolis.
Worthy’s run broke the previous 40-yard dash record of 4.22 seconds, which John Ross III set at the 2017 NFL combine. Below is a look at Worthy’s performance in the drill.
Worthy went on to be selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 28th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Chiefs traded up to select the Texas product, and he has generated 101 catches for 1,170 yards and seven touchdowns in 31 games across his first two NFL seasons.
