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Arguably the favorite at this year’s combine, Smith was a nationally ranked high school track athlete and long jump champion in high school. He won the Class 2A title in the 200-meter dash at and was a top competitor in the 100-meter sprint at two high schools, too. Smith also ran track at Georgia until 2023, earning first-team All-America in 2021 and qualifying for the SEC Championships with his 10.10-second time in the 100.

The 5-foot-11 3/4, 175-pound Smith has focused on football the past two years, and he developed into one of the best big-play threats at the collegiate level. In spite of having just 76 touches in his five seasons with the Bulldogs, he averaged 19.9 yards per reception and 11.6 yards per rush and scored a touchdown every 7.6 touches. Smith also was UGA's leading receiver last season.

Smith’s 100-meter time bests Worthy’s finest times in the same event. That doesn’t guarantee Smith will end up faster than Worthy in the shorter run in Indy, though, But if there’s anyone who could take down the champ after one year, it might be Smith.

Could a fellow Longhorn steal the 40-yard crown from Worthy? Bond -- who wears the No. 7 jersey as a nod to the fictional “007” spy -- is certainly a who can roll with the fastest of the fast. Shortly after Worthy set the record last year, Bond posted to Instagram.

As a junior in high school, Bond won the state 100-meter (10.51 seconds) and 200-meter (21.19) titles. The former time is excellent; the latter is arguably even better. Bond’s elite speed also translated to the football field. For a taste of how fast he is, well, you can watch most games from 2023 (at Bama) or 2024 (at Texas). But I think his acceleration was best on display on , where Bond absolutely turned on the afterburners. 

Some talent evaluators I’ve spoken to have wondered about Hunter’s true long speed, deeming it very good by ����������standards but perhaps shy of an elite, record-threatening level. No matter, Hunter can fly. If he chooses to run at the combine, the Heisman Trophy winner figures to be among the fastest in his group, working this week with the defensive backs.

In an incredible college career at Jackson State and Colorado, it’s hard to pick just one play that demonstrated his speed, but chasing down TCU’s Emani Bailey on a in 2023 is a pretty good example. Hunter making an interception a few plays later also speaks to his rare, immense skill and stamina. 

Don’t overlook the 6-2 3/8, 197-pound Porter in this event. He’s taken the long road to success, switching from wide receiver to corner and not really breaking out until his sixth college season in 2024. But he appears to be a rare physical specimen who can keep pace with some of the shorter and smaller sprinters at the event.

Porter was tracked as one of the fastest-moving athletes at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, clocked at a scorching 22.17 mph by . Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy noted that Porter’s time was the second fastest in the past eight years of using Zebra data, behind only Tariq Woolen (22.45 mph) in 2022. For reference, Woolen later ran a 4.26-second 40 at the combine.

That suggests Porter could have a shot to break the 4.3 mark. As a prep, he set the Iowa record in the 400 and ran a 100 time of 10.68. Porter was also a standout in the 200 and 4x200 relay. He enters the combine as a fascinating prospect with five career blocked kicks and an athletic profile that puts him close to the best of the best in Indianapolis.

An explosive back at 211 pounds, Tuten has previously run a 4.32-second 40 and registered a 60-meter dash time of 7.03 seconds in high school. Although he has hinted that he on the field, Tuten’s production displays a player who definitely has one. In four college seasons (two each at North Carolina A&T and Virginia Tech), Tuten averaged 6 yards per carry and 23.8 yards per kickoff, returning two for touchdowns as a sophomore for the Hokies.

Don’t forget about the Buffaloes’ other speed demon. The 5-7 3/4, 171-pound Horn was a high school track star, winning the 4x100 relay (41.12 seconds, which was a top-10 time nationally) and standing out in the 100 (10.81), triple jump and long jump. He also translated his velocity to the football field, first at South Florida and then Colorado.

East-West Shrine Bowl executive director Eric Galko nominated Horn as one of the fastest combine participants who attended the all-star game, suggesting it shouldn’t be a shock if prospect registers a time that begins with a 4.2.

Sources close to Blue are quietly excited about his chances in Indianapolis, floating the idea that he might be a real sleeper to compete for one of the top 40 times. A former high school track star who was a standout in both the 100- and 200-meter sprints, Blue is able to gear up to top speed quickly and might be a threat to crack the 4.3-second mark at his very best. 

His burst can be seen on his vs. Clemson in the CFB playoffs last season. He’s an appealing prospect because of his low workload (270 touches in three seasons) and should be able to showcase his athleticism at the combine.

The fast-rising prospect made money for himself with his late-season flourish, putting Golden in the first-round discussion entering the combine. The Longhorns’ deep threat could continue that push and make even more money with a blazing 40 time. With his track background, Golden possesses easy long speed -- often lulling DBs to sleep with his smooth and shocking acceleration.

If there’s a player outside of the receiver, defensive back or running back positions who could finish with one of the fastest 40 times this year, it’s probably Milroe. He might not be a true threat to win the event, but anyone who has seen Milroe with the ball in his hands with open field in front of him knows just how electric he can be. 

Quarterbacks often skip the 40 -- just four chose to run in 2024 -- but Milroe might be an exception. After a disappointing Senior Bowl week where he failed to separate himself at the event, Milroe might be able to revive his draft stock a bit with a scorching time, if he so chooses. The unofficial QB record was set by Texas A&M’s Reggie McNeal back in 2006 with a time of 4.35 seconds. Could Milroe top that? Maybe.

Another fast-rising prospect, Riley was a Senior Bowl standout, possessing game-changing speed as a DB and a returner. He ran track in high school, being named the 2019 State Boys 4A Track Player of the Year in South Carolina, and continued to compete at Middle Tennessee State in 2019 (60- and 200-meter sprints) and 2020 (100, 4x100 relay). Riley wasn’t always able to showcase his top speed in college, but this of Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman in 2022 gives us a little snapshot of just how fast he can move.

He might not be a threat to take the 40 crown, but don’t underestimate Noel’s speed. He was an all-conference sprinter and high jumper in high school and a big-play threat for the Cyclones. Noel averaged 14.9 yards per reception last season and was a playmaker on punt and kick returns all four seasons. Check out this against Cincinnati in 2023, when Noel turned on the jets late with easy acceleration.

The 5-9, 191-pound Lane was a big-play threat for five years in college football, first with Middle Tennessee and later for the Hokies. Both programs tried to get the ball in his hands however they could: as a receiver, runner and returner. Lane ripped off an in the Blue Raiders’ upset win at Miami in 2022 and could be a threat in this event if some of the bigger names drop out or run slower than expected.

Like Porter, Williams was able to display his on-field speed brilliantly at the Senior Bowl, clocking an impressive 21.36 mph during practice. The 5-10, 182-pound receiver was a star for the Cougars, catching 14 touchdown passes last season. In his final game at WSU, he displayed his top-end speed on a against Syracuse.

The 156-pound Johnson, who was an to Bo Nix in high school, followed Nix to Oregon and became a star for the Ducks, scoring 20 scrimmage TDs in his two seasons in Eugene. He also scored on a punt return against Boise State, a play that showed just how much of a blur Johnson is with a runway, burning his way to a . Minutes earlier in the game -- just in case there was any doubt about his speed -- Johnson caught up to teammate Traeshon Holden on his 59-yard TD catch, with Johnson on his way into the end zone.

The 6-foot, 183-pounder was a big-play threat for four years at Wisconsin before spending his final year with the Gators, replacing Ricky Pearsall as their big-play threat in 2024. With a track background in the 100, 200, 4x100 relay and long jump, Dike is a loose, twitchy athlete who can crank up to max RPMs quickly, averaging 16.3 yards per catch and 11.3 yards per punt return over his college career.

A sleeper on this list, Harris' good week at the East-West Shrine Bowl elicited praise from executive director Eric Galko, who believes the Cal product could run in the 4.3-second range. Harris made the jump to the FBS and was a standout for the Bears in 12 starts last season. For a glimpse at his explosiveness, check out Harris’ for the Vandals against Northern Colorado in 2023.

Another dark-horse candidate, Crawford has the type of sprinter’s speed (a 100-meter best of 10.6 seconds) to grab a top-10 spot. He didn’t play a ton in four seasons at Texas, but Crawford made the most of his one season with the Wolf Pack. He was used as an occasional weapon on offense and special teams, and Crawford ran back a in Nevada’s upset of Oregon State.