NFL combine 2025: Texas WR Isaiah Bond leads fastest 40-yard dash candidates
The NFL scouting combine will feature hundreds of former college players showing their talents in a series of drills with league scouts and front office members in attendance.
Players will go through multiple events to show their athletic abilities and offer more concrete information for evaluators. These can be position-specific, like the long pull or pass protection mirror drill for offensive linemen, or especially important for positions, like the vertical jump for wide receivers.
But the most popular drill at the NFL combine is the 40-yard dash. It's one of the core events every position goes through yearly with huge draft implications. Xavier Worthy set the combine record (4.21 seconds) in the event last year and was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
This year's combine has no shortage of speedy players, especially at wide receiver. Here are 12 contenders for the fastest 40-yard dash this year in Indianapolis:
NFL combine: Fastest 40-yard dash candidates
Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Bond transferred from Alabama to Texas ahead of the 2024 season with mixed results. Though he had fewer receptions than the year before, he set career highs in yards per reception (15.9) and total touchdowns (six). He's said he's eyeing Worthy's combine record time and has been clocked at 4.28 seconds before.
Arian Smith, WR, Georgia
Smith was the Bulldogs' leading receiver last fall after stepping into a more prominent role and already had a good showing at the Senior Bowl. He was a very accomplished track athlete in high school before coming to Athens. He's been clocked in the high 4.2s in the event and could hit 4.28 at the combine.
Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
Johnson is one of the smallest wide receivers at the NFL combine this year at 5-foot-10 and under 160 lbs. He makes up for it with quick-twitch acceleration and deep speed. With time to prepare for the event, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Johnson down into the 4.2s.
Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
Sampson led the SEC in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns this past fall and is one of the top running backs in a deep class. He's also going to be one of the fastest. He's been clocked between 22 and 23 mph on player tracking and ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash in high school. Years later, he's likely only become faster.
Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
Tuten was a productive running back for the Hokies but is viewed as a later-round pick due to a very deep running back class in this draft. His speed could make the difference; he was clocked at 4.32 seconds in the 40 last offseason. He should go even faster at the combine.
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
Starks is one of the top prospects in the class, regardless of position, and should run well considering his track background. He ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the high school level and could realistically hit the low 4.3s at the combine. That'd boost his draft stock even more in a draft with few blue-chip players.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Egbuka will be the latest NFL receiver to come out of Columbus, likely in the first round, following in the footsteps of Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024, Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2023 and Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in 2022.
Egbuka was clocked at 4.42 in the 40-yard dash in high school. He's easily down to the 4.3s now and, with some time to train for the event, should see his number go even further down.
Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas
Mukuba should be one of the faster safeties at the combine. The Texas standout will already be a middle-round pick in the draft but has been clocked at 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He could realistically shave a couple hundredths off of that given time to prepare for the event at the combine and be one of the fastest defensive backs in Indianapolis.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Auburn
The Penn State transfer was a dangerous deep threat for the Tigers this last fall. Lambert-Smith averaged a career-high 19.6 yards per reception and scored eight touchdowns in 12 games for Auburn. He ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at Penn State two years ago and could easily go faster than that in Indianapolis.
Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
Morrison suffered a season-ending hip injury in his final year with the Irish but should be good to go for the combine. He'll likely be one of the faster cornerbacks in Indianapolis. He was clocked at 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash last year and should only get faster with time to prepare.
Jordan Watkins, WR, Ole Miss
Watkins led the team and SEC in receiving touchdowns with nine this past fall and averaged a career-best 18.5 yards per reception. Teammate Tre Harris may be getting more attention as an early-round wide receiver but Watkins could challenge that with a good 40 time. He was clocked at 4.38 seconds last offseason and should only be faster.
Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma
Bowman Jr.'s one of many safeties projected to go on Day 2 who could be solid starters for an NFL team. He should be one of the faster prospects at the position after improving his 40-yard time from 4.47 seconds to 4.38 last offseason. With more time to prepare, he'll likely hit the low 4.3s at least.
How to watch NFL combine 2025
- Channel: NFL Network
- Stream: NFL+ | Fubo
Fans looking to see how all the league's future stars test at the NFL combine can watch it unfold on NFL Network or stream the event with NFL+ or Fubo, which comes with a free trial. The times below are when the position groups will run the 40-yard dash.
- Thursday, Feb. 27 (3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET): Defensive linemen, linebackers
- Friday, Feb. 28 (3 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET): Defensive backs, tight ends
- Saturday, March 1 (1 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET): Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
- Sunday, March 2 (1 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET): Offensive linemen