A Tyreek Hill 40 time was never recorded at the 2016 NFL Combine. Instead, incredibly poor behavior forced him to wait for West Alabama’s Pro Day to show scouts what so many cornerbacks already knew. Hill and his 4.29 40-yard dash brings sprinter speed with football fast.
Elite speed and hall of fame play
In the last five drafts, there have only been three players run faster times at the Combine. This year Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs narrowly edged out Hill’s time at 4.27.
But Hill has quite the headstart at wideout, making the Pro Bowl all four years he’s been in the league. With quite the penchant for big plays:
- 4,115 yards and 32 touchdowns
- 14.6 yards per catch
- 26 touchdown catches of 30-plus yards
- average touchdown of 36 yards in length
Hill has made the big play routine by reaching an absurd max speed of 22.64 mph according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. But finding that next great NFL player is a challenge.
It requires teams like the Kansas City Chiefs to sift through hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of players. And with all the stats available to help coaches and scouts identify players with pro potential, it’s not just an eye test.
The 40-yard dash is still the highlight of the NFL scouting combine.
The ability to watch a player cut or turn the hips is an art, not an exact science.
Sure, you can time them in the 40-yard dash or test their vertical and broad jumps, but none of these tools will tell you if a player will ultimately succeed on the field. Just that they belong in the conversation.
And for almost 40 years now, top decision-makers and coaches have gathered at the same place to help them solve this riddle; Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
This is where all draft-eligible athletes test their athleticism across a variety of drills and physical tests. For some, the Combine is a day of glorified interviews. For others, it’s a chance to demonstrate their skill.
- Deion Sanders raced to a 4.27 in 1989
- Bo Jackson set the unofficial record of 4.12 from 1986
- John Ross holds the official record at 4.22 from 2017
So when Hill wasn’t able to attend, no talent evaluator or GM was going to make or break years of tape during four days of testing. But it was important for Hill to showcase his sprinter speed to warrant a team taking a chance on his playmaking.
Is track speed football fast?
As a high school senior at Coffee High in Douglas, Georgia, back in 2012, Hill ran the 200 meters in a blazing fast 20.14. A time good enough for the second-fastest high school mark ever and placed sixth at the 2012 Olympics Games.
“If you are going to talk trash, at least ‘at’ me, Marquise Goodwin, whoever want to race me. I already proved that I’m better than you at wide receiver.”
Tyreek Hill
So when just 9.1 seconds was needed for Chiefs’ running back Damien Williams to break through the Minnesota Vikings defense and find the end zone on a 91-yard touchdown scamper. It was of no surprise to Any Reid that the fastest receiver in the game was waiting to escort Williams into the end zone with one of the most impressive feats in NFL history.
Catching up on his sprint down the football field, Hill was clocked at 22.6 mph, which would have been the fastest official recorded speed during an NFL game in 2019 had he been carrying the ball.
Is Tyreek Hill the fastest player in the NFL
A verified speed burner and widely considered to be one of the fastest players in the NFL, Hill was asked during an interview with TMZ who would win in a foot race between himself and Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Hill gives Jackson’s 40 time the edge.
“I done retired from racing, man,” Hill said. “So he’ll probably get me right now.”
But Jackson seemed too quickly defer, “Cheetah. Tyreek Hill, I’m not racing him. That’s dumb, that’s dumb.”
Hill has the speed and athleticism to turn any catch into a game-changing play. His first few seasons have been thrilling, and now he has young bazooka-armed quarterback Patrick Mahomes to light up the league.
Tyreek Hill’s 40 time vs. everyone
In the 2018 NFL season alone, Hill scored touchdown receptions of 73, 67, 67, and 58 yards. As well as a 91-yard punt return touchdown that caught the attention of the entire NFL.
But another distinguished list of speed includes only 11 players to have completed 40-yard dash times under 4.3 seconds since 2008. At the top, speedsters Chris Johnson (4.24) and John Ross (4.22).
And imagine the fervor of NFL combine fans who would love to see this group, along with Hill, compete head to head during their absolute primes. Tom Brady vs Lamar Jackson would have nothing on those matchups.
As fast as Hill is on the track, his 40 time isn’t even in the top 10 when competing against the quickest players who have entered the draft. But his football speed is otherworldly!
