Last week I ran the fastest 40 times from running backs drafted in the first three rounds this century. Today, let's look at top performers at the combine among wide receivers in that time frame.
At running back, most of the guys who impressed at the combine and were drafted early went on to have some have NFL success. At wide receiver, the results aren't as encouraging. Various reasons, with some fast guys being used as one-dimensional deep threats in the pros; tough to make a big fantasy impact that way. And looking at the list, it seems (in retrospect) that plenty of guys were overdrafted based on NFL teams getting excited about that speed, anticipating it would translate into success that just didn't happen.
Of the 19 running backs who ran a sub-4.4 since 2000 and were selected in rounds 1-3, 11 of them had at least one top-10 fantasy season and 2 more had a top-20 season in PPR leagues (so far). With wide receivers, to get a more manageable list, I looked at all the guys who ran a sub-4.35 at the combine, then were selected in the first three rounds. There were 45 wideouts to do so.
Of those 45 guys, just 10 had a top-10 fantasy season at some point in their careers. Two more made it into the top 20. But just over half of them (23) never ranked in the top 40, and seven more didn't make it into the top 25. A couple of those guys (Xavier Worthy, pictured, and Adonai Mitchell) have just a year under their belts; Worthy can already be called a success story. But roughly half the list didn't amount to much in the NFL, and we can fairly say they were selected too early. Timed speed is just a small component of NFL success, even for those players drafted in the first three rounds.
Four wide receivers ran sub-4.35 40s at Indianapolis last weekend. I've listed all four of them in the table, though only one of them (Matthew Golden, out of Texas) looks certain to be selected in the first three rounds. Table shows draft year, round selected, combine 40 times and stats from their best NFL seasons, sorted by fantasy ranks.
Three guys from last year made the list: Worthy, Mitchell and PPR's No. 4 wideout last season, Jacksonville's Brian Thomas.
| FAST 40S, WRS DRAFTED ROUNDS 1-3, 2001-PRESENT | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draft | Rd | 40 | Player | Year | No-Rec-TD | Rk |
| 2007 | 1 | 4.35 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 2012 | 122-1964-5 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 | 4.35 | Javon Walker, G.B. | 2004 | 89-1382-12 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 | 4.33 | Brian Thomas, Jac. | 2024 | 87-1282-10 | 4 |
| 2001 | 1 | 4.31 | Santana Moss, Was. | 2005 | 84-1483-9 | 6 |
| 2019 | 2 | 4.33 | DK Metcalf, Sea. | 2020 | 83-1303-10 | 7 |
| 2019 | 3 | 4.35 | Terry McLaurin, Was. | 2024 | 82-1096-13 | 7 |
| 2001 | 2 | 4.33 | Chris Chambers, Mia. | 2005 | 82-1118-11 | 8 |
| 2009 | 3 | 4.33 | Mike Wallace, Pitt. | 2011 | 72-1193-8 | 9 |
| 2014 | 1 | 4.33 | Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 2016 | 78-1173-8 | 10 |
| 2008 | 2 | 4.35 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 2009 | 62-1156-12 | 10 |
| 2018 | 2 | 4.34 | DJ Chark, Jac. | 2019 | 73-1008-8 | 18 |
| 2014 | 3 | 4.34 | John Brown, Buff. | 2019 | 72-1060-6 | 20 |
| 2002 | 1 | 4.22 | Donte Stallworth, N.O. | 2005 | 70-945-7 | 23 |
| 2017 | 2 | 4.31 | Curtis Samuel, Car. | 2020 | 77-851-5 | 24 |
| 2007 | 3 | 4.35 | Mike Sims-Walker, Jac. | 2009 | 63-869-7 | 24 |
| 2013 | 1 | 4.28 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 2015 | 52-473-10 | 27 |
| 2009 | 1 | 4.30 | Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oak. | 2011 | 64-975-4 | 28 |
| 2013 | 3 | 4.27 | Marquise Goodwin, S.F. | 2017 | 56-962-2 | 31 |
| 2016 | 1 | 4.32 | Will Fuller, Hou. | 2020 | 53-879-8 | 32 |
| 2024 | 1 | 4.21 | Xavier Worthy, K.C. | 2024 | 59-638-9 | 33 |
| 2014 | 3 | 4.34 | Donte Moncrief, Ind. | 2015 | 64-733-6 | 37 |
| 2014 | 2 | 4.33 | Paul Richardson, Sea. | 2017 | 44-703-6 | 39 |
| 2015 | 3 | 4.35 | Chris Conley, Jac. | 2019 | 47-775-5 | 44 |
| 2019 | 2 | 4.33 | Mecole Hardman, K.C. | 2021 | 59-693-2 | 47 |
| 2019 | 2 | 4.31 | Parris Campbell, Ind. | 2022 | 63-623-3 | 48 |
| 2008 | 3 | 4.35 | Andre Caldwell, Cin. | 2009 | 51-432-3 | 65 |
| 2015 | 1 | 4.33 | Phillip Dorsett, N.E. | 2019 | 29-397-5 | 71 |
| 2009 | 3 | 4.31 | Deon Butler, Sea. | 2010 | 36-385-4 | 74 |
| 2017 | 1 | 4.22 | John Ross, Cin. | 2019 | 28-506-3 | 74 |
| 2010 | 2 | 4.28 | Arrelious Benn, T.B. | 2011 | 30-441-3 | 81 |
| 2007 | 3 | 4.32 | Jason Hill, S.F. | 2008 | 30-317-2 | 84 |
| 2020 | 1 | 4.27 | Henry Ruggs, L.V. | 2021 | 24-469-2 | 86 |
| 2003 | 2 | 4.34 | Tyrone Calico, Ten. | 2003 | 18-297-4 | 86 |
| 2012 | 3 | 4.34 | T.J. Graham, Buff. | 2012 | 31-322-1 | 88 |
| 2002 | 2 | 4.32 | Tim Carter, NYG | 2006 | 22-253-3 | 90 |
| 2012 | 2 | 4.28 | Stephen Hill, NYJ | 2012 | 21-252-3 | 97 |
| 2022 | 2 | 4.28 | Tyquan Thornton, N.E. | 2022 | 22-247-3 | 98 |
| 2006 | 2 | 4.32 | Chad Jackson, N.E. | 2006 | 13-152-3 | 105 |
| 2024 | 2 | 4.34 | Adonai Mitchell, Ind. | 2024 | 23-312-0 | 110 |
| 2019 | 2 | 4.31 | Andy Isabella, Ari. | 2020 | 21-224-2 | 114 |
| 2015 | 1 | 4.35 | Kevin White, Chi. | 2016 | 19-187-0 | 123 |
| 2022 | 3 | 4.31 | Velus Jones, Chi. | 2022 | 7-107-2 | 126 |
| 2007 | 3 | 4.30 | Yamon Figurs, Balt. | 2007 | 1-36-2 | 142 |
| 2006 | 3 | 4.34 | Willie Reid, Pitt. | 2007 | 4-54-0 | 157 |
| 2022 | 3 | 4.33 | Danny Gray, S.F. | 2022 | 1-10-0 | 206 |
| 2025 | ? | 4.29 | Matthew Golden | ? | ? | ? |
| 2025 | ? | 4.30 | Dont'e Thornton | ? | ? | ? |
| 2025 | ? | 4.34 | Chimere Dike | ? | ? | ? |
| 2025 | ? | 4.34 | Jaylin Lane | ? | ? | ? |
--Andy Richardson