This year’s NFL Scouting Combine wasn’t just fast, it was historically fast.
Across nearly every position group, prospects delivered the fastest average 40-yard dash times ever recorded. Defensive backs, wide receivers, running backs, linebackers, tight ends, defensive linemen, and even offensive linemen posted all-time best positional averages. Quarterbacks weren’t far behind either, turning in the second-fastest average 40-yard dash times in Combine history at their position.
The message was clear: this draft class isn’t just deep, it’s elite from an athletic standpoint.
Razorbacks Steal the Show in 40-Yard Dash
While the 40-yard dash always commands the spotlight, this year’s class proved its explosiveness extended well beyond straight-line speed.
Broad jumps and vertical jumps were equally eye-popping. Prospects weren’t just running faster, they were jumping farther and higher. The data showed rare lower-body explosion across multiple position groups, reinforcing the idea that modern prospects are entering the league more physically prepared than ever before.
Scouts left Indianapolis buzzing about what many are already calling one of the most athletically gifted Combine groups in league history.
At the forefront of this historic performance? A group of former Arkansas standouts who made sure their presence was felt.
This year's Combine prospects were running faster than ever before 😱 pic.twitter.com/5S0dkrsTaC
— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2026
Despite coming off a 2–10 season, Arkansas proved something important: the record didn’t reflect the roster’s raw talent.
Taylen Green: A Quarterback Built in a Lab
Quarterback Taylen Green delivered one of the most jaw-dropping performances of the entire Combine.
At 6-foot-6 and over 225 pounds, Green blazed a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, leading all quarterbacks and dramatically raising his draft stock.
For comparison, that time rivals elite wide receivers and defensive backs, not quarterbacks with prototypical size. Green’s combination of length, stride speed, and explosiveness immediately sent scouts back to the tape. Teams searching for upside and athletic ceiling suddenly have a new name circled in bold.
Mike Washington Jr.: Size-Speed Shockwave
Running back Mike Washington Jr. may have surprised even more evaluators.
Clocking a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, Washington led his position group while showcasing a rare size-speed combination. His frame already intrigued teams, but pairing that build with legitimate breakaway speed elevated him into a different tier of prospect.
Julian Neal: Underrated Star
Cornerback Julian Neal turned in a 4.49-second 40-yard dash, placing him within the top 15 at his position. While not the single fastest time, his performance reaffirmed what some evaluators already believed: he’s an underrated Day 2 to early Day 3 prospect with reliable athletic tools and upside.
Neal’s testing performance solidified his stock and removed any lingering questions about whether he possessed NFL-caliber movement skills.
A Statement for the Program
The Razorbacks showed up, and showed out.
In a draft class defined by record-setting speed and explosive testing numbers, Arkansas alumni were central figures in pushing those averages to historic levels. Their performances highlighted an important reality: even on a struggling team, elite individual talent can thrive.
More broadly, this year’s Combine may be remembered as a turning point, a snapshot of how rapidly the athletic baseline in football continues to rise. The average prospect today looks different, moves different, and tests different than those of a decade ago.
If this Combine proved anything, it’s that the 2026 draft class rivals some of the most athletic groups ever seen in the history of the NFL.
And when the dust settles on draft weekend, don’t be surprised if several former Razorbacks hear their names called earlier than expected, thanks in large part to a weekend in Indianapolis where speed truly redefined the standard.