Trending Now - Brennen Thompson Sets Combine Record With 4.26-second 40

WHO:

Brenan Thompson, Mississippi State wide receiver

Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver (record holder)

Jerome Mathis, former wide receiver (4.26 seconds in 2005)

John Ross, former wide receiver (4.22 seconds in 2017)

Zavion Thomas, LSU wide receiver

Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State safety

Adam Schefter, ESPN NFL insider

Carnell Tate, Ohio State wide receiver

Drew Rosenhaus, Carnell Tate's agent

WHAT:

Brenan Thompson ran a 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, the fastest time of the event.

Thompson's time is 0.05 seconds behind the Combine record of 4.21 seconds.

Thompson's time ties him for the fifth-fastest all-time 40-yard dash in Indianapolis.

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine recorded the fastest average 40-yard dash times in history across seven of eight position groups.

Defensive backs averaged 4.44 seconds, wide receivers averaged 4.44 seconds, running backs averaged 4.45 seconds, linebackers averaged 4.55 seconds, tight ends averaged 4.63 seconds, defensive linemen averaged 4.83 seconds, and offensive linemen averaged 5.10 seconds.

Quarterbacks averaged 4.60 seconds, the second-fastest average ever.

Carnell Tate was reported to have a 40-yard dash time of 4.52 seconds, which differed from unofficial times reported by NFL executives and GMs in the range of 4.45-4.47 seconds.

WHERE:

Indianapolis, Indiana (location of the NFL Scouting Combine)

WHEN:

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine took place on Saturday, March 1, 2026.

Thompson's performance was reported on March 1, 2026.

Adam Schefter's report on Carnell Tate's time was posted on Sunday, March 2, 2026.

WHY:

The faster times at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine may be attributed to improved training methods, strategic decisions by players regarding participation, and differences in timing processes compared to competitive track events.

HOW:

The NFL Combine utilizes a standardized, sensor-based process to track participant times.

At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine held in Indianapolis on March 1, Brenan Thompson, a wide receiver from Mississippi State, recorded an impressive 40-yard dash time of 4.26 seconds, making it the fastest time of the event and tying him for the fifth-fastest in Combine history. This year's Combine also saw the fastest average 40-yard dash times across seven of eight position groups, with wide receivers and defensive backs both averaging 4.44 seconds. Meanwhile, reports from ESPN's Adam Schefter on March 2 indicated that Carnell Tate, another standout wide receiver from Ohio State, clocked in at 4.52 seconds, although unofficial times suggested he may have been even faster.