2026 NFL Combine 40-Yard Dash Predictions: How Fast Will Brenen Thompson and Kenyon Sadiq Run?
Gene Clemons runs it up for the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, highlighting some of the players who will run the fastest 40-yard dashes in Indianapolis.
The wait is finally over. The glamour of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is finally upon us. The on-field testing officially gets started with the defensive linemen, edge rushers and linebackers. By Sunday we will have seen performances from all of the who's who looking to make a profound move in the NFL Draft process. Among those drills is the prize of the combine, the 40-yard dash. We like to see the speed on the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium. The question is who will set the turf on fire?
Predicting the players who will run fast or slow is not an exact science, but I can tell you it is no fun to root for someone to perform poorly with their immediate career on the line. So we will focus on the players we believe will perform really well under the lights in front of all 32 teams, a gaggle of media and all of the fans who have made the trek to cheer on their favorite collegiate heroes. Here are six prospects who could set the field on fire when they run their 40-yard dash.
NFL Scouting Combine 40-Yard Dash Predictions and Breakouts
Brenen Thompson | WR | Mississippi State (Under 4.29 on PrizePicks)
Let's get the talk of the combine out of the way. Can Thompson break the record of 4.21 seconds set by current Kansas City Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy two seasons ago? The short answer is no. But who cares? The question is can he threaten the record, because if he can, then a 4.29 should be no problem at all. His escapades on the field as a deep threat for the Bulldogs are well known. He averaged 18.5 yards per reception in his final year. I think he will give fans a thrill, but not break the record. He has legitimate track speed. He will look like he is floating down the field because that is how all of the track guys look. It will likely not end in a record, but it will cash your ticket.
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Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame (Under 4.41 on PrizePicks)
Jeremiyah Love is the home run hitter of all home run hitters. He is so sudden and instantly explosive that it catches defenders off guard when they are pursuing him. On the football field, if you give him a crease, he's gone. So, of course, everyone expects him to run fast at the combine. The question is: how fast will he go? He exploded for a 98-yard run back in the College Football Playoff in 2024 and then followed that up with a 94-yard touchdown run this past season. In order to break those long runs, you have to be able to get out fast and sustain your speed, which is why many believe he has a chance to go sub-4.4 at the combine. If you are going to be considered the elite skill position player in the entire draft you need to set that off with an elite performance.
Kenyon Sadiq | TE | Oregon (Under 4.46 on PrizePicks)
Kenyon Sadiq is a bona fide explosive element at the tight end position. He was a former high school track athlete, which speaks to his ability to separate and eat up yardage while running. That track form translates when he gets into the open field. Oregon HC Dan Lanning has stated that Sadiq has been clocked at 23 mph throughout his career. That is fast regardless of the position that you play. But for many of the bigger players like tight ends, defensive ends, edge rushers and linebackers the first 10 yards are what really decide a fast 40 time. The thing that helps that 10-yard split is elite-level explosion. If Sadiq is a 40-inch vertical jumper, then it is pretty safe to say that he will get out fast on the 40. A low 4.4 is definitely possible.
Arvell Reese | LB | Ohio State (Under 4.49 on PrizePicks)
It would be really fascinating to watch Arvell Reese perform at the combine. On film, he has flashed freakish athleticism with his change of direction and the speed to chase down some of your favorite speedy offensive skill players. He can drop into coverage and run with your favorite slot receivers vertically. He has ridiculous explosiveness off the line, which should translate seamlessly to the 40 and produce a lightning-quick 10-yard split. Once he is up and running the sheer force that he runs with and the forward momentum should propel him to a sub-4.5 time. It will be made even more crazy by the fact that he is over 240 pounds.
Caleb Banks | DT | Florida (Under 5.09 on PrizePicks)
Banks is a physical freak. At 6-foot-6 and over 330 pounds, a man that big should not be able to move that well. It's one of the reasons why he has been compared to current Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis. If you remember, Davis famously ran a sub-4.8 40 at 340 pounds at the 2022 combine. If Banks comes anywhere remotely close to that, he will smash that 5.09 split. He has an explosive first step that should allow him to get out fast and post an impressive 10-yard split. That, mixed with his long arms and legs, should help propel him down the field and result in an impressive time. He will be motivated not only to perform because he wants to impress scouts, but he will also want to prove that he is fully recovered from the foot injury that kept him out for most of the 2025 season.
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