The 40-Yard Dash Time Matrix: What's Truly 'Good' In The NFL And High School In 2025?

The question of "what is a good 40-yard dash time" is one of the most fundamental in football, yet the answer is constantly evolving based on player performance and the position being evaluated. As of December 2025, the benchmark for elite speed has been fundamentally reset, creating new expectations for prospects at every level of the game. This metric, a 40-yard sprint, is the ultimate measure of straight-line speed and acceleration, which are critical components for success in the National Football League (NFL) and beyond.

The speed required to be considered "good" or "elite" is highly dependent on context—specifically, whether you are a high school athlete aiming for a college scholarship or an NFL prospect hoping to be drafted. The gold standard for speed was officially redefined at the 2024 NFL Combine, setting a new, almost mythical barrier for future athletes to chase.

The New Standard: Fastest 40-Yard Dash Times (2024-2025 Update)

To understand what a "good" time is, you must first know the best. The all-time record for the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, which uses fully automatic timing (FAT) for accuracy, was broken in 2024, raising the bar for pure speed.

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• All-Time NFL Combine Record: 4.21 seconds.
• Record Holder: Xavier Worthy, Wide Receiver from Texas.

Worthy’s stunning 4.21-second sprint in 2024 surpassed the previous record of 4.22 set by John Ross in 2017. This time is now the undisputed benchmark for elite, world-class football speed and is the ultimate entity when discussing the 40-yard dash. Any time in the 4.2s is considered ultra-elite, and a time in the low 4.3s is still phenomenal and highly sought after by NFL scouts.

Key Entities and Their Elite Times:

• Xavier Worthy (WR): 4.21 seconds (Record)
• John Ross (WR): 4.22 seconds
• Chris Johnson (RB): 4.24 seconds
• Kalon Barnes (CB): 4.23 seconds

The Positional Breakdown: What's a Good Time for Your Role?

The definition of a "good" 40-yard dash time changes dramatically depending on the player's position. A 4.8-second time is exceptional for an Offensive Lineman, but it would be a major concern for a Cornerback. Speed is relative to the job on the field.

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Average NFL Combine 40-Yard Times by Position (2023 Benchmarks)

The following times represent the average electronic-timed 40-yard dash results from the 2023 NFL Combine, providing a realistic baseline for what a professional prospect is expected to run.

• Wide Receiver (WR): 4.49 seconds. A time in the 4.3s is elite; anything below 4.5s is considered good.
• Cornerback (CB) & Safety (S): 4.48 seconds (average for DBs). Defensive Backs need elite speed to cover Wide Receivers, making the 4.3s range highly desirable.
• Running Back (RB): 4.51 seconds. While acceleration is key, a time in the 4.4s or lower is often what separates the top prospects.
• Linebacker (LB): 4.54 seconds. Linebackers need a blend of speed and size, making a mid-4.5s time impressive for their weight.
• Tight End (TE): 4.67 seconds. A time below 4.6s is excellent, demonstrating the speed to threaten defenses downfield.
• Quarterback (QB): 4.59 seconds. While not a primary metric, a sub-4.6s time indicates a mobile quarterback capable of extending plays with their legs.
• Defensive End (DE): 4.75 seconds. Speed off the edge is crucial, and anything in the 4.6s is a major asset.
• Offensive Lineman (OL) / Offensive Guard (OG) / Offensive Tackle (OT): 5.20 seconds (General OL average). For these positions, a time in the 4.9s to 5.1s range is outstanding, prioritizing short-area quickness and power over pure straight-line speed.

High School and College: What's Good at the Amateur Level?

The standards for speed are naturally adjusted for younger athletes. A high school player's "good" time might be an average time at the collegiate level. Scouts and college recruiters use the 40-yard dash to project an athlete's potential speed growth.

High School 40-Yard Dash Benchmarks (Ages 15-18)

For high school players, especially those in the 13-15 age range, a solid 40-yard dash time is typically in the 4.8 to 5.2-second range for skill position players. As players mature and enter their junior or senior years, the expectations increase.

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• Elite High School Skill Player (WR, CB, RB): Sub-4.5 seconds. This is an extremely rare and highly recruited speed.
• Great High School Skill Player (WR, CB, RB): 4.5 – 4.7 seconds. This range will generate significant college interest and is considered a very fast time for a high schooler.
• Solid High School Skill Player: 4.7 – 4.9 seconds. A respectable time that shows good speed, especially for a larger athlete.
• Lineman (DL/OL): Sub-5.2 seconds. A lineman running in the 5.0-5.1 second range is considered exceptionally quick for their size, which is highly valuable.

It is important to note that many high school times are hand-timed, which can be inconsistent and often faster than the electronic (FAT) times used at the NFL Combine. A hand-timed 4.5s is usually closer to a 4.7s or 4.8s FAT time.

Understanding the Timing Difference: Hand-Timed vs. FAT

One of the most crucial pieces of context when discussing the 40-yard dash is the method of timing. Without this distinction, comparing times is meaningless. This discrepancy is a primary source of confusion and inflated speed claims.

Hand-Timed (HT): This method involves a person manually starting and stopping a stopwatch. Studies and common practice suggest that hand-timed results are, on average, 0.2 to 0.4 seconds faster than fully automatic times. For example, a coach's hand-timed 4.4 seconds is likely a 4.6 to 4.8 seconds FAT time.

Fully Automatic Timing (FAT): This is the standard used at the NFL Combine and major college pro days. The clock starts automatically when the runner breaks a laser beam at the starting line and stops automatically when they break the beam at the 40-yard mark. This method is objective, precise, and the only reliable way to compare speeds between athletes.

The Takeaway: When evaluating a 40-yard dash time, especially from a high school or local camp, always assume it's hand-timed unless explicitly stated otherwise. To get a realistic projection of a player’s NFL-level speed, subtract approximately 0.2 to 0.3 seconds from any hand-timed result.

Beyond the 40: Other Speed Entities That Matter

While the 40-yard dash is the most famous speed test, NFL scouts and coaches look at several other metrics to fully assess an athlete's agility and quickness. These LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords and related entities provide a more complete picture of a player's functional speed.

• 10-Yard Split: This is arguably the most critical component of the 40-yard dash, measuring initial acceleration. A good 10-yard split is anything under 1.55 seconds for skill positions. For Offensive Linemen, a sub-1.75 second split is excellent.
• 20-Yard Shuttle (5-10-5): This measures lateral quickness and change of direction. A good time is typically in the 4.00 to 4.20-second range for skill players.
• 3-Cone Drill (L-Drill): This test measures agility and the ability to change direction at full speed. A good time is generally under 7.00 seconds.

Ultimately, a "good" 40-yard dash time is a time that is fast for your position, helps you get noticed by recruiters, and demonstrates the functional speed you need to excel on the field. For the modern NFL, the benchmark for elite speed is currently 4.21 seconds, but for most players, a time that beats the average for their specific role is a major victory.