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2016 NFL Combine: Fastest Players

2016 NFL Combine: Fastest Players
Keith Marshall's speed landed him an endorsement, but will it land him NFL success?

Keith Marshall’s speed landed him an endorsement, but will it land him NFL success?

The 40-yard dash is the most iconic part of the NFL Combine, proving that even running in a straight line becomes interesting when the NFL is involved. It doesn’t guarantee success, as quarterback Reggie McNeal (4.35 in 2006) and wide receiver Chad Jackson (4.32 in 2006) can attest.

But Chris Johnson (4.24 in 2008) is a former consensus top fantasy pick and managed to swing some leagues in 2015. Then again, Dri Archer (4.26 in 2014) got cut by the Steelers last season and will be happy to still be on the Jets’ roster in September.

In other words, what follows is an exercise in futility. Speed kills, but only to a point.

Time will tell if any of these speedsters will advance farther than your league’s waiver wire, but they have at least one elite skill and are worth keeping an eye on. Without further ado, here are the NFL Combine’s fastest fantasy-relevant players:

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Quarterback

Jeff Driskel (RS Senior — Louisiana Tech) —4.56
Driskel started his career at the University of Florida before spending his final season of eligibility at Louisiana Tech. He threw for 458 yards and three touchdowns in Louisiana Tech’s win over Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl and obviously has great athletic ability — his 40 time was in the same neighborhood as Colin Kaepernick (4.53), Russell Wilson (4.55) and Cam Newton (4.59).

He has good size (6-4, 234 lbs.) and a strong arm, but he struggles with deep accuracy and reading defenses. Despite his impressive physical gifts, he will likely be a long-term project and will have a lot to show before he’s worth a dynasty roster spot.

Trevone Boykin (RS Senior — TCU) —4.77
Boykin was a Heisman candidate in 2015 but made headlines when he got banned from the Alamo Bowl for his part in a bar fight. He wasn’t in a pro-style offense at TCU, and his NFL future may hinge on a position change.

Carson Wentz (RS Senior – North Dakota St.) – 4.77
Wentz has been one of the most polarizing players in this draft season, but he certainly didn’t hurt himself with his showing at the combine. Questions about his level of competition will persist, but Wentz has proven his athleticism and could be an intriguing dynasty add in the right situation.

Running Back

Keith Marshall (Senior — Georgia) — 4.31
Todd Gurley called it, and Keith Marshall delivered. The NFL Combine database goes back to 2006 and, during that time, Marshall is the third-fastest running back and tied for the 10th fastest player overall. After a promising freshman season in which he ran for 759 yards on 117 carries (6.48 YPC), Marshall’s college career was derailed by injuries.

He tore his ACL as a sophomore and appeared in just three games as a junior. He managed to play in 11 games as a senior but still wasn’t a featured part of the offense even after the Bulldogs lost Nick Chubb for the season. Marshall’s speed landed him a check from Adidas, and it may land him an NFL roster spot as well.

Tyler Ervin (RS Senior — San Jose St.) — 4.41
Ervin was a workhorse back in his final year with the Spartans, but it’s his versatility that will get him looks from NFL evaluators. His size (5-10, 192 lbs) is a strike against him, but he should contribute on special teams and may develop into a dual-threat player in the mold of Darren Sproles, Dexter McCluster or Dion Lewis.

Kenyan Drake (Senior — Alabama) — 4.45
Drake’s skill-set is similar to Ervin’s, but his larger frame (6-1, 210 lbs.) has most draft experts projecting him slightly higher. His elite speed and quickness help him on outside runs, but he struggles with ball security and breaking tackles.

He showed he could be a game-changer when he scored on a 95-yard kickoff return against Clemson in the National Championship, but he’s more of a complimentary piece. Expect him to go to a team looking to roster a player like Charles Sims or Ahmad Bradshaw.

Wide Receiver

Will Fuller (Junior — Notre Dame) — 4.32
The 2016 wide receiver draft class may have been historically slow, but Fuller didn’t contribute to that distinction — only five receivers have run faster than him since 2006. After barely playing in his first year on campus, he totaled 138 receptions for 2,352 yards and 29 touchdowns the following two seasons.

His excellent speed and smaller size (6-0, 186 lbs.) led to him being projected predominantly as an outside receiver who would be a boom-or-bust fantasy asset. If he lands on a team with a good quarterback, he could win some fantasy matchups for you, but it won’t be easy figuring out which weeks those will be.

Kolby Listenbee (Senior — TCU) — 4.39
Listenbee was an All-American for TCU’s track team, but his speed didn’t translate to success on the football field as he caught just 74 passes for 1,432 yards in four seasons with the Horned Frogs. He mostly lined up on the left side of the field and ran go routes, but Ted Ginn has made a living playing a similar role, so Listenbee can’t be dismissed. Still, it would probably be wise to pass on Listenbee unless he has a monster preseason.

Trevor Davis (RS Senior — California) — 4.42
Despite having top QB prospect Jared Goff throwing him the ball, Davis managed just 40 catches for 672 yards in his senior season. Both figures are ranked among the top of Cal’s receivers, but they’re low enough to question whether Davis is a draftable prospect. He did have success as a return man, so his NFL career and his fantasy value are likely both tied to special teams.

Tight End

Jerell Adams (Senior — South Carolina) — 4.64
Adams may hold the honor for 2016’s fastest tight end, but that’s not a particularly impressive title compared to previous combines. If you compare the times of all the tight ends who ran the fastest 40 in their respective combines since 2006, Adams would be the slowest. But it’s not all doom and gloom for the former Gamecock.

He has improved every year and has the basketball background that has become a trendy attribute for NFL tight ends. He also can’t be held completely responsible for his poor numbers (28-421-3) since he played on a 3-9 team in the SEC. He’s not a blue-chip prospect, but it’s feasible that he could be a viable fantasy starter within two years.

Temarrick Hemingway (Senior — South Carolina St.) — 4.71
Hemingway obviously has some speed but, coming from an FCS school, he’ll face many of the same questions Wentz is dealing with. His raw athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect, but he’s more likely to be on a practice squad than a fantasy roster.

Thomas Duarte (Junior — UCLA) — 4.72
Duarte was a wide receiver at UCLA but worked out with the tight ends at the combine. He projects as a pure receiving tight end, which is just fine for fantasy owners. Though due to the position change and possibly his age (he turns 21 at the end of March) it could be a while before Duarte makes an impact on the gridiron as the first Japanese-Mexican-American NFL player.

Austin Hooper (RS Sophomore – Stanford) – 4.72
Hooper was impressive overall at the combine, and he looks the part at 6-foot-4 and 254 pounds. As a redshirt sophomore, he was first-team All-Pac-12, third-team All-American and a Mackey Award finalist. Hooper will be among the first tight ends off the board, and has the potential to be a staple in fantasy lineups for years to come.

Congratulations! You now have all the information to channel your inner Al Davis at your next draft. But first, pop quiz, hotshot: who were the fastest players overall, regardless of position? Here they are for the sake of comparison.

  1. Keith Marshall (RB – Georgia) – 4.31
  2. Will Fuller (WR – Notre Dame) – 4.32
  3. Jonathan Jones (CB – Auburn) – 4.33
  4. T.J. Green (FS – Clemson) – 4.34
  5. Anthony Brown (CB – Purdue) – 4.35

Best of luck separating the Chris Johnsons from the Chad Jacksons.

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Derek Norton is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Derek, visit his archive, follow him on Twitter @mdereknorton, or visit his website, Sports Monocle.

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