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40-Yard Dash Record Nearly Broken At NFL Combine
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- 40-Yard Dash Record Nearly Broken At NFL Combine
Two years ago wide receiver Xavier Worthy shocked the football world by breaking the record for the fastest 40-yard dash time in the history of the NFL Scouting Combine. On Saturday, one wide receiver came pretty damn close to snatching the record away from him.
Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson is a renown speedster who led the entire SEC in receiving yards this past year. Expectations were pretty high that he'd put up a good number in his 40 time.
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Instead, Thompson cemented his place in the NFL history books by clocking in a blazing 4.26 official time . The mark tied the fifth-highest time ever set at the combine and was just .05 seconds short of tying Xavier Worthy's mark in 2024.
Soaring up the draft boards
If you hadn't heard of Brenen Thompson prior to today then chances are you'll hear his name called at the NFL Draft a lot sooner than you would have before. Since the 40-yard dash was first record in 1999, every wide receiver to run a 4.30 or better has gotten their name called.
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More importantly for Thompson, the top performer in the 40-yard dash usually sees a nice little bump in their stock. Three of the previous five top scorers have been first-round picks.
Jul 16, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Brenen Thompson answers questions from the media during the SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images© Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
2025 was exactly the kind of year that Thompson wanted (even if the team itself struggled). He had 1,054 yards and six receptions on just 57 receptions and his 18.5 yards per catch were second-best in the conference.
Mississippi State went just 5-8 this past season, ranking in the top 50 for scoring offense in the country but were outside the top 100 on defense.
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Will Thompson's big Combine performance see him rise all the way to the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft?
This story was originally published by The Spun on Mar 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
