One particular 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine had Chiefs
receiver Xavier Worthy
glued to the scoreboard, his record suddenly looking vulnerable. And with fresh talent entering the league, there's a real chance the legacy books get rewritten for more than a few veterans.
"@HailStateFB WR Brenen Thompson's 4.26u is VERY close to @XavierWorthy 's record-breaking 4.21 👀 2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork", the official NFL account posted on X.
Advertisement
At the 2026 NFL Combine, the Mississippi State wide receiver ran the 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds. He didn't break Worthy's 4.21 record, but it was still one of the fastest times in combine history. According to ESPN Research, his score is the third-fastest since 2003 by a wide receiver, matching Jerome Mathis' in 2005 at 4.26. Only Worthy and John Ross
, who ran 4.22 in 2017, have done better than that.
Thompson's biggest strength is obviously his speed. In 2025, Thompson broke the Mississippi State record for single-season receiving yards with 1,054 yards. He became just the fourth player in school history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season and the first to lead the SEC in receiving yards in a single year. According to NFL.com's scouting report, seven of his 10 career receiving touchdowns came on plays of 42 yards or more.
Despite splitting his career between multiple programs, Thompson was a durable presence, starting 23 of his 40 collegiate games and finishing with over 1,500 receiving yards. He finished his collegiate career with 84 receptions for 1,557 receiving yards and scored 10 receiving touchdowns.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Worthy, who was a first-round pick in 2024, has already proven himself in the NFL. During the 2024 postseason, he led the league with 19 receptions for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
For Thompson, speed alone may not be enough to surpass Worthy. Even after running a 4.26, his draft projection remains late Day 3.
According to the NFL's official website, there are areas where he needs improvement, as he coasts into routes rather than snapping them off, and he lacks disguise and tempo change in his routes. His smaller frame could easily be bullied at the catch point. He also has problems locating the ball on deep routes and does not always show soft hands and concentration through the catch.
While Thompson's speed put the receiver group on notice, he wasn't the only prospect turning heads with record-breaking athleticism. At the quarterback position, a young talent put on a show of his own.
Advertisement
Another 2026 NFL Combine prospect posts record-breaking numbers
In a combine already buzzing with speed, quarterback Taylen Green
stole the show with his own jaw-dropping performance. At a towering 6-foot-5, Green's 4.36-second 40-yard dash was already stunning, but he solidified his status as an athletic freak by also posting the top vertical (43.5″) and broad jump (11'2″) for a QB since 2003.
Green also recorded a 43-and-a-half-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-2 broad jump, putting up the highest marks for both jumps by a quarterback at the combine since 2003
All of this comes at a time when the quarterback rankings are still up in the air after Fernando Mendoza of Indiana is expected to be the number one
overall pick. Green is currently ranked as the No. 8 quarterback in Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest position rankings on ESPN.
Advertisement
His performance also earned him a spot on Chad Reuter's list of players whose draft stock improved after the combine.
Green was a four-year college starter, spending two seasons at Boise State Broncos and two at Arkansas Razorbacks. Last season with the Arkansas Razorbacks, he threw for 2,714 yards with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
With his stock on the rise, Green has the size and athletic tools that NFL coaches covet for a developmental quarterback project.
