Jeff Legwold
Multiple Authors
INDIANAPOLIS — Going into this year’s NFL combine, many in the league believed Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson had the speed profile to threaten the record for the 40-yard dash at the event.
And in a week when some of college football’s best put down one blistering 40 after another, Thompson topped them all, running an official time of 4.26 seconds Saturday that very likely will end up being the fastest at this year’s combine.
Though he didn’t break Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy’s record time of 4.21, Thompson posted the third-fastest time by a wide receiver since 2003, according to ESPN Research, matching Jerome Mathis’ 4.26 clocking in 2005. Only Worthy and John Ross (4.22 in 2017) were faster in that span.
Interestingly, the player who ran just before Thompson on Saturday, LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas, ran an official 4.28 clocking.
Several personnel evaluators in Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday said they couldn’t remember players who had run 40s in the 4.2s on back-to-back attempts. Thompson and Thomas were also among three official 40 times at this year’s combine that were timed under 4.30.
Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles Jr. ran an official 4.27 40 on Friday.
Thompson, who measured in at 5-foot-9 and 164 pounds at the combine, played one season at Mississippi State and set a school record with 1,054 yards receiving in 2025, which also was best in the Southeastern Conference last season. Thompson also played two seasons at Oklahoma and one at Texas.
He averaged 39.8 yards per touchdown over the course of his career. This past season he had 12 receptions of at least 30 yards and five of at least 50 yards.
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