Speed can make up for a lot in the NFL. Whether it’s a running back exploding through a hole, a wide receiver going over the top of an opposing secondary, or a corner racing to make up ground in the passing game, speed is a valuable resource that teams will search for in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Michigan CB Takes Title of Fastest Player in the NFL Draft
Michigan cornerback DJ Turner was the fastest player at the 2023 Scouting Combine, running a 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds. Turner tied for the fifth-fastest time in the history of the Combine:
- No. 1: John Ross, WR, 2017 (4.22 seconds)
- No. 2: Kalon Barnes, CB, 2022 (4.23)
- T-No. 3: Chris Johnson, RB, 2008 (4.24)
- T-No. 3: Rondel Melendez, WR, 1999 (4.24)
- T-No. 5: Jerome Mathis, WR, 2005 (4.26)
- T-No. 5: Turner, CB, 2023 (4.26)
- T-No. 5: Tariq Woolen, CB, 2022 (4.26)
- T-No. 5: Dri Archer, RB, 2014 (4.26)
Turner became a full-time starter for the Wolverines in 2021 when he paced the club with two interceptions. Last season, he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after posting 36 tackles, one interception, and a team-leading 10 pass breakups.
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Cornerback is considered one of the strongest position groups in the 2023 NFL Draft, so Turner may have to wait until the second or third round to come off the board. He currently ranks 69th on Pro Football Network’s consensus big board, while he’s the No. 12 CB, just behind Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson and Kansas State’s Julius Brents.
As indicated by Turner’s scouting report (and as evidenced by his 40 time), he has the speed and explosiveness required for an NFL corner. PFN’s Ian Cummings noted that Turner is “almost impossible to stack when he times his transitions effectively,” adding that the Michigan product’s speed “shows up when clamping down on in-breaking routes or comebacks.”
Additional Names To Watch For
Turner wasn’t the only collegiate defensive back to show off his quicks at the Scouting Combine. Maryland cornerback Jakorian Bennett posted the second-fastest 40-yard dash time in 2023 at 4.30 seconds. Bennett, who was outshined by teammate and likely first-round pick Deonte Banks at Maryland, projects to come off the board on Day 3.
Texas A&M running back Devon Achane was the fastest offensive player at the Combine with a 40 time of 4.32 seconds. Although Achane is just 5-foot-8 and 188 pounds, he could sneak into Day 2 thanks to his testing profile and production — 1,298 total yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023 — with the Aggies.
Nebraska wide receiver Trey Palmer posted a 4.33 40-yard dash, the second-fastest time among offensive players and the fourth-fastest overall. Palmer broke out after transferring from LSU in 2022, posting 71 receptions for 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cornhuskers. He’s the No. 7 wideout on PFN’s big board.
Fastest Players by Position
- Quarterback: Anthony Richardson, Florida (4.43 seconds)
- Running back: Achane, Texas A&M (4.32)
- Wide receiver: Palmer, Nebraska (4.33)
- Tight end: Will Mallory, Miami (4.54)
- Offensive line: Broderick Jones, Georgia (4.97)
- Defensive line: Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh (4.67)
- Linebacker/edge rusher: Nolan Smith, Georgia, and Owen Pappoe, Auburn (4.39)
- Defensive back: Turner, Michigan (4.26)
