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Who are the speediest players on each NFL team?
ESPN.com
The Cincinnati Bengals have a rookie in John Ross who ran the fastest 40-yard dash time ever recorded at the combine. The San Francisco 49ers have a wide receiver in Marquise Goodwin who is an Olympian and claims he is "still the fastest in the league." The New Orleans Saints added a veteran in Ted Ginn Jr. who was part of a relay team that beat Usain Bolt.
The NFL has some elite speedsters, and NFL Nation reporters reveal the players on each team who are the fastest and can back it up:
NFC WEST
Los Angeles Rams
WR Tavon Austin
A standout sprinter in high school, Austin wowed scouts at the 2013 combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds and completing the 20-yard shuttle in 4.01 seconds. His breakneck speed made him the No. 8 overall pick out of West Virginia and has prompted the Rams to do everything they can to get him the ball in space -- on screens, out of the backfield and through punt returns.
The new staff, led by rookie head coach Sean McVay, would like Austin to establish himself as more of a deep threat. They believe his speed can create the separation he needs, even though he's a 5-foot-8 receiver. -- Alden Gonzalez
San Francisco 49ers
WR Marquise Goodwin
Goodwin is not only the fastest player on the Niners but also has a legitimate claim to fastest in the NFL. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds at the 2013 combine and competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics as a long jumper.
According to Goodwin, that speed is still prevalent, and even after watching John Ross run a blazing 4.22 40 at this year's combine, Goodwin holds firm in his belief he can outrun anyone in the league. "There's a lot of questions out there, and I'm going to put that out there," Goodwin said in March. "Yes, I'm still the fastest in the league, and I'm willing to prove it." -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
WR Cyril Grayson
He didn't play football in college but participated in LSU's pro day, and the Seahawks clocked him at a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash. Grayson was a track star with the Tigers, and he earned All-American honors while excelling in the 400 meters.
Compliance issues prevented him from joining the football team after his track career was over. Even so, the Seahawks saw enough from Grayson at his pro day to sign him to a contract, and he'll now compete for a back-end roster spot at wide receiver. -- Sheil Kapadia
Arizona Cardinals
WR J.J. Nelson
He was a high school state champion in the 100 and 200 meters, and he ran what's now tied for the fifth-fastest 40-yard dash in combine history, at 4.28 seconds. But Nelson doesn't just have straight-line speed. He can burn rubber in pads, and that's one reason the Cardinals drafted him in 2015. -- Josh Weinfuss
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
WR Taylor Gabriel
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound wide receiver showed opposing defensive backs just how much of a blur he can be while averaging 42.7 yards on six touchdown receptions last season. Gabriel said he ran a wind-aided 4.27 in the 40 coming out of Abilene Christian University. His video-game-like moves make him look even faster. No wonder they call him "Turbo Taylor" now. -- Vaughn McClure
Carolina Panthers
WR Damiere Byrd
Before Ted Ginn Jr. signed with New Orleans during the offseason, the title of the fastest player on the Panthers' roster was up for debate. But with Ginn gone, the honor has to go to Byrd, who posted a time of 4.28 seconds on grass in the 40-yard dash before the 2014 draft.
His prime competition would be 2017 second-round pick Curtis Samuel, who ran the 40 in 4.31 seconds at the combine. But speed is Byrd's forte, and it's the reason he's still on the team as an undrafted player. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints
WR Ted Ginn Jr.
Even at 32 years old, Ginn is probably still one of the fastest players in the NFL (I'd love to see a footrace between him and the guy he replaced, Brandin Cooks). A former track star in high school, Ginn was part of a 4x100 relay team that beat a team featuring Usain Bolt, and he could have been an Olympian if he hadn't chosen football.
Ginn didn't run the 40-yard dash at the combine because of an injury but has reportedly been clocked below 4.3 seconds. He was measured running 22.44 mph by the NFL at age 30. ... If it isn't Ginn, it might be another Ohio State and Glenville High School product: rookie CB Marshon Lattimore, who ran the 40 in 4.36 seconds at the combine. -- Mike Triplett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR DeSean Jackson
He ran a 4.35 at the combine in 2008, the fastest time by a wide receiver that year. He might be 30 now, but he still can fly. When the NFL released its "Next Gen Stats" for 2016, Jackson registered the third-fastest overall speed and fastest reception time, with 22.6 mph on a 59-yard pass from Kirk Cousins.
The only player who was clocked faster on the field last season was Tyreek Hill, and both of his plays came on special teams. Quarterback Jameis Winston called Jackson a "Bentley with a Ferrari engine." -- Jenna Laine
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
WR Kevin White
White ran a blistering 4.35-second 40-yard dash two years ago at the NFL combine. That's moving for a player listed at 6-foot-3, 216 pounds. Now, since the Bears drafted White seventh overall in 2015, he has suffered a pair of fractures in his left leg. White might not be quite as fast anymore, but he still looked quick last season before going on injured reserve. There didn't appear to be a huge drop-off in his speed. -- Jeff Dickerson
Detroit Lions
CB Darius Slay
This is a tough thing to judge because of Lions players who are in a similar range when it comes to speed, including defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, who was once a sprinter and had a 4.26-second 20-yard shuttle at the combine.
But Slay has shown consistent short- and long-range speed, including a 4.21-second 20-yard shuttle and a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the 2013 combine, fastest among defensive backs that year. In a poll on the team's website of fastest players last season (relative to speed ratings in Madden), Slay was a landslide winner. -- Michael Rothstein
Green Bay Packers
WR Jordy Nelson
Forget 40 times. When was the last time you saw anyone stop Nelson on a deep route? Yes, his 40 time of 4.51 seconds pales in comparison to that of his fellow Packers receivers Trevor Davis and Jeff Janis, who both ran 4.42 40s at their combine workouts.
But Nelson's football speed is second to none on the Packers' roster. Even after he came back from his torn ACL, Nelson blew by defenders with relative ease last season. -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings
CB Xavier Rhodes
There are four players on the Vikings' current roster who ran faster 40 times than Rhodes' 4.43 -- Latavius Murray, Trae Waynes, Jerick McKinnon and Jarius Wright -- but in terms of playing speed, it's tough to think of someone on the Vikings' roster who covers more ground than Rhodes, whether he's running downfield with some of the game's top receivers or hitting 22.4 mph on his 100-yard interception return touchdown in November.
That play, according to NFL.com, was the fastest by a defensive player in the league last season. -- Ben Goessling
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
RB Ezekiel Elliott
Cornerback Anthony Brown might take home the title based on 40-yard dash times from the combine (4.35 seconds), but two plays exhibited Elliott's speed last season. He had a 60-yard touchdown run against Cincinnati in which he went untouched, splitting the safeties.
He also had an 83-yard score on a screen pass in which he ran by -- not through -- Pittsburgh defenders. He was timed at 4.47 seconds in the 40 in the 2016 combine, but he was a Missouri state champ in the 100, 200, 110 high hurdles and 300 hurdles. Elliott has excellent timed speed, but he has faster playing speed. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants
WR/KR Kevin Snead
The Giants just signed the "fastest man in college football." Snead ran a 40-yard dash that was timed anywhere from 4.22 seconds to 4.26 seconds; he was aiming for a ridiculous 4.19. Snead was a collegiate track star at Carson-Newman.
The question is whether he can play football. Odell Beckham Jr. (4.43) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (4.33) have proved themselves as Pro Bowl players, and they would be right behind Snead in a race. But they also have football speed. -- Jordan Raanan
Philadelphia Eagles
WR Torrey Smith
With a 4.43-second 40-yard dash coming out of Maryland, Smith has leaned heavily on his speed in the pros. That has led to some explosive plays: Since 2011, Smith's 17.0 yards-per-catch average is second only to DeSean Jackson's 17.4. -- Tim McManus
Washington Redskins
RB Keith Marshall
With WR DeSean Jackson gone, Marshall becomes the fastest Washington player. A 2016 seventh-round pick, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds at the 2016 combine and is just ahead of rookie corner Fabian Moreau, who ran a 4.35 at the combine. The Redskins hope all of Marshall's speed returns after he missed last season with a knee injury. He will need an impressive camp to make the roster. -- John Keim
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
WR Rashad Ross
Until Tuesday, the Bills' fastest player was WR Kolby Listenbee, who ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash before being drafted in the sixth round by Buffalo in 2016. But hernia surgery prevented Listenbee from ever practicing with the Bills, and they waived him Tuesday to sign Ross.
Nicknamed "The Rocket," Ross ran a 4.36-second 40 at his 2013 pro day and clocked the league's fastest play in 2015 by reaching 21.5 mph on a 101-yard kick return for the Washington Redskins. -- Mike Rodak
Miami Dolphins
WR Jakeem Grant
At 5-foot-6, Grant is a miniature lightning bolt on the field. Miami's 2016 sixth-round draft pick, he wasn't invited to the NFL combine, but his pro-day 40 time of 4.38 ranked at the top among last year's rookies. He made several plays in the return game for the Dolphins last season but needs to improve ball security if he wants a bigger role. -- James Walker
New England Patriots
WR Brandin Cooks
He clocked a 4.33 at the 2014 combine, and it wasn't long after he arrived in New England this year that players talked about setting up a race to see who truly is the fastest Patriots player.
"That was probably one of the first things that they talked about doing -- guys giving us a hard time," Cooks said when asked if he has challenged other speedsters on the roster, such as special-teams captain Matthew Slater, second-year CB/special-teamer Jonathan Jones and safety Devin McCourty.
"You know, it's all about right now getting better individually and taking care of business, but I'm sure that time will come." -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
WR Robby Anderson
He stands out on a team that doesn't have many true burners. Coming out of Temple in 2016, Anderson was unheralded and didn't participate in the combine, but he caught the Jets' attention by running a 4.34 40 at his pro day. The Jets tried to capitalize on his deep speed, as he averaged 16.3 air yards per target, second only to the Cardinals' J.J. Nelson (16.9). -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
WR Mike Wallace
Even at age 30, Wallace was the seventh-fastest player in the NFL last season, according to NFL tracking sensors worn during games. He reached 22.34 mph while catching a 70-yard completion from Joe Flacco. That said, wide receiver Breshad Perriman would probably like to race Wallace to see who is the fastest Raven. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
WR John Ross
This one isn't even a question. Ross ran a 4.22-second 40 at the 2017 combine, the fastest time ever recorded at the event. Ross has often been referred to as a player with track-star speed, but he ran track for only one year in high school and didn't even like it.
Track star or not, he is certainly the fastest player on the Bengals and perhaps in the NFL. Cincinnati Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton tried to challenge Ross to a race to test his speed, but that was shut down quickly by Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. -- Katherine Terrell
Cleveland Browns
WR Corey Coleman
Coleman ran a 4.37-second 40 at his pro day (he did not run at the combine because of a sports hernia surgery) and was part of Baylor's 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter relay teams. -- Pat McManamon
Pittsburgh Steelers
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey
DHB might be 30, but he has yet to be unseated for the Steelers' speed throne. Teammates say Heyward-Bey once hit 25 mph on the team's GPS technology used for practices. That's 1 mph better than that of athletic freak Martavis Bryant. Heyward-Bey famously ran a 4.25 40 at the 2009 combine, and he believes he has maintained his elite speed. The one thing that slowed him down in 2016 was a foot injury. -- Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
WR Wendall Williams
The speedy wide receiver made a name for himself last year, when he ran a hand-timed 4.19 40-yard dash at the NFL regional combine, though the laser said his time was 4.32. While playing football at University of the Cumberlands, Williams also competed on the track team in the 100- and 200-meter dash as well as the long jump.
Fellow Texans wide receiver Will Fuller also ran a 4.32, which would make for a fun race between teammates. -- Sarah Barshop
Indianapolis Colts
WR T.Y. Hilton
The sixth-year player doesn't have the nickname "The Ghost" for no reason. It's because he's hard to find if teams don't jam him at the line of scrimmage. His blazing speed is the reason Patriots coach Bill Belichick often shadows a safety to the side of the field on which Hilton is lined up when the Colts and Patriots play. Hilton led the NFL in receiving yards (1,448) while averaging 15.9 yards per catch in 2016. -- Mike Wells
Jacksonville Jaguars
WR Corey Grant
The third-year player ran unofficial times of 4.25 and 4.27 in the 40-yard dash at Auburn's pro day in 2015 (he wasn't invited to the combine). He wasn't able to showcase that speed on the field until the 2016 season finale against Indianapolis.
Grant ripped off a 57-yard touchdown run in which he cut back to his left, broke a tackle and outran two defensive backs to give the Jaguars a 17-0 lead. -- Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
RB Khalfani Muhammad
The seventh-round running back out of Cal blazed a 4.34 40 at his pro day, and if he makes it as the Titans' third back, he will offer quite a changeup to DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, who both run well but do so with a more punishing style. Nickel corner Brice McCain ran a 4.33 when he came into the NFL, but that was eight years ago. -- Paul Kuharsky
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
CB Bradley Roby
In terms of timed speed, this one might be close to a tie with cornerback Taurean Nixon, given that Nixon was timed at his pro day a couple of years ago at 4.36. But Roby was electronically clocked at a 4.39 at the 2014 combine when he entered the league, and he has been a key part of the Broncos' ability to finish back-to-back seasons as the league's top pass defense.
If he weren't behind two All-Pros at the position in Aqib Taliband Chris Harris Jr., Roby would get a little more notice. He routinely plays more than 60 percent of his team's snaps on defense as a third cornerback and has repeatedly made big plays, including two touchdown returns last season and one touchdown return in 2015. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs
WR/KR/PR Tyreek Hill
Hill reportedly ran a 4.24 40 at his pro day at West Alabama. He hasn't slowed since. Hill had the two fastest speeds for NFL players last season, according to NFL.com's next-gen stats. He hit 23.2 mph on a 105-yard kickoff return against the Texans that was wiped out by a teammate's penalty, and he hit almost 22.8 mph on an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Broncos. -- Adam Teicher
Los Angeles Chargers
WR Tyrell Williams
With Jason Verrett and Travis Benjamin still recovering from knee injuries this offseason, I'll go with Williams. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, the Western Oregon product ran a blazing 4.42-second 40 time at his pro day two years ago. Williams' 16.2 yards-per-catch average is sixth in the NFL among receivers the past two seasons. -- Eric D. Williams
Oakland Raiders
RB Taiwan Jones
Fittingly, Jones is the lone remaining position player in Oakland drafted by the late Al Davis, who, like Goose and Maverick in "Top Gun," had a need for speed. Jones, a fourth-round pick out of Eastern Washington in 2011, is technically a running back but has played cornerback and returned kicks for the Raiders in his tenure.
He has run a 4.33-second 40, and as a rookie, he dreamed of taking on then-Raiders speedsters Darrius Heyward-Bey, Darren McFadden and Jacoby Ford in a sprint. Alas, the footrace never came to fruition, but Jones, entering his seventh season, proved that he could go a longer distance -- on the Raiders roster. -- Paul Gutierrez
Who are the speediest players on each NFL team?
ESPN.com
The Cincinnati Bengals have a rookie in John Ross who ran the fastest 40-yard dash time ever recorded at the combine. The San Francisco 49ers have a wide receiver in Marquise Goodwin who is an Olympian and claims he is "still the fastest in the league." The New Orleans Saints added a veteran in Ted Ginn Jr. who was part of a relay team that beat Usain Bolt.
The NFL has some elite speedsters, and NFL Nation reporters reveal the players on each team who are the fastest and can back it up:
NFC WEST
Los Angeles Rams
WR Tavon Austin
A standout sprinter in high school, Austin wowed scouts at the 2013 combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds and completing the 20-yard shuttle in 4.01 seconds. His breakneck speed made him the No. 8 overall pick out of West Virginia and has prompted the Rams to do everything they can to get him the ball in space -- on screens, out of the backfield and through punt returns.
The new staff, led by rookie head coach Sean McVay, would like Austin to establish himself as more of a deep threat. They believe his speed can create the separation he needs, even though he's a 5-foot-8 receiver. -- Alden Gonzalez
San Francisco 49ers
WR Marquise Goodwin
Goodwin is not only the fastest player on the Niners but also has a legitimate claim to fastest in the NFL. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds at the 2013 combine and competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics as a long jumper.
According to Goodwin, that speed is still prevalent, and even after watching John Ross run a blazing 4.22 40 at this year's combine, Goodwin holds firm in his belief he can outrun anyone in the league. "There's a lot of questions out there, and I'm going to put that out there," Goodwin said in March. "Yes, I'm still the fastest in the league, and I'm willing to prove it." -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
WR Cyril Grayson
He didn't play football in college but participated in LSU's pro day, and the Seahawks clocked him at a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash. Grayson was a track star with the Tigers, and he earned All-American honors while excelling in the 400 meters.
Compliance issues prevented him from joining the football team after his track career was over. Even so, the Seahawks saw enough from Grayson at his pro day to sign him to a contract, and he'll now compete for a back-end roster spot at wide receiver. -- Sheil Kapadia
Arizona Cardinals
WR J.J. Nelson
He was a high school state champion in the 100 and 200 meters, and he ran what's now tied for the fifth-fastest 40-yard dash in combine history, at 4.28 seconds. But Nelson doesn't just have straight-line speed. He can burn rubber in pads, and that's one reason the Cardinals drafted him in 2015. -- Josh Weinfuss
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
WR Taylor Gabriel
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound wide receiver showed opposing defensive backs just how much of a blur he can be while averaging 42.7 yards on six touchdown receptions last season. Gabriel said he ran a wind-aided 4.27 in the 40 coming out of Abilene Christian University. His video-game-like moves make him look even faster. No wonder they call him "Turbo Taylor" now. -- Vaughn McClure
Carolina Panthers
WR Damiere Byrd
Before Ted Ginn Jr. signed with New Orleans during the offseason, the title of the fastest player on the Panthers' roster was up for debate. But with Ginn gone, the honor has to go to Byrd, who posted a time of 4.28 seconds on grass in the 40-yard dash before the 2014 draft.
His prime competition would be 2017 second-round pick Curtis Samuel, who ran the 40 in 4.31 seconds at the combine. But speed is Byrd's forte, and it's the reason he's still on the team as an undrafted player. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints
WR Ted Ginn Jr.
Even at 32 years old, Ginn is probably still one of the fastest players in the NFL (I'd love to see a footrace between him and the guy he replaced, Brandin Cooks). A former track star in high school, Ginn was part of a 4x100 relay team that beat a team featuring Usain Bolt, and he could have been an Olympian if he hadn't chosen football.
Ginn didn't run the 40-yard dash at the combine because of an injury but has reportedly been clocked below 4.3 seconds. He was measured running 22.44 mph by the NFL at age 30. ... If it isn't Ginn, it might be another Ohio State and Glenville High School product: rookie CB Marshon Lattimore, who ran the 40 in 4.36 seconds at the combine. -- Mike Triplett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR DeSean Jackson
He ran a 4.35 at the combine in 2008, the fastest time by a wide receiver that year. He might be 30 now, but he still can fly. When the NFL released its "Next Gen Stats" for 2016, Jackson registered the third-fastest overall speed and fastest reception time, with 22.6 mph on a 59-yard pass from Kirk Cousins.
The only player who was clocked faster on the field last season was Tyreek Hill, and both of his plays came on special teams. Quarterback Jameis Winston called Jackson a "Bentley with a Ferrari engine." -- Jenna Laine
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
WR Kevin White
White ran a blistering 4.35-second 40-yard dash two years ago at the NFL combine. That's moving for a player listed at 6-foot-3, 216 pounds. Now, since the Bears drafted White seventh overall in 2015, he has suffered a pair of fractures in his left leg. White might not be quite as fast anymore, but he still looked quick last season before going on injured reserve. There didn't appear to be a huge drop-off in his speed. -- Jeff Dickerson
Detroit Lions
CB Darius Slay
This is a tough thing to judge because of Lions players who are in a similar range when it comes to speed, including defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, who was once a sprinter and had a 4.26-second 20-yard shuttle at the combine.
But Slay has shown consistent short- and long-range speed, including a 4.21-second 20-yard shuttle and a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the 2013 combine, fastest among defensive backs that year. In a poll on the team's website of fastest players last season (relative to speed ratings in Madden), Slay was a landslide winner. -- Michael Rothstein
Green Bay Packers
WR Jordy Nelson
Forget 40 times. When was the last time you saw anyone stop Nelson on a deep route? Yes, his 40 time of 4.51 seconds pales in comparison to that of his fellow Packers receivers Trevor Davis and Jeff Janis, who both ran 4.42 40s at their combine workouts.
But Nelson's football speed is second to none on the Packers' roster. Even after he came back from his torn ACL, Nelson blew by defenders with relative ease last season. -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings
CB Xavier Rhodes
There are four players on the Vikings' current roster who ran faster 40 times than Rhodes' 4.43 -- Latavius Murray, Trae Waynes, Jerick McKinnon and Jarius Wright -- but in terms of playing speed, it's tough to think of someone on the Vikings' roster who covers more ground than Rhodes, whether he's running downfield with some of the game's top receivers or hitting 22.4 mph on his 100-yard interception return touchdown in November.
That play, according to NFL.com, was the fastest by a defensive player in the league last season. -- Ben Goessling
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
RB Ezekiel Elliott
Cornerback Anthony Brown might take home the title based on 40-yard dash times from the combine (4.35 seconds), but two plays exhibited Elliott's speed last season. He had a 60-yard touchdown run against Cincinnati in which he went untouched, splitting the safeties.
He also had an 83-yard score on a screen pass in which he ran by -- not through -- Pittsburgh defenders. He was timed at 4.47 seconds in the 40 in the 2016 combine, but he was a Missouri state champ in the 100, 200, 110 high hurdles and 300 hurdles. Elliott has excellent timed speed, but he has faster playing speed. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants
WR/KR Kevin Snead
The Giants just signed the "fastest man in college football." Snead ran a 40-yard dash that was timed anywhere from 4.22 seconds to 4.26 seconds; he was aiming for a ridiculous 4.19. Snead was a collegiate track star at Carson-Newman.
The question is whether he can play football. Odell Beckham Jr. (4.43) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (4.33) have proved themselves as Pro Bowl players, and they would be right behind Snead in a race. But they also have football speed. -- Jordan Raanan
Philadelphia Eagles
WR Torrey Smith
With a 4.43-second 40-yard dash coming out of Maryland, Smith has leaned heavily on his speed in the pros. That has led to some explosive plays: Since 2011, Smith's 17.0 yards-per-catch average is second only to DeSean Jackson's 17.4. -- Tim McManus
Washington Redskins
RB Keith Marshall
With WR DeSean Jackson gone, Marshall becomes the fastest Washington player. A 2016 seventh-round pick, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds at the 2016 combine and is just ahead of rookie corner Fabian Moreau, who ran a 4.35 at the combine. The Redskins hope all of Marshall's speed returns after he missed last season with a knee injury. He will need an impressive camp to make the roster. -- John Keim
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
WR Rashad Ross
Until Tuesday, the Bills' fastest player was WR Kolby Listenbee, who ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash before being drafted in the sixth round by Buffalo in 2016. But hernia surgery prevented Listenbee from ever practicing with the Bills, and they waived him Tuesday to sign Ross.
Nicknamed "The Rocket," Ross ran a 4.36-second 40 at his 2013 pro day and clocked the league's fastest play in 2015 by reaching 21.5 mph on a 101-yard kick return for the Washington Redskins. -- Mike Rodak
Miami Dolphins
WR Jakeem Grant
At 5-foot-6, Grant is a miniature lightning bolt on the field. Miami's 2016 sixth-round draft pick, he wasn't invited to the NFL combine, but his pro-day 40 time of 4.38 ranked at the top among last year's rookies. He made several plays in the return game for the Dolphins last season but needs to improve ball security if he wants a bigger role. -- James Walker
New England Patriots
WR Brandin Cooks
He clocked a 4.33 at the 2014 combine, and it wasn't long after he arrived in New England this year that players talked about setting up a race to see who truly is the fastest Patriots player.
"That was probably one of the first things that they talked about doing -- guys giving us a hard time," Cooks said when asked if he has challenged other speedsters on the roster, such as special-teams captain Matthew Slater, second-year CB/special-teamer Jonathan Jones and safety Devin McCourty.
"You know, it's all about right now getting better individually and taking care of business, but I'm sure that time will come." -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
WR Robby Anderson
He stands out on a team that doesn't have many true burners. Coming out of Temple in 2016, Anderson was unheralded and didn't participate in the combine, but he caught the Jets' attention by running a 4.34 40 at his pro day. The Jets tried to capitalize on his deep speed, as he averaged 16.3 air yards per target, second only to the Cardinals' J.J. Nelson (16.9). -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
WR Mike Wallace
Even at age 30, Wallace was the seventh-fastest player in the NFL last season, according to NFL tracking sensors worn during games. He reached 22.34 mph while catching a 70-yard completion from Joe Flacco. That said, wide receiver Breshad Perriman would probably like to race Wallace to see who is the fastest Raven. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
WR John Ross
This one isn't even a question. Ross ran a 4.22-second 40 at the 2017 combine, the fastest time ever recorded at the event. Ross has often been referred to as a player with track-star speed, but he ran track for only one year in high school and didn't even like it.
Track star or not, he is certainly the fastest player on the Bengals and perhaps in the NFL. Cincinnati Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton tried to challenge Ross to a race to test his speed, but that was shut down quickly by Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. -- Katherine Terrell
Cleveland Browns
WR Corey Coleman
Coleman ran a 4.37-second 40 at his pro day (he did not run at the combine because of a sports hernia surgery) and was part of Baylor's 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter relay teams. -- Pat McManamon
Pittsburgh Steelers
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey
DHB might be 30, but he has yet to be unseated for the Steelers' speed throne. Teammates say Heyward-Bey once hit 25 mph on the team's GPS technology used for practices. That's 1 mph better than that of athletic freak Martavis Bryant. Heyward-Bey famously ran a 4.25 40 at the 2009 combine, and he believes he has maintained his elite speed. The one thing that slowed him down in 2016 was a foot injury. -- Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
WR Wendall Williams
The speedy wide receiver made a name for himself last year, when he ran a hand-timed 4.19 40-yard dash at the NFL regional combine, though the laser said his time was 4.32. While playing football at University of the Cumberlands, Williams also competed on the track team in the 100- and 200-meter dash as well as the long jump.
Fellow Texans wide receiver Will Fuller also ran a 4.32, which would make for a fun race between teammates. -- Sarah Barshop
Indianapolis Colts
WR T.Y. Hilton
The sixth-year player doesn't have the nickname "The Ghost" for no reason. It's because he's hard to find if teams don't jam him at the line of scrimmage. His blazing speed is the reason Patriots coach Bill Belichick often shadows a safety to the side of the field on which Hilton is lined up when the Colts and Patriots play. Hilton led the NFL in receiving yards (1,448) while averaging 15.9 yards per catch in 2016. -- Mike Wells
Jacksonville Jaguars
WR Corey Grant
The third-year player ran unofficial times of 4.25 and 4.27 in the 40-yard dash at Auburn's pro day in 2015 (he wasn't invited to the combine). He wasn't able to showcase that speed on the field until the 2016 season finale against Indianapolis.
Grant ripped off a 57-yard touchdown run in which he cut back to his left, broke a tackle and outran two defensive backs to give the Jaguars a 17-0 lead. -- Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
RB Khalfani Muhammad
The seventh-round running back out of Cal blazed a 4.34 40 at his pro day, and if he makes it as the Titans' third back, he will offer quite a changeup to DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, who both run well but do so with a more punishing style. Nickel corner Brice McCain ran a 4.33 when he came into the NFL, but that was eight years ago. -- Paul Kuharsky
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
CB Bradley Roby
In terms of timed speed, this one might be close to a tie with cornerback Taurean Nixon, given that Nixon was timed at his pro day a couple of years ago at 4.36. But Roby was electronically clocked at a 4.39 at the 2014 combine when he entered the league, and he has been a key part of the Broncos' ability to finish back-to-back seasons as the league's top pass defense.
If he weren't behind two All-Pros at the position in Aqib Taliband Chris Harris Jr., Roby would get a little more notice. He routinely plays more than 60 percent of his team's snaps on defense as a third cornerback and has repeatedly made big plays, including two touchdown returns last season and one touchdown return in 2015. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs
WR/KR/PR Tyreek Hill
Hill reportedly ran a 4.24 40 at his pro day at West Alabama. He hasn't slowed since. Hill had the two fastest speeds for NFL players last season, according to NFL.com's next-gen stats. He hit 23.2 mph on a 105-yard kickoff return against the Texans that was wiped out by a teammate's penalty, and he hit almost 22.8 mph on an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Broncos. -- Adam Teicher
Los Angeles Chargers
WR Tyrell Williams
With Jason Verrett and Travis Benjamin still recovering from knee injuries this offseason, I'll go with Williams. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, the Western Oregon product ran a blazing 4.42-second 40 time at his pro day two years ago. Williams' 16.2 yards-per-catch average is sixth in the NFL among receivers the past two seasons. -- Eric D. Williams
Oakland Raiders
RB Taiwan Jones
Fittingly, Jones is the lone remaining position player in Oakland drafted by the late Al Davis, who, like Goose and Maverick in "Top Gun," had a need for speed. Jones, a fourth-round pick out of Eastern Washington in 2011, is technically a running back but has played cornerback and returned kicks for the Raiders in his tenure.
He has run a 4.33-second 40, and as a rookie, he dreamed of taking on then-Raiders speedsters Darrius Heyward-Bey, Darren McFadden and Jacoby Ford in a sprint. Alas, the footrace never came to fruition, but Jones, entering his seventh season, proved that he could go a longer distance -- on the Raiders roster. -- Paul Gutierrez
