Ex-Texas Longhorn Wide Receiver Xavier Worthy recently broke an NFL Scouting Combine record with a lightning-fast 4.21-second 40-yard dash. He surpassed John Ross III’s 2017 record by just 0.01 seconds, hitting a remarkable speed of 24.21 MPH, per Next Gen Stats. His swift sprint not only rivaled Usain Bolt’s record but also edged past it by a fraction. However, he still finds himself behind Bo Jackson’s pre-draft record.
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Bo Jackson once recorded a 4.13 40-yard dash in 1986. Were you aware of it? An Instagram content creator, Franki Hrejla, recently detailed the fact. Bo Jackson was known for his exceptional speed with reports suggesting that he ran the 40-yard dash in less than 4.2 seconds on multiple occasions at Auburn in 1986.
Ahead of the 1986 NFL Draft, Auburn was hosting a pro day and Jackson had commitments with the track and field team. However, NFL scouts were eager to see him run a 40-yard dash and requested him to take the drill for them. Bo recorded a 4.13-second run which left many skeptical about the story because he did not attend the 1986 NFL Combine. Moreover, the NFL Combine didn’t carry the same weight as it does now, back in the day.
Bo Jackson himself confirmed, during an appearance on ESPN’s His & Hers, that his impressive run was officially timed at a local combine or pro day at Auburn University. Bo said, per ESPN:
“The coaches asked me, they said, ‘Bo, we have a bunch of pro scouts here, and it’s 40-yard dash time, they’re having a little combine, why don’t you come in and run a 40 for them, because they really came here in hopes to get you to run a 40 for them. ‘I’m on my way to track practice, I’ll be running for the next two hours.’ ‘Just come in and appease these people, just come in and run 40 for them.’”
The event was held in Auburn’s indoor bubble, with electronic tape at the start and a laser at the finish line to precisely record the time. The legendary Bo Jackson also congratulated Xavier Worthy for breaking the official record at the 2024 NFL Draft Combine.
Bo Jackson Even Ran a 4.17 Second 40-Yard Dash With Pads On
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Bo Jackson with the first overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft, however, he turned down their $7.6 million, five-year offer for a $1.07 million, three-year contract with the Kansas City Royals. The next year, although Bo skipped attending the 1987 NFL Draft, he found out that he was selected by the Los Angeles Raiders in the seventh round, 183rd overall.
While practicing with the Raiders, Jackson ran the 40-yard dash, and this time around he had his football pads on, yet he impressively clocked a 4.19-second run. Like many, even Raider’s head coach, Tom Flores, found it hard to believe when Bo Jackson ran in less than 4.2 seconds. He asked Bo Jackson to run again and this time he got it done with careful measurements and multiple timers.
Bo still amazed everyone by improving his time to 4.17 seconds. He weighed 230 pounds at that time and Xavier Worthy weighed 165 pounds when he broke the Combine record for the fastest sprint. A 65-pound weight difference is noteworthy and that too if we keep the time difference in mind, Mesmerizing! Even John Ross III was 188 pounds when he ran the 4.22-second dash. Bo Jackson really is one of the best sprinters the NFL has ever seen.
