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IShowSpeed Tells Shannon Sharpe He Wants to Race NFL Prospects at the Combine: “They’re Not Fast”

Sneha Singh
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Shannon Sharpe and IShowSpeed

Internet sensation IShowSpeed, or Darren Watkins Jr., thinks he can outdo top NFL Draft prospects. And he’s ready to get on the track to prove it.

The 19-year-old, who previously challenged the Cheetah himself, clearly isn’t scared of getting down and dirty. On the Club Shay Shay podcast, when Shannon Sharpe asked the internet sensation if he wanted to “go to the Combine where all the college kids are going to come by next and wanna challenge them?” he said confidently and without hesitation:

“Yes sir. I am serious”

IShowSpeed’s reasoning for wanting to beat NFL prospects is simple. He wants the world to know that they’re not that fast:

When I know I’m faster than somebody and people are like, ‘Oh my God they [draft prospects] are so fast!’ I’m like, no. They’re not fast.”

The streamer’s athletic powers are not a secret. He has proven himself multiple times, most recently when he jumped over moving cars. So, how fast does he think he can run to beat the fastest guy at the Combine? If given a month to train, he IShowSpeed thinks he could run the 40-yard in 43 seconds:

I ran a 4.4 flat last time -and I stopped a little bit. I could maybe run like a 4.3.”

For context, last year, Xavier Worthy ran a 4.21 second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which is the fastest time ever recorded at the event.

While amused by the claims of the teenager, Sharpe was impressed by his confidence in his own abilities and asked him why he had never considered a career as a track and field athlete. Watkins said that while he “respects track,” he was meant for something bigger.

While the YouTuber commonly rules headlines for his antics and athletic feats, he was a football player in high school and feels that he’s “still got it” in him!

IShowSpeed can “cook” any DB in the league

IShowSpeed did not stop at challenging new draft prospects. No, he is confident that he can “cook” any DB in the league. He told Sharpe,

“Listen, all the DBs out there, Jaylen Ramsey, whoever, I am cooking.”

Watkins has good reason for all that confidence.

Earlier in the year, the YouTuber had awed the world by outpacing one of NFL’s biggest star cornerbacks, Sauce Gardner. Gardner had struggled to contain the teenager’s quick feet as he dodged the cornerback to rush toward the endzone during their one-on-one contest.

Speed further asserted his athletic credentials by revealing that he was a four-star athlete in high school, specifically recognized for his skills in Ohio’s top slots. To reinforce his argument about his capabilities on the field, he invited Sharpe to review his highlights.

And his skills on the field are not a thing of the past, he says, “I still got it, I didn’t lose it.” 

Post Edited By:Nidhi

About the author

Sneha Singh

Sneha Singh

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Sneha Singh is an NFL journalist for The SportsRush. She is currently pursuing engineering, but her passion for writing and love for American football led her to join The SportsRush in 2024. With prior experience at various media outlets across genres, Sneha has been following the sport for the past three years. What started from coffee table banter with her friends arguing for their favorite teams, soon developed into a deep-rooted love for the sport. Before she knew it, Sneha was passionately following the offseason, tracking trades, draft prospects, and heartbreaking retirements. The two teams she holds closest to her heart are the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. The last two years have been quite eventful for Sneha, as both of her favorite teams made it to the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons. However, her first live game ended in heartbreak when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Eagles on the grandest stage. The disappointment carried into the following year when the Chiefs beat the 49ers. Even Jason Kelce announced his retirement, which she wasn't thrilled about, but she appreciates that he's still connected to the league in various ways. When it comes to covering a story, it's not just the on-field action that excites Sneha but also the behind-the-scenes strategies, stories, and business dealings. She currently has over 400 articles to her name. Outside the NFL, Sneha finds solace in fiction. Whether it's books, films, anime, or video games, as long as there is a good story with creative expression, she's there for it. On the flip side, Sneha also likes to code and is an avid ML developer. What little time is left when she is not writing, consuming, or coding, Sneha likes to play the guitar.

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