Before the 2018 NFL Draft, current Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was a standout at Louisville. Prior to the Combine, there was a lot of talk about Jackson being asked to work out at other positions instead of quarterback.
Some teams thought he'd fit better at wide receiver, but Jackson would go on to bet on himself. He went so far as to not even run the 40-yard dash at the 2018 Combine. Instead, he wanted scouts and executives to see him solely as a quarterback.
Jackson did end up running at Louisville's "Speed Day" that year, showing off his wheels and one of the top attributes which makes him such a special player. The two-time NFL MVP clocked an unofficial 4.34 seconds on that day seven years ago, which got us thinking: where would that time rank if made official at the Combine, today?
Where would Lamar Jackson's 40 time rank among quarterbacks in his draft class?
The 2018 quarterback class had some big names, but none were as fast as Jackson.
Player | Time |
|---|---|
Quinton Flowers, South Florida | 4.63 |
J.T. Barrett, Ohio State | 4.70 |
Josh Allen, Wyoming | 4.75 |
Danny Etling, LSU | 4.76 |
Logan Woodside, Toledo | 4.79 |
Not even making the list were guys like Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Mason Rudolph and Josh Rosen. If Jackson had ran at the Combine, though, he'd have been above the field, far and away.
Where would Lamar Jackson's 40 time rank among his peers at the NFL Combine?
Let's look back at the 2018 draft class and where Jackson would have ranked among his peers, regardless of position. Here were the top five times.
Player | Time |
|---|---|
Donte Jackson, CB | 4.32 |
Parry Nickerson, CB | 4.32 |
Denzel Ward, CB | 4.32 |
D.J. Chark, WR | 4.34 |
Troy Apke, S | 4.34 |
Out of the entire 2018 draft class, Jackson's 40 time would have been good for second, which is extremely impressive. Obviously, we know Jackson is one of the fastest players and quarterbacks in league history. So, where would his time rank all-time at his position?
Where would Lamar Jackson's 40 time rank all-time among quarterbacks?
Player | Time (year) |
|---|---|
1. Michael Vick | 4.33 (2001) |
2. Reggie McNeal | 4.40 (2006) |
3. Robert Griffin III | 4.41 (2012) |
4. Anthony Richardson | 4.43 (2023) |
5. Justin Fields | 4.45 (2021) |
This is some excellent company for Jackson, as he would rank second all-time only to the legendary Michael Vick. Some would still argue Vick to be the greatest running quarterback in league history, while Justin Fields has come up in recent years, having joined Jackson and Vick as the only quarterbacks ever to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season.