Every year, the NFL Combine brings together some of the best athletes in the FBS and college football as a whole. Some players like running backs and wide receivers can improve their draft stocks by running fast times in the 40-yard dash. Others, like offensive linemen, may not even need to run the 40 because teams may not value that data.
Either way, no matter who the player is, a fast 40 time sure doesn’t hurt one’s draft hopes.
Here’s a look at the fastest 40 times from the NFL Combine for defensive linemen (disclaimer: this is using data NFL.com, which only goes back to the mid-2000s):
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Fastest Defensive Linemen At The NFL Combine, Ranked
| Rank | Name | School | Time |
| 1 | Amare Barno | Virginia Tech | 4.36 |
| 2 | Nolan Smith | Georgia | 4.39 |
| 3 | Montez Sweat | Mississippi State | 4.41 |
| 4 | Byron Young | Tennessee | 4.43 |
| 5 | Marcus Howard | Georgia | 4.45 |
| 6 | Dallas Turner | Alabama | 4.46 |
| 7 | Sam Williams | Ole Miss | 4.46 |
| 8 | James Pearce Jr. | Tennessee | 4.47 |
| 9 | Chop Robinson | Penn State | 4.48 |
| 10 | Robert Beal Jr. | Georgia | 4.48 |
Who Owns The NFL Combine 40-Yard Dash Record For Defensive Ends?
Amare Barno of Virginia Tech ran the fastest 40 time among defensive ends and EDGE players at the NFL Combine when he clocked a time of 4.36 seconds in 2022, per NFL.com.
Who Owns The NFL Combine 40-Yard Dash Record For Defensive Tackles?
Adetomiwa Adebawore of Northwestern ran the fastest 40 time among defensive tackles at the NFL Combine when he clocked a time of 4.49 seconds in 2023, per NFL.com.
