NFL

The NFL’s Fastest Runner in the 2021-2022 Season Holds 3 of the Top 5 Speeds

Kyle Dalton Sports Editor

Published18 Oct 2020

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The 40-yard dash is the primary measurement NFL teams use to gauge a player’s speed. The opportunity to see a player display that speed in an actual game is rare and only occurs on long plays such as touchdown passes and breakaway runs. The NFL tracks player speeds using miles per hour in all such occurrences throughout the season with its Next Gen Stats. Through the 2021-2022 NFL season, the top five fastest runners include some not-so-surprising names, none of them are named Tyreek Hill, all of them topped the 21-MPH mark, and the fastest player holds three of the five top speeds.

5. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts (Week 8) — 21.83 MPH

Jonathan Taylor leads lists of seven Colts players to make the 2022 Pro Bowl — Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor in action against the Las Vegas Raiders | Justin Casterline/Getty Images

In Week 8, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was clocked at 21.83 MPH, making him the NFL’s fifth-fastest runner in 2021.

4. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts (Week 9) — 22.05 MPH

Jonathan Taylor reached a top speed of 22.05 mph on this 78-yard TD run, the fastest speed by a ball carrier this season.

Taylor is now responsible for the two fastest speeds this season (21.83 mph in Week 8).#StatThat | Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/h75Cuy16eI
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 5, 2021

Jonathan Taylor also holds the fourth-fastest speed of the 2021-2022 season. In a 78-yard touchdown run in Week 9, he hit 22.05 MPH.

3. Patrick Surtain, CB, Denver Broncos (Week 12) — 22.07 MPH

Patrick Surtain reached a top speed of 22.07 mph on his 70-yd pick six, the fastest speed by a defensive player as a ball-carrier over the last five seasons.

Surtain leads all rookies in EPA when targeted this season, and ranks 4th among DBs (-21.7).#LACvsDEN | #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/6HJsATUCBe
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 28, 2021

Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain was clocked at 22.07 MPH in Week 12. This is the fastest speed by a defensive player as a ball-carrier in the past five seasons, according to Next Gen Stats.

2. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Green Bay Packers (Week 11) — 22.09 MPH

Marquez Valdes-Scantling hit 22.09 MPH on his 75-yard touchdown against the Vikings, making him the fastest ball-carrier in the NFL this season. https://t.co/nDljiOmBgu
— The Packers Wire (@ThePackersWire) November 23, 2021

Marquez Valdes-Scantling reached a top speed of 22.09 MPH in Week 11 of the 2021-2022 NFL season. He did so on a 57-yard reception from Tua Tagovailoa.

1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts (Week 15) — 22.13 MPH

Jonathan Taylor reached a top speed of 22.13 mph on his 67-yard game-clinching TD run, the fastest speed by a ball-carrier this season.

Taylor is now responsible for three of the top 5 fastest plays with the football this season.#NEvsIND | #ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/RaBQngtWF6
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 19, 2021

Coming in as the fastest speed of the 2021-2022 NFL season is Jonathan Taylor, who reached a top speed of 22.13 MPH on a 67-yard touchdown run.

All stats courtesy of NFL Next Gen Stats.