Next Gen Stats was adopted in 2016 and has been used to track various NFL analytics, primarily regarding speed.
This allows us to analyze the fastest ball carriers in the league, and is defined as showing “the maximum speed, measured in miles per hour (MPH), a player achieves on a given play when carrying the ball on offense (rusher, passer or receiver) or special teams (punt or kick returner).” This stat highlights some of the fastest players at all positions throughout the league.
On that note, here are the 10 fastest players in the Next Gen Stats era.
10 fastest players in the NFL Next Gen Stats era
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10. Mike Wallace – 22.34 mph in 2016
A tight, back-and-forth Week 6 affair in the Meadowlands saw Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco get up a deep ball in the third quarter of a then-17-13 game before being crushed, and Wallace came down with a 70-yard completion after thundering behind New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins. While Baltimore ultimately lost 27-23, Wallace’s completion saw him clock at 22.34 mph.
The Dallas Cowboys were in a 14-0 second-quarter hole at home against the Houston Texans in Week 11. Then, Cooper Rush hit Turpin over the middle, and the wide receiver did the rest. After reeling in the pass, Turpin exploded downfield for a 64-yard touchdown, hitting 22.36 mph in doing so. It ended up being the Cowboys’ only touchdown in an eventual 34-10 loss, but Turpin’s scoring play marked the fastest time recorded by a Dallas player in the Next Gen Stats era.
A Week 15 game between two teams with a losing record turned into a high-octane offensive smackdown, exemplified by Cooks’ sizzling, second-quarter touchdown for the New Orleans Saints. On the second play of the drive, Drew Brees found an open Cooks, who snuck behind the Arizona Cardinals secondary at 22.40 mph, for a 65-yard touchdown— giving the Saints a 17-13 lead. In the end, Cooks finished with seven receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns, and helped the Saints to a 48-41 victory.
7. Xavier Rhodes – 22.40 mph in 2016
Rhodes spoiled the Cardinals’ aspirations of taking the lead late in the second quarter of a Week 11 matchup, as the cornerback intercepted quarterback Carson Palmer at the goal line and ran the pick back 100 yards for a touchdown, giving the Minnesota Vikings a 20-10 lead; he maxed out at 22.40 mph on the return. Rhodes finished the game with two interceptions, helping the Vikings get a 30-24 win.
6. Stefon Diggs – 22.50 mph in 2016
Diggs finished with nine receptions for 182 yards and one touchdown in a 17-14 Vikings victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. Furthermore, Diggs maxed out at 22.50 mph on one of his nine receptions. The win was also quarterback Sam Bradford’s first game under center for the Vikings.
5. DeSean Jackson – 22.60 mph in 2016
Trailing the Cardinals 10-6 out of the halftime break in Week 13, Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins found Jackson for a 59-yard completion on the second play from scrimmage of the second half. Jackson topped at 22.60 mph on the play, which facilitated a go-ahead touchdown three plays later. That chunk play was actually Jackson’s only reception in a 31-23 loss.
The San Francisco 49ers began the 2020 season with a 24-20 loss at home to the Cardinals, but their running back made some history. On the first play of the 49ers’ second possession, Jimmy Garoppolo got the ball out to Mostert, who then ran through Arizona’s defense for a 76-yard touchdown, maxing out at 22.73 mph and giving them a 10-0 first-quarter lead. Mostert finished the game with 56 rushing yards on 3.7 yards per carry but also had four receptions for 95 yards and the aforementioned score.
3. Tyreek Hill – 22.77 mph in 2016
After the Kansas City Chiefs broke the ice with a second-quarter safety in a Week 12 divisional matchup, the Denver Broncos punted the ball back to Kansas City. Hill came down with the punt and proceeded to run around the Broncos for an 86-yard touchdown, giving the Chiefs a 9-0 lead. Hill’s top speed on the return was 22.77 mph. The wide receiver also totaled nine receptions for 52 yards and one touchdown in a 30-27 Chiefs win.
2. Raheem Mostert – 23.09 mph in 2020
It was a day that saw countless players go down with injuries, but the 49ers still had their way with the New York Jets in Week 2, getting a 31-13 road victory. The tone was set on the first play from scrimmage, as Mostert got the call on the run and plowed through New York’s defense for an 80-yard touchdown that saw him hit 23.09 mph. Ironically, Mostert rushed for just 12 yards on seven carries the rest of the game.
1. Tyreek Hill – 23.24 mph in 2016
The Chiefs suffered their first loss of the 2016 season in Week 2, losing on the road to the Houston Texans, 19-12, in a game that saw Kansas City fail to reach the end zone. But history was made in electric fashion, as Hill maxed out at 23.24 mph on a kick return that was called back, which stands as the fastest recorded speed in an NFL game in the Next Gen Stats era.
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