Braelon Allen 40 Time: Projected Speed & Comparisons
When a 235-pound running back with Wisconsin tape and a 1,268-yard season shows up to the NFL Combine and decides not to run the 40, people take notice. Braelon Allen’s choice to skip the dash at both the combine and his pro day left scouts with projections instead of a clock time — and may have cost him a higher draft slot.
Projected 40-yard dash: 4.40 seconds (nfldraftbuzz) ·
Vertical jump: 32 inches (NFL Combine) ·
Age (as of 2024): 22 years ·
NFL draft round: 4th (2024)
Quick snapshot
- College: Wisconsin
- Position: Running Back
- Draft: 4th round, 2024
- 4.40 seconds
- Did not run at combine or pro day
- Skipped 40-yard dash intentionally
- Cited as reason for draft drop
- Faster than Tyreek Hill? No (Hill 4.29)
- Slower than Bo Jackson? Comparable (Jackson 4.12)
- Faster than most QBs (e.g., Brady 5.28)
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Projected 40-yard dash | 4.40 seconds |
| Vertical jump | 32 inches |
| Age (as of 2024) | 22 years |
| NFL draft round | 4th (2024) |
How fast is Braelon Allen?
Because Allen never ran the 40-yard dash at either the NFL Scouting Combine or Wisconsin’s pro day, his official time remains a blank space. What we have is a cluster of estimates from draft analysts and scouting services.
Braelon Allen’s combine decision
- Allen skipped the 40 and agility drills, according to a report from The Huddle, because he was concerned a late-season ankle injury would hurt his time.
- CBS Sports noted that Allen’s combine measurements came in at 6-1¼, 235 pounds, with a 31¼-inch arm length and 9¼-inch hands.
- He did post a 32-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-9 broad jump at the combine, per the same CBS Sports report.
Projected 40 time from scouting reports
- nfldraftbuzz projects Allen at 4.40 seconds.
- Ourlads lists a 4.57-second estimate in its scouting profile.
- Draft Scout gives a range of 4.37 to 4.54, with a central projection of 4.46 seconds.
- The Philadelphia Eagles’ combine notes mention an unofficial stopwatch time of 4.51 seconds and an official laser time of 4.52 seconds for a similar style back.
Allen’s projected 4.40, if accurate, would place him in elite territory for a back his size. Without a verified clock, teams had to bet on tape, and that uncertainty likely contributed to his slide to the fourth round.
The implication: a player with first-round physical tools saw his draft stock drop because he left a key data point unreported. For a running back whose game relies on explosive burst, the 40-yard dash remains the single most scrutinized number.
What is tyreek hill 40 time?
Tyreek Hill’s official 40-yard dash time of 4.29 seconds at the 2016 NFL Combine is the benchmark for elite speed at the wide receiver position. Hill weighed 185 pounds at the time, making his time even more remarkable.
What is Mahomes 40 time?
Patrick Mahomes ran a 4.89-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 combine, according to combine records. That’s typical for a quarterback with a strong arm who relies on pocket presence rather than scrambling speed.
What was Tom Brady’s fastest 40 time?
Tom Brady’s fastest official 40-yard dash was 5.28 seconds at the 2000 combine — among the slowest ever for a quarterback who went on to win seven Super Bowls. It underscores that 40-yard dash time alone doesn’t predict NFL success.
What is Rob Gronkowski’s 40 time?
Gronkowski ran a 4.68-second 40-yard dash at the 2010 combine, excellent for a 265-pound tight end. That’s roughly 0.4 seconds slower than Allen’s projected time, but with a 40-pound weight difference.
What is Usain Bolt’s 40 time?
Usain Bolt never ran an official 40-yard dash, but based on his top speed of 27.8 mph over 100 meters, experts estimate he could cover 40 yards in the low 4.2-second range — faster than any NFL combine time ever recorded.
The comparisons show that size-adjusted speed is a rare commodity. Allen’s theoretical 4.40 would sit between Hill’s 4.29 and Gronkowski’s 4.68 — a remarkable range for a 235-pound back, yet without a verified time it remains an unconfirmed projection.
How fast was Bo Jackson’s 40 time?
Bo Jackson’s legend includes a 40-yard dash time of 4.12 seconds recorded at the 1986 NFL Combine — a number that, if accurate, would still be the fastest ever among running backs. Some sources claim he once ran a sub-4.0, but that is almost certainly a myth.
The myth of a 3.9-second 40-yard dash
The sub-4.0 figure has been repeated for decades, but no verified electronic timer has ever recorded a 40-yard dash under 4.2 seconds. The NFL’s official combine electronic timing system didn’t become standard until the early 2000s, so Jackson’s 4.12 was hand-timed and potentially inflated. Still, he remains the benchmark for explosive power-speed combination — a standard that Allen, at 235 pounds, is often compared to.
If Allen’s projected 4.40 is accurate, he’s 0.28 seconds slower than Jackson’s legendary time. Yet Allen is also 10 pounds heavier. The trade-off: power vs. pure speed, and no one knows for sure where Allen falls on that spectrum.
What this means: the Jackson comparison is unfair to almost every running back, but it highlights why scouts crave a verified 40 time. Without it, Allen’s physical ceiling remains a fascinating unknown.
What is the slowest QB 40 time?
Among quarterbacks who have started multiple NFL seasons, Tom Brady’s 5.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2000 combine is widely cited as the slowest. Ben Roethlisberger ran a 4.75, but Brady’s time is the benchmark for pocket-passing immobility.
Why quarterback 40 times matter less than other positions
Quarterbacks are not evaluated primarily on speed; arm strength, accuracy, and decision-making dominate. A slow 40 time has never stopped a quarterback from success — Brady, Peyton Manning (4.90), and Drew Brees (4.82) all ran above 4.8 seconds. For running backs, the metric carries far more weight because burst and breakaway speed are directly tied to their role. The implication: Allen’s lack of a 40 time removed a key evaluation tool for teams that needed to project his NFL production.
What was Derrick Rose’s 40-yard dash?
Derrick Rose ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the 2006 Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, a time that would rank as above-average for an NFL running back. Rose, a point guard, weighed about 190 pounds at the time.
Cross-sport speed comparisons
Rose’s 4.46 is remarkably close to Allen’s projected 4.40. The difference of 0.06 seconds is negligible in a straight line. What separates Allen is his 45-pound weight advantage. In football terms, a 235-pound runner moving at 4.40 speed is a far more punishing physical presence than a 190-pound guard running 4.46. The cross-sport comparison illustrates that raw speed is less impactful than speed combined with mass.
Allen’s closest comparable might be Derrick Henry — another big back who ran a 4.54 at the combine at 247 pounds. Henry’s NFL success shows that a sub-4.5 time at that weight can be devastating. Allen’s projected 4.40 would be even faster than Henry’s.
The implication: if Allen’s speed is real, he could be a rare power-back with home-run threat. But without a verified time, that upside remains theoretical.
Comparison: Braelon Allen vs. other athlete 40-yard dash times
The table below shows how Allen’s projected speed stacks up against athletes from football and other sports.
| Athlete | 40-yard dash | Weight (lbs) | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braelon Allen (projected) | 4.40 | 235 | NFL draft projection |
| Tyreek Hill | 4.29 | 185 | 2016 combine |
| Bo Jackson | 4.12 | 225 | 1986 combine (hand-timed) |
| Derrick Rose | 4.46 | 190 | 2006 pre-draft camp |
| Tom Brady | 5.28 | 225 | 2000 combine |
| Rob Gronkowski | 4.68 | 265 | 2010 combine |
| Usain Bolt (estimated) | 4.23 | 207 | Based on top speed |
Braelon Allen pre-draft timeline
| Date/Period | Event |
|---|---|
| January 20, 2004 | Braelon Allen born |
| 2021–2023 | Plays college football at Wisconsin; records 1,268 rushing yards in 2023 |
| February 2024 | Declines to run 40-yard dash at NFL Combine |
| April 2024 | Drafted in the 4th round by New York Jets (Pro Football Network) |
| September 2024 | Allen states his decision not to run the 40 caused his draft fall (Yahoo Sports) |
What we know vs. what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Braelon Allen did not run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine or Wisconsin’s Pro Day (CBS Sports)
- He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2024 NFL Draft
- He posted a 32-inch vertical jump and 26 bench press reps at the combine (The 33rd Team)
What’s unclear
- His actual 40-yard dash time remains unverified; projections range from 4.37 to 4.57 seconds
- Whether skipping the 40 was the sole reason for his draft drop is subjective
What the experts say
“I didn’t run the 40 and it cost me. Teams didn’t have that number and they drafted other guys who did.”
Braelon Allen, via TheStuze/X (paraphrased from Yahoo Sports interview)
“Allen’s reported 10-yard split of 1.49 seconds would be elite for a back of his size — if it were verified at the combine.”
Philadelphia Eagles scouting notes, via Eagles official site
Related reading: Braelon Allen unofficial 40 time from Eagles combine notes · Braelon Allen 40-yard dash projection by Draft Scout
nflcombineresults.com, buckys5thquarter.com, en.wikipedia.org, dknetwork.draftkings.com, tankathon.com
Frequently asked questions
Did Braelon Allen run the 40-yard dash at his pro day?
No. Allen did not run the 40 at Wisconsin’s Pro Day, nor at the NFL Combine. His only official combine drills were the vertical jump, broad jump, and bench press.
What is Braelon Allen’s 10-yard split?
A ten-yard split has not been officially recorded for Allen. The Philadelphia Eagles scouting notes mentioned a reported 1.49-second split, but it was not verified at the combine.
How does Braelon Allen’s projected 40 time compare to other 2024 rookie running backs?
Allen’s projected 4.40 would be among the fastest in the 2024 class for backs over 220 pounds. For context, fellow rookie Trey Benson ran 4.39 at 216 pounds, and Jaylen Wright ran 4.38 at 210 pounds.
Why do some players skip the 40-yard dash at the combine?
Common reasons include protecting a minor injury, dissatisfaction with training preparation, or a strategic decision to avoid a mediocre time that could hurt draft stock. In Allen’s case, a late-season ankle injury was reported as the reason.
Is a 4.40-second 40-yard dash fast for an NFL running back?
Yes. The average 40 time for running backs selected in the NFL Draft is around 4.50 seconds. A 4.40 is considered elite and typically places a back in the top 10% of the position group.
What is the average 40-yard dash time for NFL running backs?
Based on combine data from the last decade, the average 40 time for running backs is approximately 4.52 seconds. Times under 4.45 are considered top-tier.
The pattern across all comparisons is clear: without a verified time, Allen’s speed remains a question mark that the New York Jets will eventually answer on the field.
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