You’ve seen the highlights. A 5-foot-8 mountain of muscle at Boise State, now a Las Vegas Raider, basically teleporting through gaps and leaving defenders grasping at thin air. When a guy puts up 2,601 rushing yards in a single college season—nearly snatching Barry Sanders’ crown—everyone starts asking the same question: how fast is he, really?
The ashton jeanty 40 yard dash is sort of a mystery wrapped in a riddle, mostly because he chose to keep scouts guessing during the 2025 draft cycle.
Honestly, the "official" number doesn't exist. He didn't run at the NFL Scouting Combine. He didn't run at the Boise State Pro Day. While guys like Bhayshul Tuten were out there lighting up the turf with 4.32-second bursts, Jeanty just... didn't.
The Mystery of the Missing Number
It’s rare. Usually, if you're a top-tier prospect, you want to show off the wheels. But Jeanty and his camp played it smart. They knew the tape spoke louder than a track meet.
If you look at the projections from 2025, scouts were all over the place. Some analysts, like the crew over at Fantasy Life, were setting the over/under at about 4.48 seconds. Others swore he was a 4.3 guy based on how he looked in the open field against Utah State.
Basically, he’s "football fast," which is a whole different animal than "track fast."
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Why skip the 40?
- The Tread Factor: He had nearly 400 touches in his final year at Boise. His body had been through a war.
- Draft Stock: He was already a projected top-10 pick (eventually going 6th overall to the Raiders). A "slow" 4.55 might have cost him millions, whereas not running kept the "explosive" label intact.
- The Saquon Comparison: People kept comparing him to Saquon Barkley, who ran a 4.40 at 233 pounds. Jeanty is smaller and thicker; he didn't need to prove he was a sprinter to prove he was a playmaker.
Speed vs. Quickness: What the GPS Says
While we don’t have a laser-timed 40-yard dash for Ashton Jeanty, we have Next Gen Stats. This is where things get interesting. In 2024, Jeanty was consistently clocked at over 21 miles per hour on his breakaway runs.
Think about that.
He’s 211 pounds of pure power moving at the speed of a decent electric scooter. It's not just the top-end speed; it's the 10-yard split—the first few steps. Scouts noted his "instant burst" was elite. He hits the hole before the linebackers even have time to blink.
Comparison to the 2025 Class
To put the ashton jeanty 40 yard dash debate in perspective, look at the guys who did run that year.
Omarion Hampton and Quinshon Judkins both clocked in around the mid-4.4s. Jeanty likely fits right in that 4.46 to 4.51 range. Is that the fastest in the league? No. Is it enough to win? Ask the defenders who missed 151 tackles against him in college.
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The reality is that his contact balance is his real "speed." Because he doesn't go down on the first hit, he maintains his momentum while other backs are slowing down to brace for impact.
The Raiders' Bet
Las Vegas didn't take him at No. 6 because they wanted a track star. They wanted a guy who could handle 20 carries a game and turn a 2-yard loss into a 40-yard gain. His rookie season with the Raiders proved the scouts right. Even with a struggling offensive line, he put up over 1,300 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns.
You don't do that without "game speed."
He’s got that second gear. You see it when he gets into the secondary. He tilts his head slightly, lowers his center of gravity, and suddenly there’s five yards of daylight between him and the chasing safety.
What This Means for You
If you’re scouting him for your dynasty fantasy football team or just arguing with friends at a bar, don't get hung up on the lack of a 40 time. Speed is a tool, not the whole toolbox.
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Jeanty’s value comes from:
- Vision: Finding the lane before it actually opens.
- Body Lean: He runs low, making him a nightmare to wrap up.
- Versatility: He’s a legitimate threat in the passing game, catching over 40 balls in a season back in 2023.
Focus on the production. The numbers he put up—7.0 yards per carry—are almost video-game-like. Whether he runs a 4.4 or a 4.5 doesn't change the fact that he’s one of the most difficult human beings on the planet to bring to the ground.
Stop worrying about the stopwatch and start watching the feet. The way he moves laterally in a "phone booth" is more important than a straight-line sprint in spandex. That's the real secret to why he's a star.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
- Watch the 10-yard split: If you ever see Pro Day data or unofficial training clips, look for his acceleration in the first 10 yards. That's where he wins.
- Evaluate "Yards After Contact": This is the metric that defines Jeanty. If his speed was 10% lower, he'd still be elite because of his balance.
- Follow Next Gen Stats: Instead of searching for a 40 time, look for his "Max Speed" on game days. It’s a much better indicator of his actual athletic ceiling in a football environment.
The debate over the ashton jeanty 40 yard dash will probably never truly end because we’ll never have a "Gold Standard" NFL Combine number. But honestly? The Raiders are perfectly happy with the speed he’s shown on Sundays.