Everyone wants the magic number. If you're a scout, a Michigan fan, or just someone who spends way too much time on recruiting message boards, you’ve probably searched for the Savion Hiter 40 time more than once. We live in an era where everyone expects a five-star running back to drop a 4.38 at a camp and call it a day. But with Savion Hiter, the story is a bit more nuanced.
Hiter isn't just some track star playing football. He’s a football player who happens to be terrifyingly fast.
The most reliable "official" testing numbers we have for the Louisa County standout put him in the 4.5-second range. Specifically, various scouting reports from 247Sports and On3 have pegged his 40-yard dash around a 4.50. Now, before you start thinking that sounds "average" for a blue-chip recruit, you’ve got to look at the context. This isn't a 170-pound speedster. We are talking about a guy who is 5-foot-11 and change, pushing a rock-solid 200 pounds.
Breaking Down the Speed: More Than Just a 40
Honestly, the 40-yard dash is a bit of a vacuum. It tells you how fast someone runs in pajamas on a track. What Hiter does on the field is different. He has an elite 1.52-second 10-yard split. That is the number that actually matters for a running back. It's that initial "pop" through the line of scrimmage. If you give him an inch of daylight, he’s already into the secondary before the linebackers can even pivot.
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His track background backs this up. As a freshman, he was already clocking an 11.11 in the 100-meter dash. That’s moving. He’s also posted a 23.07 in the 200m. When you combine those sprint times with a 36-inch vertical jump and a 4.12 shuttle, you start to see why he’s the consensus No. 1 running back in the 2026 class. He has the explosive twitch that makes defenders look like they’re running in sand.
Why Michigan Won the Sweepstakes
The recruitment of Savion Hiter was a heavyweight fight. You had Georgia, Ohio State, and Tennessee all swinging for the fences. Tennessee, in particular, was rumored to be making a massive push with NIL and revenue-sharing promises. But Michigan had a "secret" weapon: Tony Alford.
Alford originally built the relationship with Hiter while he was the running backs coach at Ohio State. When he made the jump to Ann Arbor to join Sherrone Moore's staff, that bond didn't just disappear. It’s actually kinda wild how much coaching stability matters to these kids. Hiter saw what Michigan did with Blake Corum—another Virginia kid—and saw a direct path to the NFL.
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- The Power Element: He doesn't just run around people; he runs through them.
- The Vision: He sees the cutback lane two steps before it opens.
- The Versatility: He’s not just a North-South guy. He’s been a nightmare on kick returns and even played some defensive end, racking up 7 sacks in a single season.
The "Game Speed" vs. "Track Speed" Debate
There's a lot of chatter about whether Hiter will eventually hit that elusive 4.4 mark. Honestly? He might. He’s still young for his grade and won't even be 18 when he steps onto campus in Ann Arbor. His body is still maturing. But even if he stays at a 4.50, his GPS game speed has been clocked at nearly 22 mph.
In the modern Big Ten, that’s plenty. You don't need to be Tyreek Hill if you have the balance and lower-body strength that Hiter possesses. Scouts often compare him to Omarion Hampton, the North Carolina star who went in the first round. Both have that "rolling ball of steak" build where they just bounce off arm tackles.
What the Scouts Are Saying
247Sports analyst Andrew Ivins has been vocal about Hiter’s "pro-ready" frame. Most high school juniors look like kids. Hiter looks like he’s been in a college weight program for three years already. His ability to side-step trouble in the backfield turns what should be a 3-yard loss into a 40-yard touchdown.
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It's the fluidity. Usually, guys with his muscle mass are stiff. He isn't. He has this "oily" hip movement that allows him to change direction without losing speed. Basically, he’s a nightmare to game plan for because you can’t just "contain" him.
What’s Next for Hiter?
Since committing to Michigan in August 2025, Hiter has stayed firm. He’s the crown jewel of their 2026 class. With the early signing day behind us and his senior season wrapping up at Louisa County, the focus turns to early enrollment.
Getting into Michigan’s strength and conditioning program early is going to be huge. If he can shave even a tenth of a second off that Savion Hiter 40 time while maintaining his 200-pound frame, he’s not just a college star—he’s a Sunday player.
Actionable Insights for Following Savion Hiter:
- Watch the 10-yard split: Don't get hung up on the full 40. Watch how fast he gets through the "trash" at the line of scrimmage.
- Monitor his track season: If he drops into the 10.8s in the 100m this spring, his stock will go from "elite" to "generational."
- The Corum Comparison: Look at how Michigan uses him in short-yardage situations. Like Corum, Hiter has a low center of gravity that makes him nearly impossible to stop on 3rd and 1.
He isn't just a highlight reel. He's a blue-collar runner with elite-level tools. Whether he runs a 4.5 or a 4.4, the tape doesn't lie: Savion Hiter is the real deal.