Ashton Jeanty's 40-yard time: How fast is Boise State RB?

NCAA Football: Utah State at Boise State - Source: Imagn
NCAA Football: Utah State at Boise State (image credit: IMAGN)

Ashton Jeanty has improved his stock this season and is viewed as one of, if not the best running back in college football. He is one of the leading contenders (+220 odds) for the Heisman Trophy after his Week 6 performance helped the Boise State Broncos pick up a 62-30 win over Utah State. While many traits make Jeanty elite, his speed stands out.

Ashton Jeanty has a 40-yard dash time of 4.42 seconds which places him in the 89th percentile among all NCAA football players. If Jeanty participated in the 2024 NFL scouting combine, his time would have placed him just outside of the top 20.

Ashton Jeanty stats and records

Jeanty is in his third season with Boise State and has taken a big step forward. After rushing for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns on 220 carries last year, he has almost reached those numbers in just half a season. In 95 carries, he already has 1,031 yards and 16 touchdowns.

He is even close to the pace of breaking Barry Sanders' single-season rushing record. In 1988, Sanders ran for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Is speed Ashton Jeanty's biggest strength?

Speed is undoubtedly one of Ashton Jeanty's strengths and it has helped him make long runs this season and escape defenders. However, his speed is not what most scouts point to as his biggest strength. Instead, they like his elite contact balance.

Jeanty has the incredible ability to shed tackles and maintain balance through traffic. This is one of the most valuable traits an RB can have, especially when they reach the NFL where defenses are better. This skill is one of the reasons Jeanty has risen in draft rankings and is now projected to be a first round pick.

Additionally, scouts agree that Jeanty's other strong trait is his elite vision. He can find and exploit gaps in the defense, and as a result, he is not often held to only a few yards. Instead, he runs through the gaps, reaches open spaces and picks up big yardage.

When scouts talk about Jeanty's speed, they praise his combination of burst and long speed. He has exceptional burst speed as displayed in his 40-yard dash time. However, he also has elite endurance for an RB, which allows him to outrun defenders consistently.

Quick Links

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications