Which EDGE rusher ran the fastest 40-yard dash at 2023 NFL Combine? [VIDEO]

UPDATE: Nolan Smith’s official time comes in at 4.39. WOW. He was already highly thought of as a prospect, but these numbers will probably give him a boost in the NFL Draft.

The NFL Combine got underway on Thursday with the defensive linemen and linebackers going through the drills. These are the first position groups to go through the 40-yard dash which means we get to see who is going to be the fastest for these positions.

Defensive ends and EDGE linebackers are under a lot of pressure to prove that they will be able to get around the edge of the offensive line at the next level. The 40-yard dash, shuttle and 3-cone drills are all important areas to have impressive performances as they try to increase their draft stock.

It didn’t take long for Georgia linebacker Nolan Smith to set himself apart. Literally, he ran very, very fast. All of the times are unofficial at first until they can be verified, but Smith ran an unofficial 4.44 40-yard dash. Even more than that, his 10-yard split of 1.52-seconds would be the fastest ever for an EDGE if he were able to pull it off.

Nolan Smith measurements, combine performance

Height: 6 ft. 2
Weight: 238 lbs
Bench press: N/A
40-yard dash time (1st): 4.44
10-yard split: 1.52