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With just the NFL season finale – the Super Bowl (Chiefs vs Buccaneers) – left to play on February 7th, we decided it was time for a dose of excitement and to take a look at the top five fastest ball carriers in the NFL this season.
Here's our mid-season list.
In the meantime, just try to keep up with these guys!
#5 RB Nyheim Hines (Indianapolis Colts)
Indianapolis RB, Nyheim Hines enjoyed himself a decent campaign playing second-fiddle to rookie sensation Jonathan Taylor at the Lucas Oil Stadium.
Hines deputized well in Taylor's absence and was as explosive as ever on special teams.
The NC State University product has always had fleet feet, none more so than when asked to perform kick return duties.
His fastest return of the year may have been called back due to a holding call - robbing him of a deserved TD - but he did hit an ultrasonic speed of 21.85mph on the play, putting him at number five on the end of the year list.
#4 WR Tyreek Hill (Kansas City Chiefs)
I couldn't believe my own eyes when I did the mid-season list: where was Tyreek Hill?
The man they call 'the Cheetah' is uniformly brought up as the benchmark for speed in the NFL. Anyone who tuned in to watch his destruction of the Bills' coverage during last week's AFC Conference Championship will know exactly why.
The Chiefs wideout is absolutely electric with the ball in hand; gifted with a near unstoppable turn of pace.
Tyreek Hill makes the list at number four with this lightning-fast receiving TD notched up against the Miami Dolphins in week-14.
The former UWA starlet hit a high speed of 21.91mph on his way to the crib.
Hill also registered a top speed of 20.76mph on a 71-yard reception versus the Bills last week.
He might not be number 1 in this list, but when it comes to being consistently rapid, and doing it when it matters most, Hill has no equal in the NFL.
3. RB Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts)
Indianapolis Colts' rookie RB sensation, Jonathan Taylor enjoyed a fine first year in the famed blue and white. Taylor totaled 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season. Not half bad.
The week-17 contest versus the woeful Jacksonville Jaguars was probably his most dominant performance. Taylor posted a jaw-dropping 253 yards on the ground and registered two tuddies.
At the start of the 3rd quarter in that contest vs the Jaguars, Taylor burst through the defense and went on a fairly innocuous-looking 29-yard run.
He really doesn't seem to be going all that fast when you watch it, but speed can be deceptive.
The rookie out of Wisconsin actually reached a top speed of 22.05mph on the play!
(The run in question is at 1.27 in the video above)
Colts fans will be hoping Taylor can carry his incredible speed and fine form into his sophomore campaign.
2. RB Kenyan Drake (Arizona Cardinals)
Arizona Cardinals RB, Kenyan Drake clocked the second fastest speed in the NFL this year. The former Dolphin had come under fire from pundits during the build-up to the Cardinals vs Cowboys game back in week-6.
He responded in great fashion by racking up 164 yards, and a high speed of 22.11mph on his way to registering this brilliant 69-yard TD run (seen below).
#1 RB Raheem Mostert (San Francisco 49ers)
There is no change at the top from our mid-season report on 'the NFL's fastest ball carriers.'
San Francisco 49ers' Mostert may have missed most of the year with an unshakeable ankle injury, but that didn't stop him from posting the two fastest plays of the year during weeks 1 and 2.
There was this 76-yard TD reception during the NFL opener against the Cardinals, during which, Mostert clocked a top speed of 22.73mph.
Mostert then switched into hyperdrive the very next week with this incredible 80-yard rushing TD versus the New York Jets.
The 49ers star clocked a top speed of 23.09mph on the play!
The 49ers quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo will surely hope the Clemson University product is fit and ready for action in NFL 2021-22.
An RB that has the ability to make 70-yards-after-contact would certainly help to pad the former Patriot's below-par stats on the year!
What were your favorite hyper-speed plays of the year? Let me know in the comments section below.
