INDIANAPOLIS — Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson lived up to the pre-combine hype, posting an official 40-yard dash time of 4.26 seconds on Saturday. That mark is likely the fastest of this year’s combine and ties Jerome Mathis’ 4.26 (2005) as one of the quickest by a receiver since 2003, behind only Xavier Worthy’s 4.21 and John Ross’ 4.22.
Thompson followed LSU’s Zavion Thomas, who ran a 4.28 immediately before him. Personnel evaluators in Lucas Oil Stadium said they couldn’t recall seeing back-to-back 4.2s; Thompson and Thomas were two of just three official combine times under 4.30 this year, the other being Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles Jr.’s 4.27 on Friday.
Measured at 5-foot-9 and 164 pounds at the combine, Thompson spent one season at Mississippi State, where he set a school record with 1,054 receiving yards in 2025 — the most in the Southeastern Conference last season. He previously played two seasons at Oklahoma and one at Texas. Over his college career he averaged 39.8 yards per touchdown, and this past season he produced 12 catches of at least 30 yards and five receptions of at least 50 yards.
Thompson’s burst and big-play track record give him a prominent speed profile entering draft evaluations, and his 4.26 will be a highlight for teams weighing his deep-threat potential.
