Isaiah Bond 'for sure' will break Xavier Worthy's 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Could the 40-yard dash record at the NFL Combine be broken by Longhorns two years in a row? Isaiah Bond thinks it will happen.
At a press conference Friday for Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Bond told reporters that he “for sure” will break the marquee event at the combine. Washington’s John Ross long held the record at 4.22 seconds until Texas wideout Xavier Worthy sped to 4.21 last year. Bond, a high school sprint champion from Georgia, puffed out his chest and spoke with it Friday.
“I anticipate running 4.20 or possibly, if I’m feeling great, I might run a 4.1,” he said.
He said he ran a 4.23 during training, so perhaps with the extra motivation and adrenaline rush the combine provides, he could shave some time off and break the event record. The 40-yard dash is the most popular way in the football community to compare straight-line speed. For wide receivers, that’s all about blowing by a defensive back on a go route or outrunning the secondary after a big catch.
“I’ve been one of the fastest (athletes) my whole life. So I’m going to go out there, and when practice meets preparation, greatness is achieved,” Bond said. “I’m just going to trust my training and put on a show.”
Worthy broke the record with his second attempt, improving upon a 4.25 run on his first try. The broadcast had Worthy’s initial time at 4.22 on the second dash, tying the record, but when the official time was revealed, Worthy was crowned the fastest rookie ever at the combine.
Bond transferred to Texas from Alabama before the 2024 season and was featured in both the run and pass games for the Longhorns. Bond tallied 540 yards on 34 catches with five touchdowns and 98 rushing yards on four carries with a score. If he breaks Worthy’s record, it could go a long way in upping his draft stock, considering he didn’t put up the numbers that many expected him to this season.
Wide receivers are scheduled for on-field testing Saturday, and it will be broadcast on the NFL Network. Bond is one of 14 Longhorns invited to the combine, a program record, breaking last year’s mark of 11. If that record can be broken in consecutive seasons, why can’t the 40-yard dash be?
