Is South Carolina's Xavier Legette the fastest man in football, including NFL?

Xavier Legette may be on pace to strip Miami Dolphins Tyreek Hill of his "Cheetah" nickname: The South Carolina wide receiver recorded the fastest ballcarrier speed in football this year — college football and NFL — in the Gamecocks' Week 4 matchup against Mississippi State.

Legette had a massive game in South Carolina's 37-30 victory over the Bulldogs, recording five receptions for a whopping 189 yards and two touchdowns. The senior wide receiver is in the middle of a breakout year, matching his 2022 season total of three touchdowns and eclipsing 100 yards in three of the Gamecocks' four games this season.

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He put his speed on display on South Carolina's opening score, a 76-yard touchdown reception that saw Legette top out at 22.3 mph. Legette ripped through the seams of the Mississippi State defense, leaving them in his dust as he skipped into the end zone in front of a rowdy Williams-Brice Stadium:

Born in Mullins, the South Carolina native boasts a stocky 6-foot-3, 227-pound build. The wide receiver's strength paired with his swiftness makes him a defensive back's nightmare. Legette even moonlights with the special teams unit, recording seven tackles and one kick-off return touchdown in his four years at South Carolina.

How fast did Xavier Legette run against Mississippi State?

On the Gamecocks' opening drive, Legette received a quick pass from Spencer Rattler in the flat on third-and-4 and exploded through a parted Bulldogs defense untouched at 22.3 mph, the fastest speed of anyone in football this season, including the NFL.

Hill, widely acclaimed as the fastest player in football, recorded 22.07 mph on a 15-yard touchdown during Sunday's 70-20 beatdown of the Denver Broncos. Hill also holds the record for the all-time fastest run in football, as he hit a blistering 23.24 mph run in his rookie season.

What is Xavier Legette's 40 time?

It's unclear what Legette's 40-yard dash time might be, but if Hill is the comparison, Legette could be in the range of 4.30 seconds — or better.

Hill reportedly ran the 40 in 4.29 seconds at a West Alabama pro day in 2016, according to Fox Sports. The fastest 40 time in NFL Combine history is 4.22 seconds, by Washington's John Ross in 2017.

How Xavier Legette broke Alshon Jeffrey's receiving record

Legette also shattered a record set by former Gamecocks receiver Alshon Jeffrey, who totaled 498 yards in the first four games of the season in 2010. After his 178-yard performance on opening week against North Carolina and the 189-yard showcase in Week 4, Legette comfortably cleared Jeffrey, amassing 556 yards at an average of 20 yards per catch.

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Xavier Legette stats

Legette leads the SEC in receiving yards per game (139) and may have a shot at the Biletnikoff Trophy (nation's best college receiver) if he can continue to be a steady target for Rattler and produce wins for South Carolina with three ranked SEC opponents ahead on the schedule.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Xavier Legette's 40 time? South Carolina WR may be fastest in football