Former Petersburg High and Hampton University standout Jerome Mathis was the fastest man in 2005 at the NFL Combine.

Mathis’ 40-yard clocking of 4.26 still ranks ninth fastest all-time.

After excelling as a receiver and kick return at Hampton, Mathis earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2005 as a rookie with the NFL’s Houston Texans.

In 1996, Bryan Still (Huguenot High, Virginia Tech) ran a 4.40 at the Combine, second to Texas A&M’s Leeland McElroy’s 4.39.

And Xavier Worthy also has “X-ceptional” speed.

The former University of Texas wide receiver has sped into the NFL Scouting Combine record book with the fastest 40-yard dash in the event’s history.

The 6-foot, 170-pound native Californian ran a 4.21 to break the previous mark of 4.22 set by John Ross in 2017.

Worthy was a two-time, All-Big 10 selection for the Longhorns, catching 197 passes for 2,755 yards and 26 touchdowns in three seasons. He passed on his senior year to enter the NFL.

He figures to be a high round pick in the NFL Draft April 25-27 in Detroit.

The NFL Combine has been held in Indianapolis since 1987 after originating in 1982 in Tampa. Fully electronic timing (instead of a hand-held stopwatch) has been used since 1999.

While the Combine came along before his time, Bob Hayes is generally regarded as the fastest man to ever play in the NFL.

Hayes, who competed in track and football at Florida A&M, set world records for 60 yards (5.9), 100 yards (9.1) and 100 meters (9.9). At the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Hayes won the 100 meters and anchored the U.S. to a world-record in the 4x100 relay.

Long before the Combine, “Bullet Bob” did all that while still also training for football. He went on to a brilliant NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, scoring 71 TDs and earning Hall of Fame honors.

The great Auburn athlete, Bo Jackson, also enters any “fastest man” conversation. Weighing about 230 pounds, Jackson ran a hand-timed 4.13 at Auburn’s Pro Day in 1986.

Jackson did not attend the Combine. Like Hayes, Jackson was a multi-sport legend, starring in baseball, football and track.