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A lot of things are measured when you get to the NFL level. Even something as strange as maximum speed during a game is evaluated.
That’s actually a good thing for two former B1G stars. Ex-Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and former Ohio State wide receiver Terry McLaurin are among the fastest in the NFL right now.
Field Yates of ESPN tweeted out some of the fastest NFL players from Week 1, as tracked by Next Gen Stats. Barkley was the fastest in the league, reaching a maximum speed of 21.8 miles per hour. McLaurin rounded out the top five with a 21.2 miles per hour speed.
Not shabby. Here’s the full top five, posted by Yates:
Top speed reached by a player in Week 1, tracked by @NextGenStats:
1. Saquon Barkley: 21.8 MPH
2. Malcolm Butler: 21.5 MPH
3. DeSean Jackson: 21.4 MPH
4. Sammy Watkins: 21.3 MPH
5. Terry McLaurin: 21.2 MPH— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 9, 2019
Both Barkley and McLaurin had solid outings for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins, respectively. Barkley rushed for 120 yards on 11 carries and added 19 yards on four receptions. The Giants fell to the Dallas Cowboys 35-17.
McLaurin was the leading receiver for the Redskins in his first game, catching five passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Washington was defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles 32-27.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB