Noah Lyles' taunting stare sparks beef with Kenny Bednarek at U.S. track championships
For about the final five meters of Sunday's 200-meter final at the U.S. Championships, Lyles gave a long, taunting stare to Bednarek in the lane to his left. The staredown continued even after they crossed the finish line, with Lyles posting a world-leading time of 19.63 seconds.
Noah Lyles vs. Kenny Bednarek 👀
🎥 @NBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/bl7qwo30bo
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 3, 2025
'Unsportsmanlike s— and I don't deal with that,' Bednarek said. '… Don't do that to me. I don't do any of that stuff. I think it's not good character right there. That's pretty much it. I mean, at the end of the day, he won the race, so I gotta give him his props. He was the better man today.'
Bednarek, who won the 100-meter championship on Friday after Lyles pulled out, responded to the stare down with a light shove as they throttled down.
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Lyles took exception to the shove. He turned towards Bednarek, backpedaling with his arms spread wide — as if to say, 'What was that?' — before coming to a stop. Bednarek approached Lyles to shake his hand. Lyles, visibly bothered by the shove, didn't extend his hand initially.
The two exchanged words. Lyles eventually shook hands with Bednarek, hesitantly.
'On coach's orders,' Lyles said, 'no comment.'
Lyles heads to Tokyo in September to defend his world championship crowns in the 100 and 200 meters. Bednarek is also aiming for a sprint double at worlds, having won the U.S. Championships in the 100 meters and taking second in the 200 meters. Robert Gregory (19.80) edged out Courtney Lindsey (19.82) to secure the third qualifying spot for Tokyo. Erriyon Knighton, current No. 3 in the world in the 200, finished fifth (19.97).
Bednarek led through the turn Sunday and seemed to be in control. But Lyles unleashed his trademark closing speed and surged to victory.
'As long as I can keep him in my pocket, then I can catch him on the straightaway,' Lyles said he was thinking after Bednarek got out to the sizeable lead. 'We got to the straightaway and we passed the 60-meters-left mark, I was like, 'Yeah, I'm coming.' He ran out of energy. He ran out of momentum. Mine was just starting to hit it.'
Bednarek said the incident Sunday stems from a private matter the two have yet to resolve. He said he's open to resolving it behind the scenes. He took umbrage at Lyles carrying that issue onto the track.
'Just some personal stuff that we got to handle,' Bednarek said. 'And I said, like, you got my number if he wants to call me. He had every chance to do it. But he want to come out here and do that?'
Sunday marked Lyles' second final of the season. He beat Botswana's Letsile Tebogo in July at the Diamond League meet in Monaco. Tebogo beat Lyles in Paris, winning the 200-meter gold in the Olympics.
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Bednarek was sure to point out he beat Lyles, too, in that 200 in Paris, taking silver. Lyles, who ran while battling COVID-19, took bronze. Bednarek said Lyles had an advantage from limited action. The 200-meter final was just his third race of the U.S. championships after running just one heat of the 100. Bednarek was on his fifth race, having run all three heats in the 100 and two heats in the 200.
'He was fresh,' Bednarek said. 'We line up again when we're both fresh, see what happens. Because I'm very confident I can beat him. That's all I can say. … Next time we line up, I'ma win. That's all that matters to me.'
Lyles said he will be in Europe competing to get back in top form before worlds. He said he needs races under his belt, which is why he ran the 200 meters this weekend even though he already has a spot as the reigning champion.
'I feel really good,' Lyles said. 'If they ain't gonna beat me now, they ain't gonna beat me ever.'
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PFF gave Goosby an 80.8 pass blocking grade for the season, which was higher than Cameron Williams, Texas' starter at right tackle, although the freshman had a much smaller sample size. At 6-7 1/3, 311 pounds, Goosby clocked a flying 10-yard sprint of 1.44 seconds, grading at an extremely high level in terms of his acceleration for an offensive lineman. His max speed of 20 mph this offseason was almost as impressive. He bench pressed 365 pounds and jumped the highest of any of the Longhorn O-linemen. His leaping ability and body control are also evident in this video of him doing a 360-dunk last spring. Texas LT Trevor Goosby is one of the more freakier athletes in CFB. 3️⃣6️⃣0️⃣🤘 — Justin Wells (@justinwells2424) May 1, 2025 The South African moved to Georgia when he was 10. His grandfather was a championship bodybuilder and his grandmother represented South Africa in the 1958 Commonwealth Games. 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Singleton is within reach of taking over the top spot in both categories. Last season, he had 172 carries for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 41 catches for 375 yards and five TDs. The guy who holds the school's all-time rushing TD mark is Saquon Barkley, who had 43 in three seasons. Barkley, No. 1 on the 2017 Freaks List, ran a 4.33 40, power cleaned 405 pounds and bench pressed 405. Singleton is close to those numbers and better in the bench press, doing 435. He improved his power clean to 395. His 40 is 4.35. His shuttle time is 4.18. His max velocity is 23.5 mph. He broke Barkley's running back record in the squat last year, doing 665. He did 660 this offseason. Singleton's broad jump also went up four inches to 10-5. 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A transfer this year from Division II Lindenwood in Missouri, Caldwell had 93 career catches for 1,722 yards and 23 touchdowns in his career there. He's 6-4 1/2 and 208 pounds, and he wowed Cincinnati coaches when he broad-jumped 11-9. For context, that's seven inches longer than any other wideout jump at the combine this year. It also would've tied the farthest any wide receiver has ever jumped at the combine. Caldwell's vertical jump is 36.5 inches and he clocked a 1.50-second 10-yard split. The Virginia native is coming off a breakout season in his sophomore year, where he started all 16 games, making 58 tackles, six TFLs, one sack, three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and breaking up four passes. A standout running back in high school, he's made big gains this offseason, improving his 40 to 4.37 from 4.50 last year. His vertical jump went from 34 inches to 37 1/2, he now broad jumps 10-5 and also bettered his shuttle time to 4.05 — no linebacker has gone faster than that at the combine since 2019. Rojas hit 22.5 mph on the GPS, power cleaned 350 pounds and benched 375. Peak, a Georgia native, weighed nearly 380 pounds going into his senior year of high school, but lost a lot of the weight playing basketball. He has started in each of his first two seasons at right tackle, and the 6-4, 308-pound junior, expected to play at left tackle this fall, should be one of the ACC's best O-linemen this season. In 2024, Peak was second on the Wolfpack in pancakes with 54. Advertisement 'He's very athletic and a great bender,' said NC State strength coach Dantonio Burnette. This offseason, Peak vertical ran a 4.86 40 and hit 19.8 mph on the GPS. He jumped 32.5 inches, broad jumped 9-3 and timed a very impressive 4.37-second shuttle. That would've been the fastest shuttle time of any offensive lineman at the 2024 combine, besting former Texas Tech Freak Lister Caleb Rogers' 4.49. Peak bench pressed 405 pounds, squatted 585 and cleaned 350. Five years ago, Hilton was the highest-ranked of the Tigers' ridiculously talented wide receiver class that included NFL first-rounders Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers and second-rounder Jack Bech. Hilton, an elite track athlete, has battled many injuries in his career but is expected to have a big 2025. He missed most of last season with an ankle injury, but has flashed his big-play potential. In the Texas Bowl against Baylor, he caught seven passes for 113 yards. He's had 31 catches in his career with seven going for at least 40 yards, with five TDs. The 6-0, 190-pound senior, a former three-time Louisiana state high jump champion, has hit 23.7 mph on the GPS, an all-time LSU record. He also has clocked a 1.37 10-yard split off of a 1-yard lead-in, another program record, and he's timed in the high 4.2s in the 40. On a team with plenty of Freaky receivers, including track star Jelani Watkins and Barion Brown, coaches say this is the program's biggest Freak. In his first season as a starter, the former three-star recruit took the sport by storm. He completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven INTs. On the ground, he ran for 674 yards and seven TDs, often looking like the best athlete on the field. At 6-3, 245 pounds, Sellers measured in with just seven percent body fat this offseason. He squatted 555 pounds and hit 22 mph on the GPS. And his coaches say he's just scratching the surface of how good he can be. Trey Lance's younger brother is a special athlete, too. At 6-3, 207 pounds, he vertical jumped 40 inches this offseason and broad jumped 10-10. That kind of explosiveness shows up on the field. The younger Lance set an NDSU record last season with 17 touchdown receptions, which led the FCS in 2024. The first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference pick had 75 catches for 1,071 yards for NDSU. The TE from Germany made the Freaks List last year (No. 90). In 2024, he started six games and caught 13 passes for 108 yards and was named Most Improved Player on offense. The 6-6, 250-pound junior, who has hit 21.75 mph, broad jumped 9-7. This offseason, Klein ran a 6.89 in the three-cone drill. His former teammate Colston Loveland did it at 6.94 last offseason, and no tight end at this year's combine did it quicker than that. Klein's shuttle time of 4.25 this offseason would've been the fastest by any tight end at the combine. One other Wolverine Freak to remember is redshirt freshman RB Micah Ka'apana, a 5-11, 190-pounder from Hawaii who broke Roman Wilson's reactive plyo stair record at Michigan of 2.22 by flying up the stairs in 2.19 seconds. A former four-star recruit, Langston didn't see much action in three years with LSU, but new Owls coach Zach Kittley has loved what he's seen and expects a breakout season from him. The 6-3, 292-pound Langston looks like a leader for FAU. He's very strong and explosive and has long arms — he has a 6-7 wingspan. He bench pressed 425 pounds, power cleaned 365 and vertical jumped 37 inches. He also clocked a hand-timed 4.7 40. Advertisement He missed almost all of last year with a fractured hip suffered in the season opener. D'Appolonia showed a lot of promise as a true freshman in 2023, making eight tackles as one of Toledo's top special-teamers. Don't be surprised if he's one of the MAC's best linebackers this year. The 6-3, 245-pounder is a high-level athlete. He clocked 21.94 mph on the GPS, broad jumped 10-8 and vertical jumped 34.5 inches. He also benched 355 pounds and squatted 555. The other Freaky athlete on the Rockets' defense is 295-pound lineman Martez Poynter, who had seven TFLs in 2024. The near 300-pounder hit 19.77 mph on the GPS, did 35 reps of 225 on the bench and maxed 455 on the bench. As a true freshman last year, the former four-star recruit appeared in 10 games and made seven tackles. The 6-5, 295-pounder from Minnesota has intriguing athleticism, having clocked 19.22 mph at nearly 300 pounds. More impressively, Abasiri's 10-yard split was 1.60, which would be a good time for an edge rusher. He's squatted 700 pounds. At 6-7, 270, Honig, a former quarterback from Bavaria, Germany, began his college career at TCU. He moved to tight end after a redshirt season and played in 12 of 15 games during TCU's run to the title game. Honig won the starting job last season in large part because of his blocking ability, but he did have six catches, with three for touchdowns. At 6-7, 270 pounds with just 14 percent body fat, some scouts think he could project to offensive tackle at the next level because of his hulking frame and impressive athleticism. There is a lot here. He's cleaned 395 pounds — the most UConn strength coach Tyson Brown's ever seen in his 16 years in the business. Honig, who has 11-inch hands, also benched 225 for 30 reps. He vertical jumped 36 inches and broad jumped 10-5. Honig would've been a pretty hot commodity had he gone in the portal this offseason, but he is very loyal to coach Jim Mora and the Huskies. 'He is a phenomenal guy with as good of a work ethic and character as I've been around,' said Brown, who has coached at Mississippi State, Baylor, Washington and Washington State. 'He's a big-time leader for us.' The four-star recruit from Kansas, who was a 6A state champion in shot put and discus, has added 15 pounds since arriving last winter. Woods has wowed coaches with his explosiveness, intelligence and work ethic. At 6-3, 244, Woods broad jumped 10-5 this offseason and vertical jumped 33.5 inches. His shuttle time was 4.28. He squatted 555 pounds and power cleaned 365. ILB Aaron Chiles is another similarly sized Freaky defender. The 243-pound sophomore vertical jumped 9-10 1/2 and cleaned 345 pounds at 243. Injuries at Wake Forest caused him to miss the 2021 and 2023 seasons. In between, Greene looked like one of the best young players in the ACC. He caught 37 passes for 642 yards and six TDs. Last year, Greene was healthy and caught 23 passes for 380 yards and three TDs. He's fully healthy now and coaches think he can make a big impact. At 6-2, 200 (he played at 210 at Wake), Greene broad jumped 11-4 1/2 and vertical jumped 42 inches. He has great length with 34 1/2-inch arms and 10 1/4-inch hands. Advertisement Good news for the Bulls: their star QB, who is just 20, looked better than ever this spring after missing eight games last season due to a leg injury following a record-setting season in 2023. That year, Brown and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels were the only QBs in the nation to post 3,000-plus passing yards and 800-plus rushing yards in the regular season. The 6-3 1/2, 232-pound senior hit 22.5 mph on the GPS this offseason. He squatted 600 pounds and benched 300. 'He really is a freak athlete,' said USF head coach Alex Golesh. One of the many big gets by the Red Raiders in the portal this offseason, Bailey had a combined 22.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in his three seasons at Stanford. He is PFF's highest-rated returning edge player after grading out at 90.9 as a junior in 2024. Bailey bench pressed 405 pounds and squatted 550. He has rare speed for a guy at 6-3, 250, having hit 22.16 mph. His new teammate Romello Height is almost as Freaky, having clocked 21.82 mph at 240 pounds. The son of former Irish and San Francisco 49ers great Bryant Young and former ND track star Kristin Young had an outstanding freshman season in 2024, making 23 tackles, seven of which came on third downs. He blocked three kicks, tops among all freshmen in FBS. At 6-7, 270, Young combines terrific length and size to go with high-end explosiveness. He's put on almost 30 pounds since arriving last year, but still managed to vertical jump 34 1/2 inches and broad jump 9-5. He benched 335 pounds and cleaned 335. Anthonie Knapp, another member of the Irish's already strong 2024 recruiting class, also made a compelling case for a spot on this year's Freaks List. The 6-5, 300-pound offensive tackle, who excelled filling in for Charles Jagusah last season, vertical jumped 30 inches and benched 425 pounds. He spent three seasons at NC State before transferring to Liberty last year, where he was the top returnman and had 10 carries for 62 yards and seven catches for 97 yards. The 5-11, 205-pound senior has added 10 pounds this offseason and vertical jumped 42.6 inches. He was clocked at 22.26 mph. He squatted 575 pounds, bench pressed 335 and power cleaned 320. The staff is expecting a breakout season from the former high school track star. The junior was very effective in limited action, rushing 274 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries with a gaudy 8.3-yard per carry average in 2024. The 5-10, 220-pounder is a very explosive athlete. This offseason, he ran a 4.40 40, but that probably wasn't his most impressive number. He did 10-9 3/4 inches on the broad jump, clocked a 3.96 shuttle time, squatted 635 pounds, vertical jumped 37 1/2 inches and did 33 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. His backfield mate, fullback Jackson Acker, is also pretty Freaky, a 6-2, 248-pounder who clocked a 4.50 40. He started one game for the Nittany Lions in 2024 but saw a lot of action, making one interception and six pass breakups. The 5-11, 205-pound junior is one of the Freakiest DBs in the country. He set the Penn State record for DBs in the squat, doing 565 pounds in his freshman year. He's clocked a 4.32 40 and this offseason, broad jumped 10-7, vertical jumped 37 1/2 inches and hit 23 mph on the GPS. Advertisement Golday finished second on the team in tackles last year (58) and had seven TFLs despite being limited by injuries over the season's final three games. Still, he was PFF's second-highest-graded linebacker in the Big 12 in 2024. The 6-4 1/2, 240-pounder has some elite testing numbers. He ran a 4.24 shuttle time, which would've been faster than any linebacker at this year's combine. He broad jumped 10-7, which would've been second-best there. His 36-inch vertical and 1.54-second 10-yard split also stand out as did his 24 reps on the bench with 225 pounds. His max on the bench is 365. He did 19 pull-ups and hit 22.16 mph. He's a unique weapon. In 2024, he led Baylor in catches (52), yards (754) and receiving TDs (10). Beyond that, he returned 14 punts for 290 yards (a spectacular average of 20.7 yards per return). He was such a nightmare for opposing special teams that Baylor's last four opponents of the year did not even give Cameron an opportunity to run one back, so he ended up falling below the NCAA's statistical minimum threshold for punt return average to lead the nation in punt returns. The 6-1, 225-pound senior has to be one of the strongest wideouts in college football. This offseason, he bench pressed 395 pounds, squatted 528 and power cleaned 319. He also clocked 21.6 mph on the GPS. The former all-star QB didn't get into any games last season, but don't be surprised if he becomes a factor for the defense soon. A four-sport super athlete from a small town in Iowa (Monticello, pop. 4,056), the 6-1, 225-pound Reis already holds the program linebacker record with a 630-pound squat as well as a 41.4 vertical jump/ and 1.45-second 10. In 2023, he led all ACC freshmen in tackles with 71. Last season, Robinson had six TFLs, five sacks and 64 tackles. The 6-2 1/2, 235-pound linebacker vertical jumped 34 inches this offseason and broad jumped 10-4. His shuttle time was 4.27 and his top speed was 22.23 mph. The former five-star recruit was overshadowed by Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams last year, but Coleman had a terrific true freshman season in his own right, catching 37 passes for 598 yards and eight TDs. In Auburn's last three games, he had 22 catches for 306 yards and six touchdowns. The 6-3, 201-pounder has been clocked at over 23 mph on the GPS in games and in practice. This offseason, he squatted 540 pounds and power cleaned 305. As a true freshman, Baugh gave the Gators a huge spark in the second half of the season, shining against Georgia, Texas, LSU and Ole Miss. He also had big performances against FSU and Kentucky, when he had a program-record five rushing TDs. Baugh led the Gators with 673 yards, averaging over five yards per carry to go with eight TDs. The 6-1, 233-pound power back from Atlanta, who has 13.6 percent body fat, squatted 565 pounds this offseason, did a close-grip bench press of 350 and cleaned 335. He also moves well for such a big back, hitting 21.7 mph. He started six games last year after overcoming an early-season injury and was still able to make second-team all-Mountain West. He was second on the Cowboys with 30 receptions for 425 yards and tied for the team lead with three TDs. The former high school basketball standout only played one season of football before coming to college, but he has the kind of athleticism at 6-5, 250 pounds that will intrigue NFL scouts. He's hit 21.6 mph and his flying 10-yard time of 0.93 seconds is impressive, as are his 37-inch vertical and 10-8 broad jump. He squatted 500 pounds, benched 350 (up 25 pounds from last year) and cleaned 335. Advertisement He rushed for almost 2,600 yards and had over 700 more receiving yards and 30 touchdowns in three seasons at Cal. The 5-11, 208-pounder squatted 485 pounds, bench pressed 370 and power cleaned 315. His max velocity was 21.6 mph and his max acceleration registered at 12.1 mph — his ability in one second to see how fast he can sprint from a stop. The strength staff measured his peak propulsion power at 7,792 watts, and his propulsion force was more than three times (3.01) his body weight. One of the best-kept secrets in the Big Ten. In 2023, as a redshirt freshman, Saka made 5.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 11 games. Last season, he made All-Big Ten honorable mention selection with five TFLs and 3.5 sacks, where he also ranked 13th in the Big Ten in pass rush win percentage in 2024, according to PFF. He's added about 15 pounds since last season, and is excited to see the difference it makes for him on the field, now that he carries almost 260 pounds on his 6-4 frame. Expect him to be more of an every-down player for the Wildcats. 'I still feel very explosive, very fast,' the former high school sprinter said. 'I feel that 255-260 (pound) range is money for me.' This summer, Saka vertical jumped 36 1/2 inches and broad jumped 10-4. He emerged as one of the MAC's top defensive players in 2024, making 38 tackles with 6.5 sacks with a forced fumble. The 6-5, 255-pound former high school wrestler has put impressive numbers this offseason, broad jumping an eye-catching 10-6 feet. (Only Shemar Stewart and Landon Jackson jumped farther at the combine among defensive ends in 2025.) He vertical jumped 35 inches, ran a 4.73 40, had a 4.47 shuttle time and bench pressed 410 pounds. Williams' combination of frame, athleticism and production has intrigued many NFL scouts. Hey @BruceFeldmanCFB if you need someone for your Freaks List here is Roy Williams 6'5 255 10'6 Broad Jump. He working like a Pro this year. — Thomas Hammock (@NIUCoachHammock) July 18, 2025 One of the former James Madison players who followed Curt Cignetti to Bloomington, the 5-10, 210-pounder rushed for 251 yards and two TDs in limited action. Black vertical jumped 40 inches, bench pressed 415 pounds and squatted over 500 this summer. 'He's our biggest Freak for sure,' said DL Mikail Kamara. 'When he lifts, everything moves so fast. He's ridiculous. I've never seen him struggle (in the weight room). I saw him bench press 415 the other day, and it was butter. It touched his chest and went right back up. It looked like a warmup set. And he's hella fast.' The former state champion wrestler from Florida has been a menace to opponents. Last year, Jacas made 74 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. He made 9.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and forced two of those fumbles in Illinois' six games against ranked teams. Coaches are expecting an even bigger season from him in 2025. Advertisement 'He has lost over seven percent of his body fat from last season to the start of this season,' strength coach Tank Wright said. The 6-3, 270-pound Jacas is now under 12 percent. He has hit over 20 mph on the GPS and bench pressed 225 pounds for 30-plus reps. 'Talent is common at this level of college football; however, work ethic sets the elite apart from the rest, and Gabe Jacas is the definition of work ethic and dedication,' Wright said. 'Football has become his lifestyle. From early morning workouts to late afternoon workouts. He has embraced every aspect of a relentless mindset to achieve high goals.' A top-125 recruit who had originally signed with Georgia, Smith is finally healthy after battling various injuries, and the staff is fired up. Last year, while at Purdue, he started in all three of the games he played in, catching six passes for 69 yards. The 6-0 1/2, 204-pounder ran a 10.29 100 meters and clocked at 23.11 mph on the GPS. This offseason, Smith bench pressed 315 pounds, squatted 445 and cleaned 325. The former five-star began his career at Oklahoma. He made six TFLs and 4.5 sacks last year and looks ready to make a bigger impact. The 6-4, 252-pound senior hit 22.1 mph on the GPS with a max acceleration of 8.18. He squatted 565 pounds, benched 335 and cleaned 330. He's one of a trio of Sun Devils who each could've been on the Freaks List. Star wideout Jordyn Tyson, at 6-2, 205, hit 22.8 mph and bench pressed 335 pounds. Linebacker Keyshaun Elliott hit 22.42 mph at 6-2, 234 pounds and power cleaned 360. A soccer player from Germany who didn't pick up football until 2020, Biegel redshirted last season as a 6-5, 280-pounder. He has added 35 pounds and displayed 'rare traits in both movement and strength and power,' said strength coach Justin Tress. 'He weighs 315 pounds and moves like a linebacker.' Beigel has uncanny flexibility in his lower body in his ankles, knees and hips, which is evident in how quickly and deep he goes squatting 425 pounds for three reps, Tress said. Beigel also rocketed up the reactive plyo stairs in 2.64 seconds, best of any offensive or defensive linemen in the program. Former All-American Aidan Hutchinson once did it in 2.57 seconds but he weighed 50 pounds less. Beigel isn't the only Freaky Wolverine in the D-line room. Ike Iwunnah, a 6-3, 320-pound senior, is just the third player in Michigan history who has done 800 pounds on the combo twist, joining Mike Onwenu and 2022 Freaks Lister Mazi Smith. Iwunnah also completed the reactive plyo stairs in 2.75 seconds (Mazi Smith did it in 2.82 seconds). One of the best-kept secrets in the ACC, the 5-9, 192-pound senior had 228 carries for 1,049 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 2024, becoming the first Wake Forest RB to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground in six seasons. He also added 23 receptions for 254 yards and two more receiving touchdowns. On special teams, he averaged over 25 yards as a KR, which included a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Miami in Week 13. Claiborne has hit 22.3 mph and has clocked a flying 10-yard split of .90 seconds with a 25-yard buildup. He squatted 500 pounds this offseason and cleaned 300. Advertisement Clairborne also earned the distinction of having the fastest speed grade of any running back in EA Sports College Football 26. Both he and Fresno State's Rayshon 'Speedy' Luke, a 5-9, 180-pounder who once ran a 10.32 100-meter in high school, are listed as 96s — one point above Notre Dame's noted speedster Jeremiyah Love. The 6-2, 214-pound Brown is really gifted. This offseason, he clocked a 4.40 40, vertical jumped 41 inches and broad jumped 10-8. He also squatted 585 pounds and did 21 reps of 225 on the bench. On the field, the former high school quarterback and standout basketball player had 51 tackles last year with three pass breakups, one sack, a forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The 6-0, 225-pound junior is coming off an All-American season in which he piled up 101 tackles, 15.5 TFLs, seven sacks and four interceptions. He blocked a Toledo extra point attempt in the GameAbove Sports Bowl and returned it for a rare defensive 2-point conversion. He also had a 59-yard pick six against Syracuse earlier in the season. On that play, Louis displayed his speed, clocking 21.34 mph. This summer, he broad jumped 10-3 and did 40 chin-up reps during a team competition. A redshirt freshman, the 5-11 1/4, 214-pound Scott is already one of the strongest running backs in college football. He power cleaned 375 pounds this offseason and squatted 550. 'He will clean over 405 next year, guaranteed,' NC State strength coach Dantonio Burnette said. Remember Scott's name: I predict he makes a big splash in the ACC this year. Scott, who was one of the top high school sprinters in Georgia, vertical jumped 37.5 inches, ran a 4.35 40 and clocked a 4.23 shuttle time. The 6-3, 190-pounder is making his third appearance on the Freaks List. Taylor had 23 tackles and one TFL in 2024, his first in the SEC. This offseason, Taylor broad jumped 10-11, vertical jumped 38.5 inches and hit a top speed of 21.99 mph on the GPS. An elite track athlete who has a lot of potential on the football field. At the ACC outdoor championship meet this year, he ran the 400 in 44.38, setting an ACC and FSU record. Danzy, who made first-team All-ACC in track as a true freshman, was the national leader going into the NCAA Track and Field championships and ninth in the world. Before coming to FSU, he was the Florida state champion in the 200 and 400 in 2023 and 2024. The 6-1, 185-pounder played in four games as a running back for the Noles in 2024, preserving his redshirt status. This spring, he shifted to wideout. This offseason, Danzy power cleaned 335, showing he has a lot of strength to go with all that speed. The strength staff says he is easily capable of going over 24 mph. Advertisement Another Freaks List returnee, Morris' 2024 season was over almost as soon as it began. He started the opener against Elon but suffered a season-ending injury. In 20 career games, he has made 75 tackles with three TFLs. The 6-3, 238-pound fifth-year senior looked more than ready for 2025 this summer. He vertical jumped 40 inches and broad jumped 10-2 1/4. He hit 21.73 mph on the GPS, clocked a 4.28 shuttle time and a 6.72 three-cone drill. His power numbers also were outstanding, bench pressing 415, squatting 573 and power cleaning 366. He spent two seasons at Tennessee as a reserve running back/returnman before coming back to his home state, where he was once the top-ranked prospect in Virginia and won state titles in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash (twice) and 4×100-meter relay. The 6-1 1/2, 210-pound Seldon is probably the fastest Hokie, having clocked 22.9 mph this offseason. He also broad jumped 10-4 and vertical jumped 36 inches. The Nittany Lions have had a remarkable run of standout athletes at tight end. Dinkins, the son of former NFL tight end Darnell Dinkins, started six games last season, catching 14 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki proved last year he's very creative in finding ways to get his best athletes the ball, and Dinkins is one of the Freakiest athletes in the country. At 6-4, 255 pounds, Dinkins ran a 4.50 40 (a school record for Penn State tight ends) and hit 21.8 mph. He broad jumped 10-0, clocked 4.30 in the shuttle, bench pressed 405 pounds, power cleaned 355 and squatted 550. A 6-3, 215-pound sophomore, Singleton has added about 30 pounds since arriving in Tampa from Georgia. He made a bunch of splashy plays in his first season, catching 26 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns, and should be an even bigger weapon with star QB Byrum Brown back. Singleton, who has huge hands and wears XXXL-sized gloves, hit 22.4 mph and squatted 535 pounds. This was a big get for the Tigers. While at Georgia Tech, Singleton was a 2023 freshman All-American at Georgia Tech (56 passes for 754 yards and three TDs, plus 131 rushing yards and a TD). A decorated high school sprinter, Singleton ran track at Tech too, clocking a 10.32 100 meters in one race he won. (His personal best in the 100 is 10.20.) Pound for pound, the former 5-10, 180-pound Georgia state champion in the 100, 200 and 400 meters is very strong. He squatted 550 pounds and clocked over 23 mph on the GPS. The junior started 13 games at guard last season and was honored as a First Team All-AAC selection by the league's coaches. The 6-2, 285-pounder was a Georgia 5A state heavyweight wrestling champion but was the lowest-ranked recruit in Tulane's 2022 recruiting class. He's blossomed into one of the top guards in college football. He's extremely explosive and strong. This offseason, Hurst power cleaned 375 pounds but head coach Jon Sumrall said they cut him off: 'He could've gone way more.' Hurst also bench pressed 450, squatted 600 and did a trap bar deadlift with 635 pounds for three reps. A converted safety, Brown led the Wolfpack with 94 tackles last season. The 6-0, 224-pound senior has added about 10 pounds from last year but still runs like a DB, and a fast one at that. This offseason, he clocked a 4.47 40 with an even more impressive 3.97 shuttle. He had a 10-3 broad jump and a 38.5-inch vertical jump. Brown also squatted 530 pounds, benched 365 and cleaned 325. Advertisement A two-time transfer who played at Cincinnati and West Virginia before joining the Bearkats, the 6-1, 265-pound senior wowed his new teammates and coaches this summer with his numbers. He clocked a 4.70 40, vertical jumped 32.5 inches and clocked 21 mph. He benched pressed 425, squatted 535 and did a sumo deadlift of 585. He also did 16 pull-ups. He began his career at West Georgia before transferring to Limestone University, where he led all NCAA Division II tight ends with 57 catches for 766 yards for eight TDs in 2024. The 6-3, 229-pound senior doesn't have great size for a tight end but is super athletic and strong. He benched 405 pounds, power cleaned 365 and vertical jumped 37 inches to go with a 1.43-second 10-yard split with a 10-yard run-up. He hit 21.7 mph on the flying 10. He was a big recruit for FSU in 2022, but the former four-star recruit didn't see a lot of playing time in two years there as his body continued to develop. Richardson, who has 11-inch hands and a 6-11 wingspan, won a starting job with the Owls in 2024. At 6-5, 322 pounds, he vertical jumped 35 inches this summer and clocked a hand-timed 5.0 40. He power cleaned 405 pounds and benched 405. Last year, the New Jersey native made FCS first-team All-America after making 82 tackles with 22.5 TFLs and 12.5 sacks. He went in the portal last winter and transferred to Memphis, but opted to return to URI in the spring. The 6-2, 250-pound senior vertical jumped 35 inches this offseason, did multiple reps squatting 600 pounds and benched pressed 375 pounds. Another transfer, this one from North Carolina, Sampson is expected to become Tech's starting left tackle. He has great size at 6-8, 335, but also moves well, having hit 17.24 mph. He's bench pressed 385 pounds and squatted 605. The diminutive junior proved to be a big weapon for the Hilltoppers, especially in road games: He scored three times on big plays — 74 yards at Sam Houston, 72 yards at Middle Tennessee and 28 yards at New Mexico State. The 5-6, 180-pounder is extremely strong for his size. He did 20 reps on the bench press at 225 pounds and maxed out at 350. He squatted 450. He vertical jumped 41 inches, broad jumped 10-1 and clocked a 4.10 shuttle time. His 10-yard split was 1.5,1 and he hit 22.5 mph on the GPS. In his first full season as a starter, Spears-Jennings made a lot of big plays: 66 tackles, five TFLs, 2.5 sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. The 6-1, 219-pound junior, a former high school sprinter, squatted 510 pounds, bench pressed 330 and hit 21.6 mph on the GPS. His max acceleration was 12.8 mph, measuring his ability in one second to see how fast he can sprint from a stop. Spears-Jennings' propulsion force measurement was 3.4 times his body weight in a vertical jump, which is exceptional, according to the staff. Advertisement The 6-3, 198-pound Hurst, who spent two seasons at Valdosta State, had a big debut season in the Sun Belt, making 56 receptions for 961 yards and a Georgia State single-season record nine touchdowns. He had two TDs, including the game-winner with 15 seconds left, in Georgia State's upset against Vanderbilt. Hurst clocked a laser-timed 4.51 40 this offseason and also broad jumped 10-8. His three-cone time was 6.93. Head coach Dell McGee has another Freaky transfer on his roster in former South Carolina RB DJay Braswell, who, at 5-11, 215, ran a laser-timed 4.38 40 with a 1.47-second 10-yard split. A first-team FCS All-American in 2024, Jones led the country with 22 passes defensed and 22 passes broken up to go with 48 tackles, two INTs and two forced fumbles. In high school, Jones was the Virginia state champion in the long jump and the runner-up in the triple jump. The 6-0 1/2, 195-pound senior has really long arms and is drawing plenty of interest from scouts. His wingspan is 6-5 1/2. This summer he clocked a 1.51-second 10-yard split, hit 22 mph on the GPS, vertical jumped 36 1/2 inches and broad jumped 10-2. Coach Mike London calls him 'The TikTok King': 'He knows every dance move out there. Heck, he even knows the electric slide.' After returning from an ACL injury that hampered him for parts of his freshman and sophomore seasons, the junior started three games, catching 11 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-6, 255-pound second-generation Irish football player displayed plenty of explosiveness this offseason, vertical jumping 34 inches and broad jumping 9-10. He's also quite strong, benching 350 pounds, power cleaning 335 and squatting 535. The junior college product had 527 yards and four touchdowns in his debut season at La. Tech. He also had 20 catches for 126 yards and two TDs as a receiver. The 5-10, 206-pound Wiggins squatted 585 pounds, vertical jumped 40 inches and hit over 22 mph. The former Illinois O-lineman, who made Academic All-Big Ten in his two seasons there, made third-team All-Sun Belt in 2024, starting three games at left guard and then ODU's final nine games at left tackle. The 6-4, 319-pound senior, who played five sports in high school (football, baseball, wrestling, golf and track and field), ran a laser-timed 1.58 10-yard split this offseason. His top GPS speed was 18.18 mph. He squatted 655 pounds and benched 425. Carter arrived from Memphis last year and was Tech's starting right guard. He was their second-highest graded o-lineman, according to PFF, at 70.6. He's an impressive combination of agility and power. He clocked 18.88 mph on the GPS at a stout 6-0, 300 pounds. He also bench pressed 425 pounds and squatted 655 this offseason. The younger brother of former Oklahoma State star Brennan Presley, Braylin transferred to Tulsa from Oklahoma State two years ago. He's made some big plays as a returner, averaging 52 yards on three kickoff returns in 2024. The 5-6, 170-pound senior has run a 10.4 100 meters, hit 23 mph, clocked a 1.44-second 10-yard split, vertical jumped 38 inches and did 4.18 in the shuttle. He squatted 585 pounds and power cleaned 315. Advertisement One of the ACC's best punters looks and moves like an ACC power forward. Sparks, who averaged 44.6 yards per punt and had 25 percent of his kicks pinned inside the opponent's 20 last season, is 6-6 1/2, 223 pounds. This offseason, he broad jumped 10-5 ½ and vertical jumped 33 1/2 inches. Only four DBs at this year's combine ran faster than his 4.25-second shuttle time. Last year's Freak punter, Penn State's Gabe Nwosu, almost made the list again. The 6-6, 280-pound punter runs a 4.86 40 and vertical jumped 31 1/2 inches. He improved his bench press to 390, which has to make him the strongest punter in college football. Delaware kicker Nate Reed also almost made it. At 6-2 1/2, 183, he broad jumped 10-5, vertical jumped 37 inches and hit 21.15 mph. He spent three seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to MSU, where he caught 19 passes for 230 yards and two TDs. A former high school QB who won the Texas 3A 200-meter title running 21.27, the 5-9, 170-pound Thompson clocked a blazing 23.7 mph this offseason. He bench pressed 305 pounds and squatted 405. He's expected to have a big season for the Bulldogs, taking over the slot spot that Kevin Coleman had, where he put up big numbers last season before transferring. Ball State also has one of the Freakiest specialists on the roster in kicker Brady Boehm, a transfer from Missouri who vertical jumps 41 inches, but in Wing, they have a guy who almost jumped as high (39.7 inches) and weighs 40 pounds more. The 6-2, 233-pound redshirt junior, who started his college career at Rutgers, also broad jumped 10-4 1/2 this offseason. 'Micah is an edgy pass rusher with a high motor and huge explosive ability to go along with it,' said BSU strength coach T.J. Greenstone. 'His performance is a result of the intensity he brings day in and day out.' This is an intriguing young prospect who redshirted last season, catching one pass in three games. At 6-5, 211 pounds, Tipton, a former high school track standout in Texas, vertical jumped 41 inches this offseason and broad jumped 10-5. He also power cleaned 315 and clocked a 1.43-second 10-yard time with a 10-yard run-up. NFL scouts are very interested in Walthall. The 6-1 1/2, 198-pound Walthall, who won a Texas state title in the triple jump with a leap of 50 feet, 4 inches, began his college career at Hawaii. In his first season at UIW, he had 70 catches for 1,290 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Walthall vertical jumped 40 inches this summer and broad jumped 10-7. He's also hit 22 mph on the GPS and power cleaned 290 pounds. Advertisement A graduate transfer from Cornell, White had 20 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in 2024 for Buffalo. The 6-2, 255-pound White squatted 635 pounds at .59 m/s, which, according to Buffalo's strength staff, that weight, at that speed, projects his squat to be around 800 pounds. This offseason, White bench pressed 435 pounds, cleaned 365 and vertical jumped 35 inches. He also hit 20.47 mph on the GPS. The 6-4, 330-pound redshirt senior is the guy the staff sees as the biggest Freak in the program. Morris, who started five games last season, has done two reps on the bench of 420 pounds and squatted 505 for a double as well. He also vertical jumped 28 inches and broad jumped 8-6. Curt Cignetti's move to Indiana created two pipelines: One from JMU to Indiana, the other from Holy Cross to JMU. Fuller followed the path of fellow Freaks Lister Jacob Dobbs. He was a Campbell Trophy semifinalist last year at Holy Cross, where he sustained a season-ending injury in his third game, so he opted to redshirt and retain a year of eligibility. He had a prolific career at Holy Cross, scoring 45 touchdowns. In 2023, he had 156 carries for 1,046 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. The 5-11, 229-pound New Hampshire native is a powerhouse. He squatted 660 pounds this summer and benched 365 (up 15 pounds from last year) and cleaned 335. The Eagles always seem to have a few excellent O-linemen that the NFL will like, and the 6-5, 311-pound junior left tackle fits that mold. In 2024, Bowry allowed only two sacks in 321 dropback snaps. Bowry's athleticism has really impressed the staff; he achieved a peak velocity of 1.18 meters per second and a peak power of 2,610 watts while performing multiple sets of five reps on back squats with 435 pounds. Gennarelli started all 14 games at right guard and played a key role in Army's O-line winning the 2024 Joe Moore Award for Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football, the first Group of 5 school to win the award. The 6-1, 300-pound junior, an AP All-America Third-Team honoree, is one of the strongest men in college football. He bench pressed 505 pounds, squatted 605 and did a sumo deadlift of 625. Williams, a senior, began his college career at Weber State, where he was an FCS All-American. He then transferred to Idaho in 2024 before following head coach Jason Eck to New Mexico,. He only played in four games last year before suffering a season-ending injury. He did make six tackles in Idaho's opener against Oregon. The 6-1, 186-pound Salt Lake City native is a very long, athletic corner who clocked 22.5 mph, vertical jumped 39 inches and broad jumped 10-5 this summer. The wiry corner helped the Skyhawks win the Big South-OVC Football Association Championship in 2024. McGoy made 42 tackles, three TFLs, picked off three passes and broke up 18 passes. He's also run for the UT-Martin track team, competing in the 55, 60, 100 and 200. The 5-10, 170-pound DB obviously doesn't have great size, but has vertical jumped 41 inches and run the 40s in the 4.38-4.40 range. The Freaks List series is part of a partnership with GMC Sierra EV. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images, Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images, Kirby Lee / Imagn Images, Rich von Biberstein / Icon Sportswire / AP Photo)
