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247sports.com]
UVA strength coach Shawn Griswold clocked Virginia’s starting quarterback at 22.2 miles per hour this summer.
“Yeah, I remember the day he texted me,” said Perkins of when Griswold let him know of his speed. “It was after one of the long circuit things we do. It was the last 75 yards and he told us to sprint. So, I just got out and competed. I didn’t know [at the time] that it was 22, but I felt pretty good after running.”
It’s the fastest recorded time that Perkins has been clocked at using UVA’s GPS system for tracking speed of its players.
“In spring, with pads on, I ran 21-something. I don’t know if [22 m.p.h.] is my top speed, but it’s my top speed recorded.
For the sake of comparison, the NFL’s Next Gen Stats have ranked the top speeds of players with the ball in their hands in games for the 2017 season.
The fastest was Leonard Fournette of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who clocked in at 22.05 m.p.h as his peak speed on a 90-yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5.
The next closest was San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Godwin, who reached 21.68 in Week 9.
