During the Miami Dolphins’ 31-16 victory over the New York Giants on Oct. 8, wide receiver Tyreek Hill ran under a long throw by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on the third snap of the second half for a 64-yard touchdown reception.

On the play, the former West Alabama standout reached a speed of 22.01 mph. That was the fastest that a ball-carrier from an Alabama high school or college ran during the 2023 NFL campaign. It also was the third-fastest speed recorded by any ball-carrier in the NFL this season.

Hill’s play was among 20 in the 2023 campaign during which an NFL ball-carrier ran at least 21.5 mph. Eight of those slots were filled by players from Alabama high schools and colleges.

Hill shows up three more times in the top 20. Hill hit 21.68 mph on a 78-yard touchdown reception in Miami’s 45-15 victory over the Washington Commanders on Dec. 3 for the eighth-fastest speed, and 21.66 mph on a 47-yard reception for the ninth-fastest speed and 21.52 mph on a 35-yard touchdown reception for the 17th-fastest speed during a 36-34 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 10.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (Alabama) reached 21.68 mph on a 69-yard run in a 28-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 7 for the seventh-fastest speed.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (Hoover) reached 21.54 mph on an 86-yard touchdown reception for the 12th-fastest speed and 21.52-mph on a 66-yard touchdown reception for the 19th-fastest speed during a 34-11 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 23.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley (Alabama) reached 21.52 mph on a 59-yard touchdown reception during a 28-20 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 7 for the 15th-fastest speed.

The fastest speed recorded by a ball-carrier during the 2023 NFL season was 22.23 mph by Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf on a 73-yard touchdown reception in a 41-35 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 30.

The fastest ball-carrier in the playoffs was Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama). The rookie reached 20.93 mph on a 13-yard touchdown run in the Lions’ 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 28.

The fastest ball-carrier is among the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, which have generated a new set of statistical measurements.

Other top performances during the 2023 NFL season by players from Alabama high schools and colleges as measured by Next Gen Stats included:

Expected Yards After Catch: When Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (Hoover) caught a pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph on a second-and-4 snap 9 yards down the field on Dec. 23, the Next Gen Stats model indicated he would be expected to run 6 more yards before getting tackled. Instead, Pickens ran 77 more yards for the first points in Pittsburgh’s 34-11 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. That 71-yard difference over the expected yards after the catch was the second-largest in the NFL this season.

Fastest sack: Blitzing from the slot, Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (Alabama) took down Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (Spain Park) in 2.27 seconds in a 30-24 victory on Dec. 24. That ranked as the fifth-fastest sack recorded during the NFL’s 2023 season.

Improbable completion: A pass by Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (Alabama) intended for wide receiver DJ Chark in the fourth quarter of a 9-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 17 had a 4.7 percent chance of being completed, according to the Next Gen Stats model. But the pass went for an 18-yard gain, making it the second-most improbable completion of the 2023 season. The second-and-10 completion moved the Panthers to the Atlanta 25-yard line with 3:19 to play as they drove for a game-winning field goal as time expired.

Players with Alabama football roots dot the top 20 of improbable completions for this season. Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (Alabama) was at No. 3 with a 9 percent catch and No. 7 with a 13.8 percent catch. New Orleans quarterback Jameis Winston (Hueytown) was at No. 4 with a 10.5 percent completion, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) was at No. 8 with a 13.8 percent completion, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama) was at No. 11 with a 14.6 percent completion, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (Spain Park) was at No. 18 with a 16.7 percent completion and New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (Alabama) was at No. 19 with a 16.8 percent completion.

Longest tackle: Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama) ran 87.2 yards to tackle Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (Alabama) during a 26-22 victory on Sept. 18. Fitzpatrick stopped Ford at the end of a 69-yard gain at the Pittsburgh 1-yard line as he covered the sixth-longest distance to make a tackle during the 2023 season.

Rushing Yards Over Expected: Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (Alabama) had the rushing attempt that picked up the fifth-most yards beyond the expected gain in the NFL this season – and the one that gained the seventh-most.

Ford broke a 69-yard run to the Pittsburgh Steelers 1-yard line in a 26-22 loss on Sept. 18. The Next Gen Stats model said Ford should have been stopped for a 4-yard gain.

Ford had another 69-yard run in the Browns’ 39-38 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 22. This time, he made it to the end zone, but Next Gen Stats said Ford should have gained only 5 yards.

Two other running backs from the Crimson Tide had improbable runs in the longest 13 of the season. Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans had a 69-yard run in a 28-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 7 that Next Gen Stats said should have gained 10 yards and a 63-yard run in a 24-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 15 that Next Gen Stats said should have gained 8 yards. Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders had a 63-yard run in a 31-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 26 that Next Gen Stats said should have gained 5 yards.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.