Is Trae Waynes the fastest of the Vikings?

Two sets of eyes were peeled and primed to locate and apprehend Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes on the field as Wednesday's practice ended and 90 players began to scatter.

But, poof, he was gone. In about the time it takes the Road Runner to go "meep, meep," Waynes had slipped into the locker room unnoticed.

Geez, this dude might really be the fastest player on the roster.

"I think so," he said from just inside the locker room door. "Either me or Jeff Badet."

The two of them participated in the inaugural "40 yards of Gold" competition, a pay-per-view event hyped and hosted by former NFL receiver Chad Johnson in late June. In a 16-man field of current NFL players and free agents, both were knocked out in the first round. Waynes was beaten by Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson, who eventually lost in the finals to 49ers receiver and former Olympian Marquise Goodwin.

"I got too good of a start," Waynes said. "I started in the front and just tripped up. I told [Jackson] I want a rematch. He knows I slipped."

Some of the loudest debates in the Vikings locker room come when players begin to argue over who's faster or who's the fastest.

"I'm the fastest," said cornerback Xavier Rhodes upon overhearing the conversation with Waynes.

Who brags the most about his speed, Trae?

"Xav," Waynes said. "Definitely Xav."

"Nah," Rhodes said. "That would be JK [Jayron Kearse]. He's the loudest."

Amen, Xavier. At one point last season, Kearse, a safety, was going at it so loudly with the running backs that tight end Kyle Rudolph and reporters couldn't hear one another during a group interview on the other side of the locker room.

"Most times, when it gets loud, it's the running backs and JK," Waynes said. "He starts it."

Nickel corner Mackensie Alexander walks by, overhears the conversation and says, "It's me! I'm the fastest."

"No," says Waynes, "it's not you."

"I'm the quickest!" Alexander says.

Waynes agrees, either sincerely or to move Mack along.

Waynes ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the 2015 scouting combine. Badet, who spent last year's rookie season on the Vikings' practice squad, reportedly ran a 4.27 at his pro day.

"Jeff doesn't count," Waynes said. "He was a track guy."

But, Trae, didn't you run track in high school?

"I never ran a full season," he said. "I ran indoor, stopped for baseball and then I ran. I won't even say what my best [100-meter dash time] was because it wasn't good [10.7] and I was coming back from a broken leg. But I still took third in the state [in 2011]."

Waynes said he thinks the "40 Yards of Gold" concept could catch on because players like competing and fans love watching speed. Of course, the event organizers might want to pay this year's participants first. A little more than a month after the event was held, no one has been paid, including Goodwin, who's due $1 million for winning. Waynes and Badet are due $25,000 apiece for participating.

"From what I heard, it's still in the works," Waynes said. "I heard some people tried cashing in too soon and it messed up the account. I ain't really worrying about it. As long as I get paid."

Waynes' day job will pay him $9.069 million, the amount that kicked in when the Vikings exercised the fifth-year option in his rookie deal. There's no extension currently in the works and the Vikings have a younger former first-round corner to turn to in second-year pro Mike Hughes.

"I ain't even tripping on that," Waynes said. "My whole thing is focusing on getting better and helping the team win. I ain't worried about contracts."

What about next year?

"I ain't really thinking about it," he said. "It would be cool if I stayed here. But whatever. It's a business."

Waynes had seven minutes to talk before he was off to something else. The interview crossed the finish line at 6 minutes, 20 seconds. Hey, the dude is fast.