Anyone who followed UNLV football the past few seasons already knew running back Shaquille Murray-Lawrence had this kind of speed.

Murray-Lawrence’s 68-yard touchdown run at BYU last season, when the running back used his quickness to avoid tackles and change direction and then outrace the defense for a touchdown, was one of few highlights for the Rebels in a two-win season.

The 5-foot-8, 200-pound Murray-Lawrence showcased his speed over the weekend at the Canadian Football League Combine in Toronto, breaking the event’s record for the 40-yard dash with a 4.41 second sprint. The record was broken later in the event by Tevaughn Campbell with a run of 4.35 seconds, but that didn’t matter for Murray-Lawrence’s professional chances.

A native of Scarborough, Ontario, the UNLV product instantly became a top prospect for the May 12 draft. The Toronto Sun, after consulting with scouts at the event, reports Murray-Lawrence’s draft stock is rising.

“RB Shaquille Murray-Lawrence, UNLV – Runnin’ Rebel raced to a record 40 time (for a while), showed great pass protection skills and interviewed well,” the Toronto Sun wrote.

Murray-Lawrence was behind Tim Cornett on the UNLV depth chart as a junior, but still raced for 108 yards on four carries against Minnesota in the 2013 opener to finish the season with 418 yards. In 2014, he scored nine touchdowns.

UNLV lineman Brett Boyko, also from Canada, is considered the top prospect for the CFL draft. Wide receiver Devante Davis is projected to be a late-round pick in the NFL Draft.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21