Fast Track at a low-tier bank and then lateral ?

Is this a thing? Say you are a hustler, do good work at a (lower) MM, even pulled in a couple closed deals for your bank, and you rise through the rank fast, get to VP/SVP within 3-4 years, and then jump ship to BB/EB as both a coverage and execution person? 

Is this legit? Anyone seen it happen?

Besides, I've always wondered how John Paulson managed to go from Associate to MD within 4 years. I believe it was 4 years. Don't think perfect slides or impeccable models would do the job. 

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