Future NFL stars, busts, and role players take the field in Indianapolis today for the NFL Combine. NFL hopefuls will run, lift, cut, throw, and measure for NFL teams with the hopes to impress. You’ll hear a lot of ridiculous takes this week about linemen bending at the knees or hips, how fluid defensive back “swivel” their hips, and skill players being body catchers vs. Hand catchers. As football fans we have come to accept these as normal conversations around 22 year old’s. But do we ever ask the question: does this matter? Does it matter how quickly you can run a 60-yard shuttle? Or how fast you can run in a straight line with no pads on? Or how you catch the ball while running in a perfectly straight line?
Explaining the NFL Combine to an alien dropped on earth for the first time would be difficult. “Well, you see, we take these guys who play football in college and run them through these drills that most of the time don’t corollate to their position.” The combine has shown time after time it does not reflect how good of a football player these guys are. it’s more of an athleticism test if anything. Looking at the record book of the NFL Combine, you’ll notice pretty quickly that holding records, or being close to the top of the records, doesn’t mean diddly poo. Here are the records for each of the combine workouts since 2006- what the NFL calls “recent history.”
40-Yard Dash
1. WR John Ross, 2017, 4.22
2. RB Chris Johnson, 2008, 4.24
3. RB Dri Archer, 2014, 4.26
4. WR Marquis Goodwin, 2013, 4.27
T5. WR Jacoby Ford, 2010, 4.28
T5. CB Jalen Myrick, 2017, 4.28
T5. WR JJ Nelson, 2015, 4.28
T5 DB Demarcus Van Dyke, 2011, 4.28
Bench Press (225 lbs)
1. DT Stephen Paea, 2011, 49 reps
2. OL Mitch Petrus, 2010, 45 reps
T3. DT Jeff Owens, 2010, 44 reps
T3. DT Dontari Poe, 2012, 44 reps
T5. C Russell Bodine, 2014, 42 reps
T5. DT Harrison Phillips, 2018, 42 reps
T5. DL Tank Tyler, 2007, 42 reps
Vertical Jump
T1. WR Chris Conley, 2015, 45.0 in
T1. CB Donald Washington, 45.0 in
3. CB Byron Jones, 2015, 44.5 in
T4. CB A.J. Jefferson, 2010, 44.0 in
T4. S Obi Melifonwu, 2017, 44.0 in
T4. S Juan Thornhill, 2019, 44.0 in
Broad Jump
1. CB Byron Jones, 2015, 12’3″- World Record
T2. S Obi Melifonwu, 2017, 11’9″
T2. WR Emanuel Hall, 2019, 11’9″
T2. S Juan Thornhill, 2019, 11’9″
5. WR Miles Boykin, 2019, 11’8″
3-Cone Drill
1. CB Jordan Thomas, 2018, 6.28 sec
2. WR Jeffrey Maehl, 2011, 6.42 sec
3. DB Buster Skrine, 2011, 6.44 sec
T4. WR Scott Long, 2010, 6.45 sec
T4. CB David Long, 2019, 6.45 sec
20-Yard Shuttle
T1. Brandin Cooks, 2014, 3.81 sec
T1. CB Jason Allen, 2006, 3.81 sec
3. CB Bobby McCain, 2015, 3.82 sec
4. B.W. Webb, 2013, 3.84 sec
T5. FS Justin Simmons, 2016, 3.85 sec
T5. CB Desmond Trufant, 2013, 3.85 sec
60- Yard Shuttle
1. WR Shelton Gibson, 2017, 10.71 sec
T2. WR Brandin Cooks, 2014, 10.72 sec
T2. CB Avonte Maddox, 2018, 10.71 sec
T4. CB Jamall Fleming, 2012, 10.75 sec
T4. DB Buster Skrine, 2011, 10.75 sec