NFL Combine records for 40-yard dash, bench press and every major drill

Setting NFL Combine records doesn’t ensure success in the NFL for college prospects but these are the best numbers we’ve ever seen in testing.

The 2020 NFL Combine is set to descend on Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and the NFL Draft prospects will be trying to improve their stock. Whether by interviews, medically getting a green light or with, of course, great athletic testing, there are plenty of ways to help your draft stock when in Indy.

Of course, not everyone invited is going to set an NFL Combine record when they test either in the 40-yard dash, the jumps or otherwise — it’s all about hitting thresholds. At the same time, the 2020 NFL Draft class has several players such as Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III and TCU’s Jalen Reagor who could potentially break records at the Combine.

So with that in the cards, let’s take stock of the official NFL Combine records at the major drills, from the 40-yard dash to the Wonderlic Test to the bench press.

40-Yard Dash

There’s not much mystery here as most fans still remember John Ross (2017) coming out of Washington and blazing his way to a 4.22-second 40-yard dash, the fastest in the history of the NFL Combine. Ross was then selected with the No. 9 overall pick by the Bengals. Due to injuries and some development issues, however, that pick has not panned out as planned to this point.

Broad Jump

Eventually selected in the first round by the Cowboys, Byron Jones (2015) was a monster at the NFL Combine as a whole. However, he dwarfed the broad jump record by over six inches when he set the record with a 12-foot-3 (147 inches) leap. Jones is now a free agent and the UConn product could be looking to cash in on a massive payday.

Wonderlic Test

A fifth-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals, Pat McInally is the only player to ever score a perfect 50 on the Wonderlic Test at the NFL Combine, doing so in 1975 coming out of — not shockingly — Harvard. He was eventually hired by Wonderlic in the mid-2000s.

3-Cone Drill

Jordan Thomas‘ 3-cone drill in 2018 remains one of the miracles of modern athletic testing. Despite not having great film or being that exceptional of an athlete, the Oklahoma cornerback ran the drill in a blistering 6.28 seconds, shattering the previous record by 0.14 seconds. Unfortunately, that still wasn’t enough for him to hear his name called in the NFL Draft.

Bench Press Reps (225 pounds)

While it’s reported that Eastern Kentucky defensive tackle Justin Ernest hit 51 reps on the bench press, the official NFL Combine record belongs to Stephen Paea (2011) when he was coming out of Oregon State. He was eventually selected in the second round by the Bears though his strength never translated to the field and he struggled in the NFL.

Vertical Jump

Wide receiver Chris Conley out of Georgia (2015) and former Ohio State cornerback Donald Washington (2009) hold the official NFL Combine record in the vertical jump at 45 inches, though others such as Wille Creear, Gerald Sensabaugh and Cameron Wake have all either bested or tied that number at one time or another in athletic testing prior to the draft.

Regardless, Conley went in the third round to the Chiefs and was most recently a member of the Jaguars in 2019. Washington was also drafted by Kansas City, going in the fourth round and playing for only three years.

Next. 2020 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-Combine 3-round projection. dark

Will someone like Ruggs or Reagor or maybe even someone we aren’t looking at break one of these NFL Combine records in Indianapolis ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft? We can’t say for sure. But the possibility only adds excitement to the event in Indianapolis.

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