What Is the NFL Combine?
The NFL Scouting Combine is an annual event held in Indianapolis where college football's top prospects are evaluated by all 32 NFL teams before the draft. It's part physical testing, part medical evaluation, and part interview process — but the athletic testing numbers are what get the most attention.
Every prospect runs the same tests under identical conditions. The results are measured, recorded, and distributed to all teams simultaneously. A strong combine performance can raise a player's draft stock by one to two rounds. A poor one can cost millions of dollars in contract value.
There are six primary athletic tests: the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, bench press, three-cone drill, and 20-yard shuttle. Each measures something distinct. Here's exactly what each one tells scouts — and what good, great, and record-breaking looks like at every position.
Test 1: The 40-Yard Dash
40-Yard Dash
Straight-line speed & acceleration
What it measures: Linear speed and acceleration over 40 yards — the approximate distance of a deep route, a breakaway run, or a full-speed pursuit. It's the most publicized combine number and carries enormous weight in draft evaluations for skill positions. The first 10 yards measure pure acceleration; the final 20 measure top-end speed.
4.77s
Combine avg (all positions)
4.47s
CB / WR avg
4.22s
All-time record (John Ross, 2017)
| Position | Average | Good | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornerback | 4.47s | 4.38s | Under 4.32s |
| Wide Receiver | 4.48s | 4.38s | Under 4.33s |
| Running Back | 4.49s | 4.40s | Under 4.35s |
| Safety | 4.53s | 4.44s | Under 4.38s |
| Linebacker | 4.68s | 4.56s | Under 4.50s |
| Tight End | 4.70s | 4.58s | Under 4.52s |
| Defensive End | 4.74s | 4.62s | Under 4.55s |
| Quarterback | 4.83s | 4.65s | Under 4.55s |
| Defensive Tackle | 4.99s | 4.82s | Under 4.72s |
| Offensive Lineman | 5.10s | 4.95s | Under 4.82s |
Context: Hand-timed 40s at high school combines are typically 0.2–0.3 seconds faster than electronically timed results. If you ran a 4.6 at your high school combine, your electronic equivalent is closer to 4.8. Always clarify which timing method was used when comparing your time to NFL numbers.
Free Tool
How Does Your 40 Time Rank?
Enter your 40-yard dash, 100m time, or top speed in mph and see your exact percentile ranking against athletes at every level.
Calculate My Sprint Speed →Test 2: The Vertical Jump
Vertical Jump
Lower body explosiveness
What it measures: Standing vertical jump — no approach, no steps. Pure lower body explosive power. Scouts use it as a proxy for athleticism and the ability to win jump balls, make explosive cuts, and accelerate out of breaks. A high vertical relative to bodyweight signals exceptional fast-twitch muscle fiber dominance.
33.5"
Combine avg (all positions)
38–40"
Elite range
46"
All-time record (Gerald Sensabaugh, 2005)
| Position | Average | Good | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide Receiver | 36.5" | 39" | 42"+ |
| Cornerback | 36" | 39" | 42"+ |
| Running Back | 35" | 38" | 41"+ |
| Safety | 35" | 37" | 40"+ |
| Linebacker | 33" | 36" | 39"+ |
| Tight End | 32" | 35" | 38"+ |
| Quarterback | 31" | 34" | 37"+ |
| Defensive End | 31" | 34" | 37"+ |
| Defensive Tackle | 28" | 31" | 34"+ |
| Offensive Lineman | 27" | 30" | 33"+ |
All-Time Record
Gerald Sensabaugh — 46 inches (2005). A safety from North Carolina, Sensabaugh's vertical remains the highest ever recorded at the combine. For reference, the average NBA player — a population selected almost entirely for athleticism — has a standing vertical of 28 inches. Sensabaugh's 46-inch standing vertical is extraordinary by any measure.
Free Tool
Where Does Your Vertical Rank?
See how your vertical jump compares to the general population, high school athletes, college players, and NFL combine averages by position.
Calculate My Vertical Jump →Test 3: The Broad Jump
Broad Jump
Horizontal explosive power
What it measures: Standing horizontal jump — both feet together, jump as far forward as possible and stick the landing. Where the vertical jump measures upward explosiveness, the broad jump measures forward explosiveness — more directly related to acceleration and first-step burst in a straight line. It's one of the best predictors of acceleration mechanics.
9'8"
Combine avg (all positions)
10'4"+
Elite range
11'5"
All-time record (Byron Jones, 2015)
All-Time Record
Byron Jones — 11 feet 5 inches (2015). The cornerback from Connecticut shattered the previous record by nearly a foot. Jones's jump was so extraordinary it was initially thought to be a measurement error. It remains one of the most jaw-dropping athletic feats in combine history — the equivalent of jumping over a compact car from a standing start.
| Position | Average | Good | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide Receiver | 10'2" | 10'6" | 10'10"+ |
| Cornerback | 10'2" | 10'6" | 10'10"+ |
| Running Back | 10'1" | 10'5" | 10'9"+ |
| Safety | 9'11" | 10'3" | 10'7"+ |
| Linebacker | 9'8" | 10'0" | 10'4"+ |
| Tight End | 9'7" | 9'11" | 10'3"+ |
| Defensive End | 9'5" | 9'9" | 10'1"+ |
| Defensive Tackle | 8'11" | 9'4" | 9'9"+ |
| Offensive Lineman | 8'8" | 9'1" | 9'6"+ |
Test 4: The 225-Pound Bench Press
225 lb Bench Press
Upper body strength endurance
What it measures: Maximum repetitions at 225 pounds. Unlike most combine tests this is a muscular endurance test rather than a pure strength test — it measures how many times you can press a fixed weight, not your maximum. Scouts use it primarily for linemen and linebackers where upper body strength and the ability to disengage blocks is critical. It's largely irrelevant for skill positions.
~22
OL / DL avg reps
~14
LB / TE avg reps
49
All-time record (Justin Ernest, 1999)
| Position | Average Reps | Good | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Lineman | 25–30 | 32+ | 38+ |
| Defensive Tackle | 25–32 | 34+ | 40+ |
| Defensive End | 20–26 | 28+ | 34+ |
| Linebacker | 20–25 | 27+ | 32+ |
| Tight End | 16–22 | 24+ | 28+ |
| Running Back | 14–20 | 22+ | 26+ |
| Safety | 12–18 | 20+ | 24+ |
| Quarterback | 10–16 | 18+ | 22+ |
| Wide Receiver / CB | 10–16 | 18+ | 22+ |
Test 5: The Three-Cone Drill
Three-Cone Drill
Change of direction & agility
What it measures: Agility, change of direction, and body control. Three cones are placed in an L-shape 5 yards apart. The athlete runs around all three cones in a specific pattern as fast as possible. It's the most technically demanding combine test and the one that most closely mimics actual football movement patterns — cutting, redirecting, and accelerating out of breaks.
~7.0s
Combine avg (skill positions)
Under 6.7s
Elite range
6.28s
All-time record (Chris Johnson, 2008)
Test 6: The 20-Yard Shuttle
20-Yard Shuttle
Short-area quickness & lateral speed
What it measures: Short-area quickness and lateral agility. Starting from the middle, the athlete runs 5 yards to one side, touches the line, sprints 10 yards to the opposite side, touches that line, then sprints back 5 yards to finish. It measures first-step quickness, lateral speed, and the ability to change direction under full speed — critical for defensive backs, linebackers, and receivers running underneath routes.
~4.30s
Avg for skill positions
Under 4.10s
Elite range
3.73s
All-time record (Deion Sanders, 1989)
How Scouts Actually Use Combine Scores
No single test determines a player's draft position. Scouts look at the full profile — how each test score relates to the others and whether the numbers match what they saw on film.
The Most Important Tests by Position
- Wide Receiver / Cornerback: 40-yard dash and vertical jump carry the most weight. These positions require elite straight-line speed and the ability to win jump balls. A sub-4.4 forty and a 38-inch vertical will get a scout's attention immediately.
- Running Back: The 40-yard dash, broad jump, and three-cone drill. Running backs need a combination of straight-line speed and change-of-direction ability. A fast 40 with a poor three-cone suggests a speed back who struggles in space.
- Linebacker: The three-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle, and bench press. Linebackers need to close in space, change direction, and shed blocks. The agility tests reveal these qualities more than pure straight-line speed.
- Offensive Lineman: Bench press, broad jump, and three-cone drill. Scouts want to see strength, explosion off the line, and the footwork to redirect in pass protection.
- Quarterback: The 40-yard dash is less important for QBs than for any other position. Arm talent, accuracy, and football intelligence dominate evaluations. However, mobility QBs who run a sub-4.6 create a new dimension that scouts factor in heavily.
The tape still wins: Combine numbers open doors and confirm suspicions — they rarely change a scout's fundamental evaluation of a player. A receiver who runs a 4.3 but drops passes in college will still be seen as a liability. A linebacker who runs a 4.9 but diagnoses plays instantly and tackles cleanly will still get drafted. The combine is context, not conclusion.
How Do You Compare to NFL Combine Athletes?
Most people significantly overestimate how close they are to combine-level athleticism. Here's a reality check by test:
| Test | Average Person | Good Athlete | NFL Combine Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40-Yard Dash | 5.5–6.5s | 4.8–5.2s | 4.77s |
| Vertical Jump | 16–20" | 24–28" | 33.5" |
| Broad Jump | 6'6"–7'6" | 8'0"–9'0" | 9'8" |
| 225 Bench Reps | 0–8 | 10–16 | ~20 |
The gap between a good recreational athlete and an NFL combine athlete is enormous. It represents years of elite-level training, genetic gifts in muscle fiber composition and body proportions, and a lifetime of sport-specific development. This isn't discouraging — it's context that makes combine performances genuinely awe-inspiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good NFL combine score?
It depends entirely on the test and position. For skill positions, a good combine is a sub-4.5 forty, a vertical over 36 inches, and a broad jump over 10 feet. For linemen, a good combine is 25+ reps on bench, a sub-5.0 forty, and agility times under 7.5 seconds on the three-cone. The word "good" always has to be defined relative to what scouts expect at each position.
Does the combine matter for undrafted players?
Yes — possibly even more for undrafted prospects than top picks. A standout combine performance from a player who was projected to go undrafted can generate enough interest to get them drafted in the later rounds, or at minimum result in multiple teams competing for their undrafted free agent rights. The combine is where unknown players get found.
How many reps of 225 do NFL players bench press?
It varies enormously by position. Offensive and defensive linemen average 25–32 reps. Linebackers average 20–25. Skill positions like wide receivers and defensive backs average 10–18. The all-time record is 49 reps by Justin Ernest in 1999. Most untrained adult males can do 0–8 reps, giving you a sense of how far above average combine athletes are.
Can you improve your combine scores significantly?
Yes — particularly the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump. Research shows that targeted training in the 8–16 weeks before a combine can improve the 40-yard dash by 0.1–0.3 seconds, the vertical jump by 3–6 inches, and the broad jump by 6–12 inches. The bench press is more dependent on long-term strength building. The agility tests improve most from sport-specific drills and technique work.
What is the hardest NFL combine test?
Most players and coaches consider the three-cone drill the most technically demanding because it requires precise footwork, body control, and change-of-direction skill that is difficult to peak for quickly. The 40-yard dash is the most high-pressure because it's the most publicized and the results are broadcast instantly to every team and media outlet simultaneously.
See How You Compare
Test Yourself Against the Combine
Use our free calculators to see how your vertical jump and sprint speed rank against NFL combine averages at your position.
Try the Free Calculators →