The NFL Combine gives prospects a great chance to enhance their value ahead of the draft. At the same time, the combine is a place where many notable talents struggle, often hurting their draft value.
Of course, some players who aced the combine didn’t end up performing well at the NFL level, while others who struggled miserably went on to show that the combine doesn’t always define how your career will play out.
Here is a look at the 5 worst and the 5 best NFL combine performances of all time.
But first, some honorable and dishonorable mentions:
Honorable Mention: John Ross
East Carolina running back Chris Johnson broke the 40-yard dash record at the 2008 combine with a time of 4.24 seconds. That record would last for an impressive nine years, until John Ross showed up at the 2017 combine.
The lightning-fast Washington wide receiver broke Johnson’s record by recording a 40-yard dash time of 4.22 seconds. Minnesota corner Jalen Myrick was second behind Ross at 4.28 seconds.
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Ross also recorded a superb 133-inch broad jump, which was tied for fifth. Unfortunately, calf injuries prevented him from performing in the three cone and 20-yard shuttle, otherwise Ross could have placed himself atop the leaderboards in those drills as well.
He was drafted ninth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017, but injuries limited him to just 24 games over his first three seasons. Let’s hope he’ll be able to stay healthy and put his world-class talents to good use going forward.
Dishonorable Mention: Terrence Cody
On the bright side, Cody accomplished it all: He was a national champion at Alabama, and a Super Bowl 47 champion with the Baltimore Ravens. But the 6-foot-4 defensive tackle had a short-lived career that spanned from 2010 to 2014, as he simply never managed to reach those high expectations.
Cody weighed 354 pounds at the Combine. His 5.71 40-yard dash was only better than Dace Richardson’s 5.76. His 20.5-inch vertical jump was the worst among all participants. He had a 90-inch broad jump. Only two prospects recorded a worse number.
His 8.19 3-cone drill and 5.03 20-yard shuttle times were right near the bottom, too.
The Ravens still drafted him 57th overall in 2010, and again, Cody got the last laugh by winning a Super Bowl ring anyway.
Now, to the REAL list!
5. Worst: Fred Smoot
One of the top cornerback prospects to come around over the past decade or so, Fred Smoot had the chance to showcase himself as a worthy first-round selection at the 2001 combine. To say it didn’t go as expected would be a massive understatement.
Smoot earned First-team All-SEC selections in 1999 and 2000 at Mississippi State, and he was a consensus All-American in the latter year.
Now, cornerbacks aren’t supposed to lift as much as linemen or linebackers. But uh, Smoot only recorded a single 225-pound bench press rep at the 2001 combine.
That’s the fewest ever for a combine participant. That’s right. Only one player has performed one 225-pound bench press rep. Fred Smoot.
He was still drafted in the second round, 45th overall, by the Washington Redskins. Smoot played nine seasons in the NFL, but he’s best remembered for being a central part of the 2005 Minnesota Vikings’ love boat scandal.
5. Best: Darrius Heyward-Bey
Well, Heyward-Bey didn’t exactly dominate the way many expected following three productive seasons at Maryland. But his legacy is somewhat cemented since he had one of the most dominant and impressive combine performances ever.
And when we say ever, we mean EVER!
At the 2009 combine, Heyward-Bey displayed eye-catching speed for a big wideout at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. He and Arizona wideout Mike Thomas shared the top 40-yard times at 4.30, barely beating out the 4.31 ran by Deon Butler and Tiquan Underwood.
Heyward-Bey also posted a remarkable 38.5-inch vertical jump, which was the fifth-best among wide receivers. Only four other guys at the position topped Heyward-Bey’s 126-inch broad jump, too.
And yet, despite his tremendous all-around performance here, Heyward-Bey just wasn’t able to reach his full potential at the NFL. He was drafted seventh overall by the Oakland Raiders, who know a thing or two about wasting young talents.
That said, he did put together some decent seasons. In 2011, Heyward-Bey caught 64 passes for 975 yards and four touchdowns.
4. Worst: Tom Brady
If there’s one guy that showed how meaningless the combine can be, it’s none other than the six-time Super Bowl Champion and three-time MVP himself.
Tom Brady’s 2001 combine photo has become iconic. Here’s this skinny guy with no real athleticism whatsoever, who actually became the most accomplished player in NFL history.
Where can we start? Brady ran a 5.28 40-yard dash time. According to our calculations, that isn’t fast at all for a guy who wants to be an NFL quarterback. There were a TON of defensive linemen and offensive linemen that had way better 40-yard dash times than Brady, for crying out loud!
He had a 24.5-inch vertical jump, which was tied for the third-lowest among all participants. The two guys that posted worse scores than Brady were offensive linemen.
Brady’s 99-inch broad jump was also among the absolute worst for all participants. Most of the guys who recorded lower scores were offensive linemen, too. So, yeah, the only people Brady was out-leaping on that day were a few 300-pound big men.
And uh, his 4.38 20-yard shuttle time wasn’t exactly eye-popping.
But some guy named Bill Belichick took this Tom Brady kid in the sixth round, 199th overall anyway. And uh, it sure worked out nicely.
Who needs the NFL combine, right Tommy?
4. Best: J.J. Watt
Seeing how much he’s dominated at the NFL level, it’s impossible to understand how Watt didn’t end up being a top-five pick in 2011. Especially when you consider the fact that he had one of the most impressive and convincing performances in combine history.
His 4.84 40-yard dash probably didn’t turn too many heads…until you realized that it was accomplished by a guy who’s 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds. He had a ridiculous 37-inch vertical jump and a 120-inch broad jump, which were among the leaders for pass-rushers.
This freak of nature also had a three cone time of 6.88, and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.21.
Oh, and how about the 34 bench press reps, which placed him in a tie for fourth?
Watt proved to be the complete package here, displaying phenomenal strength, speed and agility for a man of his size. The Houston Texans drafted Watt 11th overall, and he emerged as one of the best defensive players of his era, capturing the 2012, 2014 and 2015 Defensive Player of the Year awards.
That’s pretty good, right?
3. Worst: Terrell Suggs
The combine is a big deal, but for those who need proof that it’s not a complete indicator of how your career will pan out, look no further than Terrell Suggs.
The future Hall of Famer had a downright brutal performance at the 2003 NFL combine. He ran a 4.84 40-yard dash, which was disappointing for the 262-pound pass rusher.
He only recorded 19 bench press reps with a 33-inch vertical jump. But the Baltimore Ravens, who are head and shoulder above practically every other team when it comes to drafting, took him with the 10th overall selection.
And all Suggs did was earn seven Pro Bowl selections, two Super Bowl rings, become a 100 career-sack club member, and win the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year award.
Yeah, the combine doesn’t always matter. Remember that, kids.
3. Best: Dontari Poe
The Memphis defensive tackle entered the 2012 NFL draft with plenty of hype, and for good reason. He made such easy work of the combine, and it all but cemented him as an easy top-20 first-round pick.
The big 6-foot-3, 346-pound Poe ran the 40-yard dash in 4.98 seconds, which is very good for a guy at his position — especially one that weighs well over 300 pounds. But that was far from his best performance. Poe led all Combine participants with 44 bench press reps of 225 pounds.
Poe became the media darling of the combine, with Hall of Famer Warren Sapp expressing complete disbelief over his performance.
The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Poe 11th overall, and he went on to enjoy Pro Bowl selections with the team in 2013 and 2014. No matter what he accomplishes in the NFL, however, many will simply best remember this guy for making such a huge statement at the combine.
2. Worst: Orlando Brown Jr.
The Oklahoma product entered the 2018 draft as one of the top offensive tackle prospects in his class. The 2017 unanimous All-American also earned a pair of first-team All-big 12 selections while being named the 2016 and 2017 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the year.
Brown, however, failed to impress when it came to the 2018 combine. He posted a woeful 19.5-inch vertical jump, which was the worst of all 2018 participants. Brown recorded only 14 bench press reps, which was the lowest amount among all offensive linemen prospects.
And finally, his 82-inch broad jump placed Brown last…among every single participant. His 5.38 20-yard shuttle time was tied with Toby Weathersby for the worst, too.
But the joke’s on us. The Baltimore Ravens drafted Brown in the third round, 83rd overall. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in his sophomore year, playing an integral part in Lamar Jackson’s MVP season as the Ravens finished with the best record in the NFL.
While many won’t forget his brutal performance, Brown is one of the recent examples about how the combine doesn’t always matter as much as we may think.
2. Best: Byron Jones
The Connecticut product turned plenty of heads at the 2015 Combine, but it was the broad jump performance that put him in the record books.
Jones pulled off a broad jump of 12 feet and 2.75 inches. Not only was that an NFL combine record, but it was also a world record – beating out the previous record of 12 feet, 2 inches, set back in 1968
Jones also ran an impressive 4.43 40-yard dash, which was among the top for defensive backs. His 44.5-inch vertical jump placed Jones second. He was tied for 11th in the three cone drill with a time of 6.78. Oh, and his 3.94 20-yard shuttle time was third, only behind Bobby McCain and Kevin Johnson.
Jones was drafted 27th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, and he emerged as a mainstay in their secondary, earning a 2018 Pro Bowl selection after helping them win the NFC East division.
And in case you’re wondering, as of the release of this video, Jones is still the broad jump world record holder.
1. Worst: Maurice Clarett
Clarett had the skill set to be a perennial Pro Bowl running back, but legal troubles unfortunately ruined a promising career. The 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award winner was dismissed from Ohio State due to several off-the-field incidents, including a heated shouting confrontation with one of his coaches.
Clarett had the chance to redeem himself and show his value at the 2005 combine, but he infamously appeared completely out of shape. He ran 40-yard dash times of 4.72 and 4.82 seconds, which are awfully slow for a running back.
ESPN noted that there were four 300-plus-pound offensive linemen who ran times that were faster than 5 seconds.
After a brutal display in the 40-yard dash, Clarett simply left the combine and didn’t perform the remainder of the drills. That didn’t stop the Denver Broncos from selecting him in the third round, 101st overall, in 2005.
The Broncos’ decision to take a chance on Clarett shocked everybody, with many expecting him to be a seventh-round selection. Being out of shape, rusty and injured, Clarett never stood a chance, and the Broncos released him before the 2005 season.
No other team signed Clarett, and he sadly continued to run into legal problems off the field. Following several arrests and a robbery conviction, he finally turned his life around and began his own mental health agency while working in the 2018 Ohio gubernatorial election.
1. Best: Mike Mamula
You kids may not be too familiar with Mike Mamula. The former defensive end/linebacker wasn’t exactly a household name during his career, which spanned from 1995 to 2000 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
But the former Boston College standout is forever enshrined in NFL Combine lore, if you will. In a 2008 interview with ESPN, Mamula admitted that he had practiced all the combine drills, and I quote, “hundreds of times.”
He ran a 4.58 40-yard dash time, which is obviously excellent for a defensive lineman or linebacker. He also recorded 28 bench press reps of 225 pounds, and his vertical jump measured 38.5 inches.
Expected to be a second or third-round pick, Mamula impressed so much that the Eagles made him their seventh overall selection.
And if that’s not impressive enough, he scored 49 out of 50 on the wonderlic test. Only Pat McInally scored better than Mamula with a flawless 50-out-of-50.
Mamula may not have been a Pro Bowl talent in the NFL, but here we are a quarter-century later, and still, nobody has completely dazzled at the combine the way he did.
