Obsessed with Rankings: 10 Best NFL Scouting Combine Performances
By Kim Myers
5. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR (2009)
Darrius Heyward-Bey posted a super-fast 4.25 40 time that landed him a spot as the 7th overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Oakland Raiders. He was drafted ahead of Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, mostly because of his 40-time and because the Raiders were just all about drafting the fast guys at that time. In addition to his ridiculously fast speed, he also posted a 38 ½ vertical jump and 10’6” broad jump along with 16 reps of the bench press.
4. Chris Johnson, RB (2008)
Chris Johnson still holds the record for the fastest 40-time at the combine, since they started clocking it electronically instead of by hand. He ran a 4.24 40 and will continue to be the 40 time to which all others are measured by. He didn’t do any reps on the bench press but posted a 35” vertical jump and a 10’10” broad jump. His Combine performance landed him as the 24th overall pick in the 2008 draft by the Tennessee Titans.
3. Vernon Davis, TE (2006)
Vernon Davis’ Combine performance was beastly, in a good way. He was far and away the top tight end prospect of the draft, mostly due to this performance in Indy. Not only was his 4.38 40-time impressive, it was more impressive because he did that after doing 33 reps of the bench press. He also posted a 42” vertical jump and 10’8” broad jump.
2. Deion Sanders, CB (1989)
Deion Sanders’ Combine is the stuff that legends are made of. Mostly because there is a lot of rumors and speculation about it, and because it’s Deion Sanders. Deion ran an “unofficial” 4.2 40, unofficial because they didn’t time it electronically back then. I’d imagine being the late 80s it was a lot of guys with Swatch watches timing him run down the field. And run down the field is exactly what he did. He kept going, Forrest Gump-style, only as legend has it, into a limousine waiting outside for him. Of course he did.
1 Bo Jackson, RB (1986)
Of course Bo Jackson had the best Combine of all time, Bo knows workouts. His 40 time was a hand-timed 4.12, the fastest time ever but unofficial because, again, the Swatch watches and not electronic timers they use today. It’s unlikely we’ll ever see the likes of an athlete like Bo Jackson ever again, whose professional time was cut short by injury. His legendary Combine performance will stand for a long time, that’s for sure.