The Players Who Hold The Record For The Best Performance In Every NFL Combine Event

The NFL Scouting Combine features seven dedicated events that give teams the opportunity to evaluate prospects who are hoping to take their talents to the next level, and thousands of players have had the chance to partake in those trials over the decades.

There’s no better way to turn some heads at the NFL Combine than by breaking a record in one of the events that are used to gauge your physical prowess, but that’s no small task based on the pedigree of the players who’ve been invited to participate.

Only time will tell if any of these records end up falling by the time the 2025 installment of the showcase wraps up, but everyone in attendance has their work cut out for them.

40-Yard Dash: Xavier Worthy

Prior to 2024, no NFL prospect had ever run the 40-yard dash quicker than John Ross, the former Washington Huskies wide receiver who posted a time of 4.22 in 2017.

However, that changed courtesy of Xavier Worthy, who edged him out by finishing the most anticipated event at the NFL Combine in 4.21 seconds.

The former Texas WR was drafted by the Chiefs with the 28th overall pick and seems to have a bright future ahead of him in the NFL based on how he fared in his rookie season.

Bench Press: Justin Ernest

The list of the fastest times in the 40-yard dash is dominated by wide receivers and cornerbacks, and it goes without saying linemen are at a disadvantage in that particular event.

However, that script gets flipped when it comes to the bench press where prospects are tasked with banging out as many 225 lb. reps as they can before failure.

No one has put on a more impressive show than Justin Ernest, the DT out of Eastern Kentucky who managed to bench the bar 51 times.

However, Ernest ultimately went undrafted, and while he signed with the Saints, he never appeared in an NFL game.

Vertical Jump: Gerald Sensabaugh

The vertical jump is pretty self-explanatory, as players are tasked with jumping as high as they possibly can from a standstill position after having their reach measured to determine how far they’re able to get off of the ground.

That particular skill comes in handy when you’re a wide receiver or a player tasked with covering them, and Gerald Sensabaugh, an UNC safety via Eastern Tennessee, still holds the record with the 46″ leap he recorded at the NFL combine in 2005.

Sensabaugh was selected by the Jaguars in the fifth round and spent four seasons in Jacksonville before capping off his eight-year NFL career with the Cowboys.

Broad Jump: Byron Jones

The broad jump is a variation of a long jump where a player leaps forward from a standing position that’s designed to evaluate the explosiveness of their lower body.

It’s been a decade since UConn CB Byron Jones set the mark to beat at 12’3″ in 2015, and no one has been able to surpass him (although Texas Tech safety Tyler Owens came an inch short in 2024).

Jones (who also had a 44.5-inch vertical leap) was drafted by the Cowboys in the first round with the 27th overall pick and played what would end up being his final NFL season with the Dolphins in 2021 before injuries forced him into retirement.

3-Cone Drill: Jordan Thomas

The 3-cone drill is a test where players need to navigate a triangle of cones in the quickest time possible in a trial that allows them to showcase their agility and acceleration.

The current champion is Jordan Thomas, the Mississippi State tight end who completed the circuit in 6.28 seconds in 2018.

Thomas was drafted by the Texans in the sixth round but only spent two seasons in Houston before bouncing around the league for brief stints that included time with the Cardinals and Patriots.

He most recently played for the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL.

20-Yard Shuttle Run: Kevin Kasper

This is essentially a miniature version of the suicide runs anyone who played high school basketball is all too familiar with; players run five yards, head in the opposite direction for another 10, and reverse course for five more.

The best performance in the blink-and-you-miss-it showcase belongs to Kevin Kasper, the Iowa walk-on and WR who finished in 3.73 seconds in 2001.

The Broncos selected Kaspers in the sixth round, and he also appeared in games for the Cardinals and the Lions before his career came to an end after the 2006 season.

60-Yard Shuttle Run: Shelton Gibson

This is an expanded version of the previous event where players run back and forth in 5, 10, and 15-yard increments to throw a bit of an endurance factor into the mix.

The record is currently held by West Virginia WR Shelton Gibson, who made it through that particular gauntlet in 10.71  seconds in 2017  (two other players have finished exactly one one-hundredth of a second slower).

Gibson was scooped up by the Eagles in the fifth round, and while he earned a Super Bowl ring during his rookie season, he never really made a mark in the league and eventually settled for a short-lived stint in the CFL.