Current NFL Stars who Dominated at the Scouting Combine
The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine has kicked off, and with it brings a myriad of prospects participating in various workouts, drills and tests.
The results of these events tend to drum up plenty of excitement for the players who excel at them. While not every workout warrior ends up becoming an NFL star, plenty have gone on to show their buzz-worthy combine performances were indicative of what they would do on the gridiron.
With that in mind, here are some of the top current NFL players who took the combine by storm.
Percentiles are based on positional standing and courtesy of NFLCombineResults.com
DT Aaron Donald
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Notable Combine Scores
40-Yard Dash: 4.68 seconds (99.6%)
Vertical Leap: 32 inches (83.3%)
Broad Jump: 115 inches (94.3%)
Shuttle Run: 4.39 seconds (90.5%)
Three-Cone: 7.11 seconds (98.3%)
Bench Press: 35 reps (93.7%)
Draft Position: No. 13 overall (2014) by Los Angeles Rams
Aaron Donald came into the 2014 combine with questions about his size and ability to man the defensive tackle spot at the next level. Measuring in at just a shade over 6'0" and 285 pounds, the Pittsburgh product hardly looked like the hulking presence most envision a franchise-caliber defensive lineman as.
Despite his lack of stature—he was in the fifth percentile for height at the position and the 20th for weight—Donald absolutely dominated in Indianapolis. Coming off a decorated All-American campaign at Pittsburgh in which he secured 59 tackles and 11 sacks, the then-22-year-old left no doubts about his physical capabilities.
Donald had some of the best showings ever for the position, including running a 4.68 40-yard dash and completing the three-cone drill in 4.39 seconds. Both times ranked in the 98th percentile or better for defensive tackles historically.
Far from a surefire Day 1 pick before the combine, the Panthers product instantly vaulted up big boards everywhere after the showing. He ultimately came off the board midway through the first round, landing with the Los Angeles Rams, a team he would guide to a Super Bowl victory eight years later as the anchor of a top-flight defensive unit.
RB Breece Hall
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Notable Combine Scores
40-Yard Dash: 4.39 seconds (95.8%)
Vertical Leap: 40 inches (95.4%)
Broad Jump: 141 inches (92.4%)
Draft Position: No. 36 overall (2022) by New York Jets
Few players impressed as much at last year's combine as Breece Hall did. The Iowa State product wowed onlookers in nearly every drill he participated in and cemented his status as one of the top running backs in the class.
Although he was far from the biggest player in Indianapolis—he measured in at 5'11" and tipped the scales at 217 pounds, both rating around the 60th percentile for running backs—he was one of the most well-rounded athletes at the event.
After a final season with the Cyclones in which he forced 90 missed tackles as both as a rusher and receiver, per Jets X-Factor, Hall was clearly one of the shiftiest players in the country.
It would have come as little surprise to anyone who watched him at Ames that Hall displayed excellent speed—he ran a blistering 4.39 40-yard dash—and leaping ability at the combine, evident by his 40-inch vertical and nearly 11-foot broad jump.
Although he didn't show off his strength on the bench press, Hall proved he was as athletic as they come and backed up his collegiate stats with hard testing data. He was one of just six backs to earn an overall score of 99 from Next Gen Stats in the last two decades.
That athletic profile was indicative of NFL stardom. Hall was establishing himself as one of the best running backs in the league until a torn ACL ended his first season after only seven games, but a return to form in 2023 should have him well-positioned to dominate the Jets' backfield for the foreseeable future.
WR DK Metcalf
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Notable Combine Scores
40-Yard Dash: 4.33 seconds (97.9%)
Vertical Leap: 40.5 inches (95.7%)
Broad Jump: 134 inches (98.6%)
Bench Press: 27 reps (98.7%)
Draft Position: No. 64 overall (2019) by Seattle Seahawks
DK Metcalf wasn't a very notable prospect leading up to the 2019 NFL draft. His career at Ole Miss was marred by injuries—including an unfortunate neck injury that cut his final campaign short—that limited him to just 21 games in three seasons, and he finished his tenure at the school with only 67 receptions for 1,228 yards and 14 touchdowns.
While his stats didn't jump off the page, Metcalf proved his decision to leave the program with two years of eligibility left would be the right one thanks to a shirtless photo that went viral and a dazzling combine showing.
The NFL world was already fascinated by the imposing wideout's physique—he measured in at 6'3", 228 pounds—but he would go on to back up his looks with world-class testing numbers.
Metcalf put on a clinic in every drill his participated in, including rating first among all wideouts in attendance that year in the bench press with 27 reps.
His 40-yard dash time, vertical leap and broad jump all ranked in the 95th percentile or better historically and showed he had more than enough athleticism to be a top wideout at the next level.
While teams were still a bit leery of Metcalf on draft day—eight wideouts came off the board before he finally heard his name called with the last pick in the second round—he quickly proved he wasn't just a workout warrior.
Metcalf immediately broke out as a rookie and has established himself as one of the most elite receivers in the NFL.
Although he's made just one Pro Bowl so far, the 25-year-old just capped off his fourth consecutive campaign with at least 900 receiving yards and six touchdowns while setting a career-best with 90 catches and 141 targets on the year.
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DE Haason Reddick
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Notable Combine Scores
40-Yard Dash: 4.52 seconds (99.6%)
Vertical Leap: 36.5 inches (88.7%)
Broad Jump: 133 inches (99.7%)
Draft Position: No. 13 overall (2017) by Arizona Cardinals
The 2017 combine was a critical part of Haason Reddick's journey from walking on at Temple to becoming a key piece of the Philadelphia Eagles' latest run to the Super Bowl.
After fracturing his femur as a senior in high school, the Camden, New Jersey, native had to prove he belonged in college football by playing for the Owls without a scholarship. He eventually worked his way up to become an All-AAC talent by his senior year and was invited to the Senior Bowl, showing he could dominate against top-flight competition.
Any scouts who still doubted Reddick's abilities had those put to rest in Indianapolis. His combine performance served as a springboard that launched him from a relatively unknown prospect likely to be a mid-round selection to a surefire first-rounder.
Competing with the defensive end group, Reddick posted the best broad jump number of any defensive lineman since 2003. His 4.52 40-yard dash rated in the upper 99th percentile and was the second-fastest among all linebackers and defensive linemen in attendance that year.
The Arizona Cardinals would go on to select Reddick at No. 13 overall. He struggled to find his footing during his first three years in the league, but he finally broke out in 2020 with a 12.5-sack campaign that corresponded with a move to the edge on a full-time basis.
Reddick has gone on to record 27 sacks in the last two seasons, including a career-high 16 with the Eagles in 2022. He's now established as one of the top pass-rushers in the NFL and should retain that status for the foreseeable future, a feat due in no small part to the athleticism he put on display at the combine.
S Juan Thornhill
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Notable Combine Scores
40-Yard Dash: 4.42 seconds (85.4%)
Vertical Leap: 44 inches (100%)
Broad Jump: 141 inches (100%)
Bench Press: 21 reps (89.5%)
Draft Position: No. 63 overall (2019) by Kansas City Chiefs
Before Juan Thornhill became a two-time Super Bowl champion as a starting safety for the Kansas City Chiefs, he was a standout defensive back at Virginia and a combine superstar.
The Cavaliers product earned an invite to the Senior Bowl after a 98-tackle, six-interception season and generated a good bit of buzz for conceding zero yards in coverage during the all-star contest. While that showing was certainly impressive, it paled in comparison to what he would go on to do in Indianapolis.
Thornhill wowed everyone with his feats of athleticism. His 141-inch broad jump was the second-best in the storied history of the combine, and his 44-inch vertical leap was only an inch off the event's all-time record.
Factor in a 4.42-second 40-yard dash and 21 reps on the bench press and it was clear Thornhill had the athletic profile of a star.
While it hasn't come instantly for the second-round selection, Thornhill was solid while starting every game as a rookie and earned a ring for his efforts.
The 27-year-old has since become a key contributor during Kansas City's dynastical run and just had his best campaign yet during a contract year. Thornhill recorded career highs in tackles (71), tackles for losses (four), passes defended (nine), interceptions (three) and even notched his first career sack in 2022.
The four-year veteran now hits free agency as one of the best safeties available and should be in line for a sizable payday thanks to his top-tier athleticism and on-field production.
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