NFL Combine Records: Fastest 40 Times, Best Bench Press, More Heading into 2015

Speed and strength.

They are two of the most prominent buzzwords at the NFL Scouting Combine every season, and this year’s version will be no different. After all, few physical attributes help decide football games more than speed and strength, so it is no wonder that the two most publicized events during the combine are the 40-yard dash and the bench press.

Impressive showings in either or both can drastically improve an individual’s draft stock, especially if he plays a position that is reliant on running downfield or physical prowess.

With so many promising prospects at the 2015 combine, it will be interesting to see if any of the combine records fall this year. While setting a combine record certainly doesn’t guarantee success on the field, it would keep a prospect’s name in the spotlight leading up to the draft. 

With that in mind, here is a look at the top three 40 times and bench press marks in recent combine history.

It is important to point out that the NFL’s official database for combine numbers and records only dates back to 2006.

Event	Player	Mark	Year
40-yard dash	Chris Johnson	4.24	2008
40-yard dash	Dri Archer	4.26	2014
40-yard dash	Marquise Goodwin	4.27	2013
Bench press	Stephen Paea	49	2011
Bench press	Mitch Petrus	45	2010
Bench press	Jeff Owens and Dontari Poe	44	2010 and 2012

40-Yard Dash Times to Watch in 2015

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The NFL combine in and of itself may not be glamorous, but the 40-yard dash certainly is every year.

Perhaps it is because it is easier to translate pure speed to the football field in the minds of fans and commentators than information gleamed from events like the broad jump and shuttle runs, but the 40-yard dash receives an inordinate amount of coverage every single season. There are a few players who will be particularly intriguing to watch as they line up with their future draft positioning at stake.

Wide receiver Devin Smith from Ohio State jumps out as a prospect to watch. He is seen as a deep threat based on his play in college.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com broke down why Smith is one of the candidates for a great showing in the 40-yard dash:

"

Smooth speed merchant with instant gas off the line. ... Electrifying foot quickness. Game-breaking speed with necessary feel of a downfield receiver. ... Smith isn't just combine-fast, he's game-fast and he would have had more than 12 touchdown catches during the 2014 season if he didn't have to slow down and wait on throws so often.

"

The 40-yard dash is important for all receivers, but it is particularly critical for someone like Smith, who will be drafted based on his ability to get open downfield. Scouts and front offices want to see the top deep threats from college run fast 40 times because the cornerbacks and safeties are that much faster at the next level.

Simply put, Smith needs to bring even more speed to the table against NFL secondaries than he did when blowing past the SEC speed of Alabama defensive backs in the Sugar Bowl.

Speaking of Alabama, wide receiver Amari Cooper will be an interesting prospect to watch during the 40-yard dash because he is widely regarded as the top receiver in the draft but also someone who doesn’t necessarily only rely on speed.

He brings a little bit of everything to the table, from excellent hands to impressive route-running technique, but turning in a head-turning 40 time would only add to his already formidable profile.

For his part, Cooper seemed ready to make waves in the 40-yard dash even before the season started, via Andrew Gribble of Al.com: "It’s all about technique in the 40. I’m trying to get faster and I guess you guys will see whenever I decide to come out."

Doug Benc/Associated Press

With so many fast receivers in the draft like Cooper and Smith, speed at the cornerback position is also monumentally important. So much of the NFL is now based on passing that teams need defensive backs who they can rely on to keep up with the fleet-footed receivers on deep balls.

That is why Ronald Darby from Florida State will be a player to watch during the dash. Sometimes it’s just enjoyable to watch for the pure speed on display, even if Darby isn’t as highly regarded of a prospect as fellow Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams. Still, an impressive showing at the combine could bolster Darby’s stock, and it starts with the 40.

His NFL.com scouting profile says he was a “former high school track star with world-class speed,” so this event was made for him.

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

The bottom line is the combine is more important for players like Darby than someone like Cooper who is almost assuredly going to be an early first-round pick even if there are a couple of extra tenths of a second on his 40-yard dash time. Darby needs to put that “world-class speed” on display to shoot up draft boards and earn himself more money and expectations. 

That makes him a player to watch at the combine.

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