Ranking the 25 Best 2015 NFL Combine Performances
Like Keyser Soze, the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine is gone.
A blur of weigh-ins, track events and interviews, the annual dog-and-pony show for incoming NFL rookies was the national introduction for many players to many a casual NFL fan. It was a chance to get to know some of the players and put some on the radar who may have gone undetected until now.
Naturally, some players wowed, while others disappointed.
Here are the top 25 performances of this year's combine. They are ranked in context—that is to say, their positions are taken into consideration. Being the most athletic offensive lineman in the league isn't quite the same as being even a moderately athletic cornerback, after all.
Of course, some performances are simply more impressive than others regardless of context. Breaking a world record, for example, lays the groundwork for a great ranking here. Doing well in one or two events will get you on the map, but some players garnered high ranks with big performances in multiple events.
25. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
1 of 25
Notable Metrics
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 231 pounds
He ran the 40-yard dash in just less than five seconds flat. He didn't crack nine feet in the broad jump. By most metrics, Jameis Winston had a terrible combine. So what gives?
Setting aside the fact that he isn't the most athletic quarterback prospect in the draft, he nailed just about everything else. That he ran a 4.97-second 40-yard dash and jumped just 28.5 inches vertically shouldn't really matter—did they for Peyton Manning or Tom Brady?
Those are lofty comparisons, to be sure, but they go to show that athleticism isn't all it's cracked up to be at quarterback.
To start with, Winston weighed in with excellent size at 6'4" and 231 pounds.
More importantly, the former Heisman Trophy winner bounced back from a poor showing in the track events to have a great throwing session. He also nailed his interviews, by many accounts, with glowing praise. He was even compared favorably to Manning—Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman wrote Winston's football smarts are similar to the future Hall of Famer's.
While many players can revel in the speed and jumping ability they showed in Indianapolis, Winston walked away with one of the most impressive showings not involving dashes and jumps.
24. Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
2 of 25
Notable Metrics
225-pound bench press: 37 reps
Ereck Flowers didn't have a terribly athletic showing at the combine, but he did one thing better than everyone else—lift 225 pounds above his chest.
The big offensive lineman out of Miami had the most reps in the 225-pound bench press with 37, making him the "strongest man" of the combine. That's in quotes because, well, there are many forms of strength.
23. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
3 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.63 seconds
Three-cone drill: 6.93 seconds
Short shuttle: 3.98 seconds
Marcus Mariota had, by far, the best combine from a metrics standpoint. But Brett Hundley's performance was nothing to sneeze at.
Hundley's short shuttle was particularly impressive regardless of position. He broke four seconds, clocking in at a quarterback-record 3.98, which tied for second-best among all offensive players at this year's combine.
His flaws came out during the throwing drills, but Hundley was impressive otherwise.
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22. Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
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Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.64 seconds
Vertical jump: 36.5"
Broad jump: 10'5"
225-pound bench press: 24 reps
Clemson's Vic Beasley eclipsed him, but Randy Gregory had a fine combine showing too.
The Nebraska pass-rusher was among the top performers at his position in most of the events in which he participated, flashing all-around athleticism and strength. He was also one of the standouts at defensive end drills, according to USA Today's Gary Mihoces.
21. Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
5 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.44 seconds
Vertical jump: 42"
Broad jump: 10'3"
There wasn't a lot to Jaelen Strong's combine performance—that is, if you weren't looking when he took his vertical jump.
Strong had the third-best jump of the day at 42 inches, which was second best at the position. His 40-yard dash time wasn't too shabby at 4.44 seconds considering he is 6'2" and 217 pounds.
With comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald flying around—like one from Arizona Cardinals writer Kyle Odegard—Strong needed a good showing at the combine to keep traction. He did just that.
20. Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada
6 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.63 seconds
Three-cone drill: 6.95 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.10 seconds
There isn't much to love about this year's quarterback class, but any one of the guys jockeying for position behind Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota could surprise us.
Some would be bigger surprises than others, of course, and one of those showed out at the combine. To that end, former Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo had a nice day.
Not only was he among the top performers at his position in certain events, but he was impressive in the quarterback drills.
19. Ali Marpet, OL, Hobart
7 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.98 seconds
225-pound bench press: 30 reps
Three-cone drill: 7.33 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.47 seconds
Raise your hand if you've ever heard of Hobart. It sounds like something out of Game of Thrones.
That's where offensive lineman Ali Marpet hails from, and he put his school on the map with a combine performance out of nowhere.
The 6'4", 307-pound center out of the Liberty League has a lot to prove in the draft process, and he went about grabbing the attention of draft analysts and team executives alike by cracking the five-second barrier for offensive linemen.
His time was nearly as fast as quarterback Jameis Winston, and Marpet weighs over 300 pounds.
18. Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami
8 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.33 seconds
Three-cone drill: 6.70 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.11 seconds
He was expected to set the carpet on fire in Indianapolis. He didn't quite get there, but Phillip Dorsett had a heck of a combine performance nonetheless.
For starters, he was one of three players who won $100,000 for having the fastest 40-yard dash times among Adidas-sponsored participants. His time of 4.33 seconds was third-best of the year, which was not unexpected given he was the favorite to win the event outright.
His three-cone drill may have been more impressive—at 6.7 seconds, Dorsett led all participating receivers, showing off serious agility to go with his track-star speed.
17. MyCole Pruitt, TE, Southern Illinois
9 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.58 seconds
Vertical jump: 38"
Short shuttle: 4.37 seconds
Maxx Williams was all the rage out of Minnesota, delivering on his promise with a solid combine. But the most impressive tight end performance came from an unexpected source.
Little-known and relatively diminutive MyCole Pruitt out of Southern Illinois put up some numbers that rivaled some big names at wide receiver. He may lack ideal size at the tight end position at 6'2" and 251 pounds, but he showed off his athleticism anyway.
16. J.J. Nelson, WR, UAB
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Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.28 seconds
Broad jump: 10'7"
Short shuttle: 4.15 seconds
The fastest man at the combine was utterly unexpected.
Many expected Miami receiver Philip Dorsett to take the crown. He did well by running the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, but that time was beatable.
The man with the fastest time hailed from a far smaller school—receiver J.J. Nelson out of UAB. His blazing 40 was clocked in at 4.28 seconds unofficially, and it improved once the official times were announced. It's too bad Adidas didn't offer Nelson a contract that would have netted him a $100,000 prize for running so fast, per AL.com's Nick Birdsong.
Nelson had a good day all around, but he opened some eyes in the receiving drills too. Bleacher Report's Dan Hope tweeted, "Didn't get to see all the gauntlet runs for this group, but one who looked great both runs was UAB WR J.J. Nelson. Every catch in his hands."
15. Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
11 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 5.01 seconds
Vertical jump: 32.5"
225-pound bench press: 25 reps
Three-cone drill: 7.25 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.33 seconds
If you didn't realize we were talking about an offensive tackle, the numbers above would not be terribly impressive. Given context, however, Jake Fisher's combine was outstanding.
Fisher ranked among the best of all offensive linemen in many events, including the best three-cone and short shuttle times to go along with the second-best 40-yard dash.
Simply put, Fisher was the most well-rounded offensive lineman at the combine.
14. Davis Tull, DL, Tennessee-Chattanooga
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Notable Metrics
Vertical jump: 42.5"
Broad jump: 11'0"
Defensive lineman Davis Tull didn't do much else at the combine, but he showed off in the jumping portion of the day.
The little-known outside linebacker out of Tennessee-Chattanooga out-jumped most of the competition—from running backs to cornerbacks—with an eye-popping 42.5-inch vertical leap and an equally impressive 11-foot broad jump.
It's too bad we didn't get more action from him in other events; otherwise, he may have ranked much higher here.
13. Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
13 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.31 seconds
225-pound bench press: 19 reps
Vertical jump: 38"
Arguably the top cornerback in the draft class heading into the combine, Trae Waynes may have distanced himself from the pack with that performance.
He showed he could literally put distance between himself and his competitors with a 4.31-second 40-yard dash, the second-best time in the entire event.
While he probably pulled ahead in the race for top draft honors at his position, Waynes was overshadowed in other events by some explosive performances. Still, it's hard to argue with that blazing time in the 40.
12. Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
14 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.35 seconds
225-pound bench press: 23 reps
Short shuttle: 4.14 seconds
Locked in a battle with Amari Cooper for top billing at wide receiver in the 2015 draft, Kevin White put his opponent in a choke hold with a bad (as in good) combine performance.
White was one of the three aforementioned $100,000 winners for fastest 40-yard dash times among Adidas-sponsored players, clocking in at a blazing 4.35 seconds. That time wowed many observers, including NFL Network's Mike Mayock, who said it solidified White in the top 10 of the draft.
The 6'3", 215-pound wideout out of West Virginia had an excellent showing in wide receiver drills to boot.
11. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
15 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.52 seconds
Three-cone drill: 6.87 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.11 seconds
There was little doubt who the most athletic quarterback in the draft was heading into the combine—well, the most athletic one who has a shot at playing the position in the NFL, anyway.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner showed off what he can do with his legs, which was unsurprising given what we saw him do in college. It's what he could do with his arm that many were anticipating.
To that end, Mariota had a fine time slinging the ball in quarterback drills, too. Here is what SI.com's Doug Farrar had to say when breaking down Mariota and Jameis Winston:
"Mariota is better than advertised in certain nuances of the passing game, especially timing and anticipation. Just because he didn't make those types of throws at Oregon doesn't mean he can't when given the opportunity.
...
Mariota's lack of a deep arm is oversold. Honestly, I think it's as much about the fact that he's not used to throwing deep as it is about any general inability.
"
There were also some criticisms in Farrar's evaluation, but overall Mariota had a nice outing.
10. David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa
16 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.50 seconds
Vertical jump: 41.5"
Broad jump: 10'7"
225-pound bench press: 25 reps
One of the combine's surprises came at running back.
His name is David Johnson, and he stole the show starting with his 4.5-second 40-yard dash, fourth-best at his position. He continued his march through the drills with top-five performances in the vertical jump, broad jump and bench press.
It was a rather nice showing for the 6'1", 224-pound running back out of UNI, who will send scouts and analysts back to review some more tape with that outing.
9. Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
17 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.52 seconds
Broad jump: 10'6"
Short shuttle: 4.07 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 11.00 seconds
Melvin Gordon may have inched ahead in the race for running back supremacy in the 2015 draft.
The Wisconsin product was among the top contenders to be drafted first at his position before the combine, and an excellent showing may have pushed him ahead of his competition.
Gordon didn't just post excellent numbers for his position; he annihilated them in certain events. His 60-yard shuttle times was the best we have seen in a decade, and his short shuttle, 40-yard dash and broad jump were in the top five at the position this year.
It might be enough to shake that Wisconsin curse in the minds of a few scouts and executives.
8. Bud Dupree, LB, Kentucky
18 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.56 seconds
Vertical jump: 42"
Broad jump: 11'6"
For a linebacker, Bud Dupree sure has some spring in his step.
Aside from having the most perfect name for a linebacker since Dick Butkus, Dupree made a name for himself to those who may not have known him with a couple of big jumps.
He posted an incredible 42-inch vertical, topped only by his insane 11'6" broad jump. That is one inch shorter than receiver Chris Conley, who set the record at his position earlier at the combine.
The cherry on top was Dupree's 40-yard dash time of 4.56 seconds, tied for second-best at the linebacker position. He did this at 6'4" and 269 pounds.
7. Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State
19 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.38 seconds
Vertical jump: 41.5"
Broad jump: 10'9"
Short shuttle: 4.14 seconds
The defensive back class has some serious athleticism this year.
Ronald Darby was just one of several impressive physical specimens at the combine. The former Florida State cornerback joined Byron Jones, Josh Shaw, Eric Rowe and Trae Waynes as some of the most athletic participants in this year's combine altogether.
Darby was among the leaders at his position in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump.
6. Josh Shaw, CB, USC
20 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.44 seconds
Vertical jump: 37.5"
Broad jump: 10'10"
225-pound bench press: 26 reps
Short shuttle: 4.12 seconds
Character concerns might be following Josh Shaw around after his sensational story about spraining his ankles while saving a kid from drowning turned out to be a bald-faced lie—as detailed by Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times—but he did some repair work on his draft stock with his outstanding combine.
Shaw showed all-around athleticism and strength throughout the day. He was among the top defensive backs in the 40-yard dash and the short shuttle, but he really shined in the vertical jump, broad jump and bench press.
5. Eric Rowe, CB, Utah
21 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.45 seconds
Vertical jump: 39"
Broad jump: 10'5"
Three-cone drill: 6.70 seconds
Short shuttle: 3.97 seconds
Buzz surrounded Trae Waynes and Byron Jones after their impressive showings, but fellow cornerback Eric Rowe had a pretty good day as well.
Rowe wasn't at the top of the list in any particular event, but he was in the top 10 in several. In fact, he was labeled a "top performer" by NFL.com in every event.
He was in the top 10 defensive backs with a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, and his three-cone drill was second only to Tennessee's Justin Coleman.
With good size at 6'1" and 205 pounds to go with that athleticism, Rowe may have prompted teams and draft analysts alike to take a closer look at his film in the coming weeks.
4. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
22 of 25
Notable Metrics
Vertical jump: 42.5"
Broad jump: 10'10"
Three-cone drill: 6.79 seconds
225-pound bench press: 24 reps
Short shuttle: 3.95 seconds
A lackluster 40-yard dash gave way to one of the most impressive combine performances.
Looking absolutely ripped, Ameer Abdullah smoked his competition in the broad jump, three-cone drill and short shuttle. He even put up the seventh-most reps in the bench press among running backs.
He might have overtaken Miami's Duke Johnson—who shares rather similar measurables—in the eyes of some draft analysts and scouts with that performance, given Johnson had a comparatively pedestrian showing at the combine.
3. Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
23 of 25Notable Metrics
Vertical jump: 44.5"
Broad jump: 12'3"
Short shuttle: 3.94 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 10.98 seconds
The man with the most hops at the combine plays cornerback.
If you haven't seen Byron Jones break the record for the broad jump, take a gander at the video above. He not only jumps more than 12 feet but makes it look easy, as if he is sandbagging.
He also broke 11 seconds in the 60-yard shuttle, which was best at the 2015 combine, too. The Connecticut cornerback fell just short of receiver Chris Conley's 45-inch mark in the vertical jump, but only by a half-inch.
2. Chris Conley, WR, Georgia
24 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.35 seconds
Vertical jump: 45"
Broad jump: 11'7"
The combine's most athletic wide receiver came as a bit of a surprise.
Chris Conley blew away folks when he broke a combine record in the vertical and finished third in the broad jump, notching 45 and 139 inches, respectively. He coupled that with a 4.35-second 40-yard dash that tied for third-best at his position.
His shuttle and three-cone times weren't nearly as good, but Conley put himself on the map with stellar performances in the major events.
1. Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
25 of 25
Notable Metrics
40-yard dash: 4.53 seconds
Vertical jump: 41"
Broad jump: 10'10"
225-pound bench press: 35 reps
Three-cone drill: 6.91 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.15 seconds
Until the defensive linemen hit the field, receiver Chris Conley was the front-runner for Mr. Combine, the workout warrior. Then Vic Beasley stepped on the track.
Beasley was beastly throughout his entire combine performance, racking up win after win against his competition and thrusting himself into the top-10 draft conversation in the process.
Clemson's star pass-rusher drew comparisons to Von Miller, per NFL.com, with his outstanding all-around performance, setting a great tone for his draft process. With that outing, there isn't much else for Beasley to do until May except stay out of trouble and impress in interviews.
All combine results courtesy of NFL.com/combine.
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