Top Combine Performances 2024

Each year the combine has some clear winners and losers. Sometimes those winners help the draft stock of the players, like John Ross. Ross broke the record for the 40-yard dash. He rose into the first round and was selected by the Bengals. However, he is now known as one of the biggest busts in the NFL.

Other players like D.K. Metcalf tested incredibly and still fell to the end of the second round. It can hurt players or help players with how they perform in the NFL Scouting Combine. Some of these performances this year could help these prospects.

Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

It’s only right to start with Xavier Worthy. Worthy is a wide receiver out of Texas that was projected to run well. He not only did that but way better as well.

Worthy ran a 4.25 40-yard dash in his first attempt. Typically when a player runs well in their first attempt they won’t run again. However, Worthy knew the record was in his sights.

In his second attempt, he unofficially tied the record at 4.22 but then when the official time came in, he broke the record with a 4.21 40-yard dash.

This time should help him rise in the draft.

Joe Milton’s Arm

The talk of the day when the quarterbacks started throwing was the anticipation of Joe Milton throwing go routes. Before they started they showed Josh Allen doing this drill.

Milton replicated Allen’s arm strength and paused before launching the ball at least 60 yards downfield each time.

His second throw was the most impressive, with a flick of the wrist, he hit his receiver in stride 60 yards downfield.

On his final attempt, it was time to show off his arm strength. After the snap, he waited two to three seconds before winding up and firing it 75 yards and somehow also hit his receiver in stride again.

The most impressive part may not have been the arm strength, but rather the fact he accurately threw the ball that far downfield.

Daequan Hardy, CB, Penn State

Hardy took the combine by storm and made himself some money with his performances.

The Penn State product started by running a 4.38 40-yard dash. That resulted in a tie for fifth among all cornerbacks in the 40-yard dash.

He then one-upped that with a 42.5” vertical jump. That placed him tied for first among all cornerbacks.

He continued his impressive day with a 10-foot-6-inch broad jump. He was well in the top half among all cornerbacks.

Hardy was rated with an 88 athleticism grade which is 2nd for cornerbacks. He projects as a late-round pick that could make a huge difference on special teams.

Offensive Linemen Speed

It is starting to get to a point where these offensive linemen don’t seem human. The times some of these players are running are absurd for their size.

To start, Amarius Mims, Georgia, measured in at 6-foot-8 and 340 pounds. He then decided to run a 5.07 40-yard dash. That’s insane for the size that Mims measured in with.

Olu Fashanu, Penn State, measured in at 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds. He then ran a 5.11 in his 40-yard dash. That’s the only part that won for him during the day as he suffered a groin injury.

Finally, Roger Rosengarten from Washington led the way with a 4.92 40-yard dash. At 6-foot-5, nobody should be running anywhere near five seconds. Rosengarten was the next on the recent list to run an impressive time.

Overall, it was an impressive NFL combine and there were certainly players that significantly improved their draft stocks.

Andrew Deal is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email asd5765@psu.edu