The NFL Combine starts a week from Friday. Players will be tested in every way imaginable and then some. Brings to mind some of the best performances and how those players’ pro careers turned out.
20. Mike Mamula
Mike Mamula played at Boston College. The defensive end had 13 sacks in his senior season. Strong play but hardly earth-shattering to NFL Scouts. Then, he came to the Combine. No one could believe what they were seeing. He benched 225 pounds 28 times, had a vertical jump of 38.5 inches, and sprinted to a 4.58 40. Mamula’s stock soared. The Philadelphia Eagles were so wowed, they dealt their No. 1 and two second-rounders to Tampa Bay to move up five slots to grab him at seven. Mamula didn’t live up to his Combine results. He played five seasons and registered 31.5 sacks before being out of football at age 27.
19. Byron Jones
Byron Jones showed incredible springs in his legs as he leaped better than 12 feet. The Connecticut star was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. He has started 59 of 64 games there.
18. Chris Johnson
The fleet running back from East Carolina, Chris Johnson set the mark of 4.24 in the 40-yard dash. It stood until John Ross edged it in 2017.
17. Dontari Poe
16. Calvin Johnson
A rising star out of Georgia Tech, Calvin Johnson was superb at the Combine. The wideout ran as 4.35 40. Pretty stellar when you consider he tipped the scales at nearly 240 pounds and was wearing borrowed shoes.
15. Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley has proven to be an all-around back for the New York Giants, who drafted him second overall in 2018. The Penn State star wowed at the Combine: a 4.4 40, 29 bench-press reps, a 41-inch vertical leap and a 4.24 20-yard shuttle.
14. Tony Mandarich
The ultimate in physical specimens. Tony Mandarich wound up on the cover of Sports Illustrated for his massive size. At the Combine, he ran a 4.65 40, a 300-inch vertical, a 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump and pressed 39 reps of 225 pounds. It did not work out in the NFL as the Colts selected him No. 2 overall out of Michigan State and it did not work out. Mandarich did redeem himself later with the Packers in a second chapter.
13. Tom Brady
This one is simply for fun. Like it matters that Tom Brady didn’t like up the track in the 40? The Michigan star gave it his all and didn’t break five seconds. He has broken five — Super Bowl rings — winning his sixth in February.
12. Chris Conley
Chris Conley may not make a ton of headlines. However, the Georgia star did well for himself at the Combine. He ran a 4.35 40, had a 45-inch vertical and did a 7-foot, 11-inch broad jump. Thus far, he has had 104 catches in four seasons with the Chiefs.
11. Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald has been a terror for the Rams since they selected him out of Pitt. At 285 pounds, he ran a 4.68 40, had a 32-inch vertical, and did 35 reps on the bench press. Any wonder offensive linemen can’t handle him?
10. Tavon Austin
Tavon Austin’s brilliant speed hasn’t quite translated from Saturdays to Sundays. He ran a sub-4.35 40 at the Combine. That didn’t impress the star from West Virginia: “Combine speed is overrated.” he said. “It might give you a good look to see what you can run in a straight line, but football’s not played in a straight line.”
9. Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow came to the Combine to show he was more than a cerebral quarterback. He wowed the scouts with a 38.5 inch vertical leap. He did well enough in other quarterback categories for the Denver Broncos to use a first-round pick on him.
8. Stephen Paea
Stephen Paea of Oregon State pushed out 49 reps of 225 pounds. Off his performance, he was a second-round pick of the Chicago Bears. His strength didn’t translate to NFL success as he played for four teams over seven seasons.
7. John Ross
The blazing wide receiver out of Washington set a mark of 4.22 seconds in the 40 at the 2017 Combine. He caught 81 passes for 1,150 yards, including 17 TDs, for the Huskies in 2017. The Cincinnati Bengals were sold and drafted Ross ninth overall. It has not worked out. Ross has only 21 catches in two seasons.
6. Vick Ballard
Vick Ballard was a running back from Mississippi State. To say a running back needs balance and good feet would be an understatement. Ballard displayed neither in this 40.
5. Shaquem Griffin bench press
Shaquem Griffin is inspirational. Check out the bench press he did at the Combine with the prosthetic on his left hand.
4. Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski before the world came to know and love him as the Gronk. The Arizona tight end hit the bench press and cranked out some reps.
3. Odell Beckham Jr.
Coming out of LSU, OBJ has a big rep. He only enhanced it when he appeared at the Combine. The performance along with his effort in Baton Rouge wowed the New York Giants.
2. Ezekiel Elliott
The Dallas Cowboys made Ezekiel Elliott the fourth overall pick. The Ohio State star showed what them what he could do off the field at the Combine adding to the tapes they watched as he starred as a Buckeye.
1. And a compilation
This features some big names, including Antonio Brown, Zach Ertz, Jarvis Landy, Mark Ingram among others.
