From Deion Sanders to Xavier Worthy: 10 Finest Moments in NFL Mix Historical past

[ad_1] (Editor's observe: This story initially ran forward of the 2025 NFL Scouting Mix.)

It is the time of the yr after we watch NFL hopefuls competing in tights and doing issues they sometimes do not do on the gridiron.

The primary day of drills on the 2026 NFL Scouting Mix will begin on Thursday, kicking off 4 days of athletic testing as the highest prospects on this yr's draft attempt to enhance their inventory.

Whereas the mix is not an automated indicator of what is to come back in a participant's profession, it has supplied a number of highlights over time. Let's check out the ten most memorable moments within the historical past of the NFL Scouting Mix.

Deion Sanders speeds via the 40 and runs off (1989) Previous to the annual mix in 1989, Sanders did not wish to take part a lot on the occasion since he was set to be one of many high picks within the draft that spring. He had been requested to run the 40-yard sprint on the mix, however he refused preliminary overtures to take action.

Ultimately, Sanders obliged. There isn't any video of Sanders working the 40, however onlookers in Indianapolis mentioned that the star athlete clocked in at 4.27 seconds. However he did not cease working there. Sanders bolted into the locker room and completed his day on the mix, in keeping with former Dallas Cowboys exec Gil Brandt. There have additionally been unverified tales over time that Sanders ran straight right into a limousine outdoors the Hoosier Dome and requested to be taken to the airport, including to his legend.

The Atlanta Falcons wound up taking Sanders with the fifth total decide within the draft.

Tom Brady places up an unspectacular efficiency (2000) On the time, you'd've been hard-pressed to search out anybody who cared about Brady's efficiency within the 2000 mix. But it surely ended up enjoying a job in his story, from late-round decide to probably the most embellished participant in NFL historical past.

Brady's 40 time was among the many slowest for a quarterback for the reason that flip of the century, working it in 5.28 seconds. He additionally recorded a 24.5-inch vertical and a 99-inch broad leap, which each rank within the third percentile or worse amongst quarterbacks who've examined on the mix.

On high of all of that, Brady's physique regarded unspectacular. The photographs of him posing shirtless have been extensively mocked over time, together with by Brady himself.

Brady's unimpressive mix was a part of the rationale he was only a sixth-round decide. After all, he was capable of overcome his relative athletic deficiencies to win seven Tremendous Bowls.

Stephen Paea breaks bench press file (2011) Main as much as the 2011 mix, a video of Paea placing up 45 bench press reps of 225 kilos emerged on-line, resulting in hypothesis that he might break the file of 45 that Mitch Petrus tied on the earlier yr's mix.

When Paea obtained on the bench, it did not take him lengthy to threaten the file. He posted 43 reps with out hesitation, needing simply 36 seconds to get there. After some motivation, Paea obtained two extra reps to tie the file.

Paea saved pushing, although. He took his time so as to add 4 extra reps and almost reached the 50 mark earlier than the spotter had to assist him. Nonetheless, Paea set the official file within the bench press with 49 reps, all in lower than a minute. He lifted 11,025 kilos in that span.

A few months later, Paea was taken within the second spherical of the draft by the Bears. He loved a stable seven-year NFL profession.

As for his file, nobody has actually threatened Paea's mark since he set it in 2011. Dontari Poe and Netane Muti have come the closest, with every recording 44 reps.

Aaron Donald exhibits out at 2014 mix Earlier than he turned an all-time nice with the Rams, Donald put collectively an all-time efficiency on the NFL Scouting Mix in 2014. His 4.68-second 40-yard sprint time turned heads, whereas his 7.11-second 3-cone drill time is the quickest by a defensive deal with since a minimum of 2014.

He additionally had probably the most bench press reps (35) and recorded one of the best broad leap (9 toes, 8 inches) amongst defensive tackles in his draft class.

Donald rose up the draft boards after that, and the Rams correctly used a first-round decide on him.

Byron Jones breaks a world file (2015) Forward of the 2015 mix, Jones was in the midst of rehabbing his shoulder following surgical procedure and wasn't anticipated to take part within the occasion. However he needed to show he was wholesome and enhance his draft inventory, so Jones opted in for just a few drills.

Jones' resolution to solely be a restricted participant on the mix paid off in a giant manner. His broad leap, notably, was a significant boon to his profile. He registered a broad leap of 12 toes, 3 inches. Not solely did that shatter the earlier mix file by eight inches, it unofficially set the world file for one of the best broad leap by an inch. Norwegian shot putter Arne Tvervaag beforehand held the file for almost 50 years, with a 12-foot, 2-inch broad leap in 1968.

After getting into the mix as a prospect that not many individuals considered, Jones left Indianapolis as one of many high cornerbacks within the 2015 draft. The Dallas Cowboys chosen him with their first-round decide that yr.

Shaquem Griffin has a historic outing (2018) Griffin, who was born with amniotic band syndrome, had his left hand amputated when he was 4 years outdated. He had a powerful faculty profession at UCF, successful AAC Defensive Participant of the Yr in 2016. Forward of the 2018 draft, although, there have been questions on his means to compete at an NFL degree.

On the mix, Griffin helped quell a few of these considerations. The linebacker ran the quickest 40 time for a participant at his place on the mix in 15 years (4.38 seconds).

What was a bit extra memorable was Griffin's efficiency on the bench press. Utilizing a prosthetic, Griffin recorded 20 reps.

The Seattle Seahawks took Griffin within the fifth spherical, and he turned the primary participant with one hand to ever be chosen within the NFL Draft. A number of months later, Griffin turned the primary one-handed participant within the NFL's trendy period.

Jordan Davis exhibits huge fellas can transfer (2022) Not many inside defensive linemen have been capable of shed the gradual runner label that is usually related to them. Davis, nonetheless, proved he was totally different on the 2022 mix.

After weighing in at 341 kilos, Davis ran a 4.78-second 40. Not solely did that make him simply the third 330-plus-pound participant to run a 40 beneath 5 seconds, he broke the file for the quickest 40 by a 330-pound participant by 0.14 seconds.

Richardson wasn't the most efficient quarterback in faculty. He solely began for one season at Florida, and although he had some struggles within the passing recreation, he was one of many high working quarterbacks in faculty through the 2022 season.

With some questions surrounding the place he'd go within the 2023 NFL Draft looming, Richardson helped solidify himself as a top-10 decide with a dominant mix efficiency. He ran the fourth-fastest 40 time ever for a quarterback (4.43 seconds). He additionally set data for one of the best vertical leap (40.5 inches) and broad leap (10 toes, 9 inches) ever for a quarterback on the mix.

As a consequence of these testing outcomes, Richardson turned the third quarterback to ever earn an ideal relative athletic rating (RAS), becoming a member of Daunte Culpepper and Cam Newton. However he additionally lit it up within the passing drills, launching throws that traveled a minimum of 60 yards within the air.

A few months after his great displaying on the mix, Richardson would find yourself again in Indianapolis because the Colts took him with the fourth total decide within the draft.

Joe Milton airs it out on the mix (2024) Milton wasn't considered as one of many high quarterback prospects within the 2024 NFL Draft, however many Michigan and Tennessee followers knew that he had a rocket of an arm. As draft evaluators extremely anticipated Milton's throwing session on the mix, he delivered.

First, Milton tied Josh Allen's file for the quickest throw in mix historical past. He recorded a 62 mph cross, giving a touch of what was to come back.

When it was time to throw to receivers, Milton let it rip. He delivered a number of passes that traveled over 70 yards within the air. Within the first one, Milton overshot his goal, Jacob Cowing. On one in every of his later throws, Milton dropped again and waited for a second earlier than uncorking a cross that was accomplished, drawing oohs and ahhs from the Indy crowd.

Xavier Worthy breaks 40-yard sprint file (2024) Earlier than displaying off his velocity for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in 2024, Worthy placed on a present and guess on himself in a giant manner on the mix. The Texas product entered the showcase as a candidate to run the quickest 40 time after displaying nice velocity throughout his time in Austin.

Worthy's first run threatened the file John Ross set in 2017, posting a 4.25-second time that simply missed Ross' by three-hundredths of a second. He initially seemed to be happy along with his end result, taking off his cleats to counsel that he was achieved for the day. However he opted to go for the file and danger placing up a worse time, initially posting an unofficial time of 4.22 on his second run.

After just a few moments, the official time got here in and Worthy had, actually, damaged the file. Because the scoreboards at Lucas Oil Stadium confirmed Worthy's time of 4.21 seconds, he ran across the stadium and acquired congratulations from different prospects.