Performance of Future Elite Players at the National Football League Scouting Combine

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine players' physical and performance measures taken at the NFL Scouting Combine and compare these to their future performance in the NFL. From 2002-2016, three types of player data (N=5,506) were collected from secondary data sources. Results players earned on various NFL Scouting Combine drills and measurements (e.g., height, weight, 40-yard dash time, vertical jump, bench press repetitions, shuttle run time, and 3-cone drill time), the position players play on the field (e.g., quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, and defensive back), and if players received elite performance awards (e.g., Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections) in the future were collected. After analyzing the data, the results indicate that (1) NFL quarterbacks that received All-Pro and Pro Bowl awards tend to be taller, weigh more, run faster in the 40-yard dash, jump higher, complete more bench presses, and are slower for the shuttle run and 3-cone drill; (2) All-Pro and Pro Bowl NFL running backs tend to weight more, run the 40-yard dash faster, do not jump as high, complete more bench presses, and complete the shuttle run and 3-cone drills slower; (3) NFL wide receivers that were selected for the Pro Bowl or as All-Pros tend to be taller, weigh more, run the 40-yard dash faster, have a higher vertical jump, and run the 3-cone drill faster; (4) NFL tight ends that received All-Pro and Pro Bowl awards tend to be taller, weight more, run the 40-yard dash faster, jump higher, complete more bench presses, run the shuttle run slower, and complete the 3-cone drill faster; (5) All-Pro and Pro Bowl NFL offensive linemen tend to run the 40-yard dash faster, jump higher, are able to complete more bench presses, and run both the shuttle run and 3-cone drill faster; (6) NFL defensive linemen that were selected as All-Pro and Pro Bowl players tend to be taller, weight more, run the 40-yard dash faster, jump higher, complete more bench presses, and run the 3-cone drill faster; (7) NFL linebackers that were named to the All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams tend to be taller, weight more, run the 40-yard dash faster, jump higher, can complete more bench presses, and run both the shuttle run and 3-cone drill faster; (8) NFL wide receivers that were selected for the Pro Bowl or as an All-Pro tend to weigh more, run the 40-yard dash faster, jump higher, can complete fewer bench presses, and run the shuttle run slower. Certified strength and conditioning specialists for college and professional teams will be able to use these results to help train and set performance goals for American football athletes with whom they work and train.

A 10-year Evaluation of the NFL Combine. Do Combine Results Correlate with Career Longevity for NFL Offensive players?

“…This study found that specific combine drills correlated with longer NFL careers for each position for offensive players. While other studies have investigated the use of combine data to predict success or injury, this is the first In agreement with prior evidence that increased height is a favorable trait for quarterbacks, associated with higher draft position and career performance, we show that taller quarterbacks are more likely to have longer careers [6,7]. Additionally, a study investigating the relationship between individual performance awards, Pro-Bowl and All-Pro selection, and combine performance found that award winning quarterbacks tended to be taller and weigh more [7].…”

“…While other studies have investigated the use of combine data to predict success or injury, this is the first In agreement with prior evidence that increased height is a favorable trait for quarterbacks, associated with higher draft position and career performance, we show that taller quarterbacks are more likely to have longer careers [6,7]. Additionally, a study investigating the relationship between individual performance awards, Pro-Bowl and All-Pro selection, and combine performance found that award winning quarterbacks tended to be taller and weigh more [7]. Hedlund's study also showed that award-winning tight ends tended to be taller, however, our study found no association between height and career longevity for tight ends.…”

“…Greater first-step quickness and short area speed, as described by the 10-yard dash, and sprint speed, as described by the 20-and 40-yard dashes, were significantly correlated to greater career length for all offensive positions except quarterback. Similarly, prior studies have shown an association between these athletic qualities and several measures of success, including draft order, Pro-Bowl, and All-Pro selectionfor running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and offensive linemen [5,7]. One study of the relationship between sprint speed of running backs and wide receivers showed a positive correlation with a running back's number of yards per carry, number of games played, and player salary, with the 10-yard dash being the greatest predictive measure [1,8].…”

“…NFL teams have emphasized agility for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and offensive linemen, evidenced by the relationship between a player's 3-cone time and the increased probability of higher draft position for these positions [2,5]. Career performance studies have shown the 3-cone drill to be associated with greater likelihood of award recognition for wide receivers, tight ends, and offensive linemen [7]. The shuttle was shown to be associated with greater salary for running backs and higher likelihood of being selected for the Pro-Bowl and All-Pro awards for running backs and offensive linemen [7].…”

High-Intensity Acceleration and Deceleration Demands in Elite Team Sports Competitive Match Play: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

“…Indeed, these abilities have been shown to differentiate between drafted and non-drafted players in the National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine [83] and are important in predicting future successful performance in the NFL, including the amount of prestigious accolades (i.e. Pro Bowl, All Pro) players achieve [84].…”