NFL Scouting Combine Results For Top 2016 Rookie Cornerbacks

Dec 4, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey (20) runs the ball during pre game warmups before an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2017 NFL scouting combine is less than a week away. Some wonder how important it is to the draft process and how it impacts team opinion.

A good way to answer that question is that it’s different for every position. What might mean something for quarterbacks can mean a totally opposite thing for linebackers. Each position group is expected to test within a certain zone of numbers at the combine to be considered a high potential prospect. Those that don’t raise red flags with evaluators and could see their draft stocks plummet as a result.

So what about cornerbacks? Which drills prove the most telling of whether or not a young player can be an instant contributor in the NFL? The best way to answer that is by taking the top performing rookie corners from this past 2016 season and breaking down their combine test scores. The results may be surprising.

Artie Burns (Pittsburgh Steelers)

40-yard dash: 4.46 seconds
Vertical jump: 31.5 inches
Bench press: N/A
20-yard shuttle: 2.63 seconds
3-cone drill: N/A

James Bradberry (Carolina Panthers)

40-yard dash: 4.45 seconds
Vertical jump: 36 inches
Bench press: 16 reps
20-yard shuttle: 2.60 seconds
3-cone drill: 6.91 seconds

Jalen Ramsey (Jacksonville Jaguars)

40-yard dash: 4.41 seconds
Vertical jump: 41.5 inches
Bench press: 14 reps
20-yard shuttle: 2.57 seconds
3-cone drill: 6.94 seconds

Eli Apple (New York Giants)

40-yard dash: 4.40 seconds
Vertical jump: N/A
Bench press: 13 reps
20-yard shuttle: 2.59 seconds
3-cone drill: N/A

Tavon Young (Baltimore Ravens)

40-yard dash: 4.46 seconds
Vertical jump: 34.5 inches
Bench press: 9 reps
20-yard shuttle: 2.60 seconds
3-cone drill: 6.80 seconds

Some takeaways from this group set some clear enough guidelines. First and foremost is to note carefully that the vertical jump and bench press didn’t seem to matter at all. The variations between the five names ranged rather widely and their productivity didn’t seem impacted by either. However, the 40-yard dash and agility drills were quite telling.

It was clear enough that all of the top corners needed speed, all of them posting a time under the 4.5 seconds threshold. On the 20-yard shuttle it stayed between the 2.63 and 2.57 seconds marks. As for the 3-cone drill, the universal truth was they had to post a time under seven seconds. While this isn’t a definitive way to find great corners, it at least presents a guideline for what fans should look for when the 2017 scouting combine gets going.

Home/NFL Draft