NFL Combine 2024: How this Year’s Results Compare to the Results of the Last Three Years

The 2024 NFL Combine wrapped up this past weekend, showcasing some of the best athletes in the world eager to improve their NFL Draft prospects for the upcoming April event. These collegiate talents demonstrated their speed and acceleration in the 40-yard dash, agility in the 3-cone drill and shuttle run, leaping prowess in the vertical leap and broad jump, and strength in the bench press.

In this post, I will assess the standout performers at each position from the 2024 Combine, comparing them to athletes from the past three combines to identify those who truly stand out.

Running Backs

Isaac Guerendo is the standout athlete from this year’s running back class, ranking near the top of the last four years in the 40-yard dash and at the top of the last four years in the vertical leap. Blake Corum showcased the top bench press among running backs of the past four years and Jaylen Wright with the top broad jump.

With an average percentile score of 99.45, the 2024 running back class is the most athletic of any position in this analysis, relative to the past three years. Guerendo is projected to be drafted in the fourth round, partly due to the abundance of quality free agents at the running back position and the apparent devaluation of the running back position. Regardless, based on his athleticism, he seems primed to have instant impact for the team that drafts him.

Wide Receivers

Xavier Worthy may be the most mentioned name from this Combine. That is, until the next super athlete breaks his now all-time Combine record of 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Malik Washington’s 99.2 percentile vertical leap and Adonai Mitchell’s 99.3 percentile broad jump also showcase athletic ability that has the potential to have an impact in the NFL. The 2024 wide receiver class’s average percentile score of 97.62 ranks fourth among the ten positions in this analysis. Worthy is projected to be drafted in the third round, and his speed can certainly spread the field for whichever team that lands him.

Linebackers

The 2024 linebacker class underwhelmed as a whole at the Combine, with no athlete ranking higher than the 95th percentile of results for the past three years in any event. The linerbackers’ average percentile score of 77.17 ranks last of the ten positions in this analysis.

Defensive Ends

The standout defensive end performance at this year’s Combine was Jared Verse’s 31 rep bench press, the highest total of any defensive end in the past four years. As a whole, defensive ends ranks seventh out of the ten positions with an average percentile score of 92.67. Mock drafts have Verse going in the early to middle first round as the top or second ranked edge rusher in his class.

Tight Ends

The 2024 tight end class had a very strong showing, with their average percentile score of 97.83 ranking second behind that of the running backs. Ben Sinnott is the standout athlete in this class, with the top tight end broad jump in 2024 to go along with the top ranked vertical jump and 3-cone time in the past four years. Sinnott is projected to be drafted in the fifth round, and could be an absolute steal for a team that is able to harness his athleticism in both the running and passing games.

Cornerbacks

Year after year, we see that the cornerback position stars as the most athletic position at the NFL Combine, and 2024 was no exception to that rule. Although cornerbacks rank just fifth among the ten positions in relative performance to their peers in the past three years, they still managed to have the best 2024 Combine results for the vertical leap, 3-cone drill, and shuttle run. With six different athletes topping the six different events among cornerbacks, this position will be full of talented athletes come draft time.

Quarterbacks

The most important position in football did not showcase tremendous athleticism in the 2024 Combine, with an average percentile score of 86.2 ranking second to last among the ten positions covered. JJ McCarthy stood out with the best 3 cone drill time among quarterbacks in the past four years. Fresh off of leading Michigan to the national title, McCarthy projects to go in the first round and maybe even as high as a top 10 pick.

Defensive Tackles

Defensive tackles ranked toward the middle of the pack in overall athleticism, with their average percentile score of 97 ranking sixth out of ten. Logan Lee’s 3-cone time was the best among DTs in the past four years, but the true standout here was Braden Fiske.

Fiske led DTs in the 40-yard dash, vertical leap, broad jump, and shuttle run, with his shuttle run time being the quickest in his position in four years. Fiske is projected to be drafted in the fourth round, and is poised to have serious impact for his future NFL team.

Safety

*Table 9: Top Safeties in the 2024 Combine. Percentiles are compared to the results of Safeties from the previous three combines. *indicates 2024 Combine best result.*

Safeties did not have a strong showing in the 2024 Combine with an average percentile score of 86.25 ranking eighth of the ten positions. However, the position did have one standout athlete: Tyler Owens, whose 146 inch broad jump led all players in the 2024 Combine and was the second best combine result all-time (first among safeties). Owens, who tweaked his groin at the event, is projected to be an average backup or special teams player by NFL Next Gen Stats, but has significant upside potential given his athleticism.

Offensive Linemen

Last, but certainly not least, we have the offensive linemen. The 2024 OL class impressed with an average percentile score of 97.65, ranking third among the ten positions. Offensive linemen are known for their ridiculously strong bench presses, and Beaux Limmer’s 39 reps topped the 2024 Combine and was the best OL result in four years.

Tanor Bortolini’s quickness stood out as his 3-cone time ranked in the 97.9th percentile, while his shuttle time was the best among offensive linemen in the past four years and the third best among offensive linemen in NFL Combine history. Bortolini is projected to be drafted in fourth or fifth round, but could be a sleeper pick given his combination of size and quickness.