National Football Combine Drills

The NFL is a league made up of extraordinarily athletic men. It's all about being bigger, faster and stronger. And it's no accident when a player is chosen in the NFL draft. It takes an intense amount of training, preparation and skill to win the attention of executives, coaches and scouts, beginning with a battery of all-important drills. These are the physical tests and measurement standards that, according to the NFL Scouting Combine, determine a player's size, speed, strength, endurance and, essentially, his market value.

  1. The 40-Yard Dash

    • The 40-yard dash is a particularly significant combine drill that tests a player's speed, power and drive. Not only does it measure how fast he can run, but it also determines the power and quickness with which he ignites from a three-point stance into a breakneck sprint from the line of scrimmage. Ideally, coaches like to see a player run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 second or less. This is a great opportunity for players with exceptional speed and power to prove to prospective coaches that they have what it takes to get off the line of scrimmage in a hurry.

    The Bench Press

    • The bench press is a test of both strength and endurance. Each player is expected to bench 225 pounds, as many reps as they can get into one test. Essentially, coaches and scouts are looking for the player who has spent a lot of time in the weight room. This will be determined by how many reps a player can demonstrate. The only players not expected to perform the bench press drill are quarterbacks and wide receivers.

    The Vertical Jump

    • The vertical jump is an important drill that demonstrates the strength and power of the lower body. It is a drill that is particularly useful when evaluating receivers and defensive backs. The vertical jump demonstrates a player's ability to jump straight up into the air from a flat-footed position, without a running start. Coaches and scouts are constantly on the lookout for the exceptional athlete with the power to explode into an extreme vertical jump, preferably 40 inches, if not more.

    The Broad Jump

    • Like the vertical jump, the broad jump is a test of lower-body strength. However, rather than jumping straight up into the air, a player jumps forward from the same flat-footed, standing position required in the vertical jump. What makes this drill so difficult is that it requires a great deal of balance in order to land smoothly.

    The Shuttle Run

    • The Shuttle Run is an effective drill that is used to measure endurance and agility. It is a fitness-test favorite among football coaches at just about every level. The player is timed to see how fast he can run five yards, then back 10 yards in the opposite direction, finishing with a five-yard sprint back to the starting line. It is known in the NFL as the 5-10-5.

    Three-Cone Shuttle

    • The purpose of this drill is to measure agility, speed, body control and range of body movement. Three cones are placed in an L-shape; each cone is placed five yards apart. The player runs a series of high-speed circles around the cones, and his time is recorded. This drill shows how quickly a player can change direction while running at breakneck speed.