The NFL Draft Combine: Evolution of the Modern-Day Football Super Athlete
March 11, 2019The 2019 NFL draft combine put on full display the athletic prowess of the league’s future stars and continues to do so year after year. In the past, combine performances from the likes of Deion Sanders and Mike Mamula left us in shock and awe. Today, these jaw dropping performances have become almost routine, regular and expected in prospects participating in the combine. It seems that there is a generational wave of super athletes entering the league that has evolved from the football players of yesterday. Today’s NFL prospects appear to be faster, stronger, quicker and bigger than the players that entered the league before them but, are they really?
The Evidence
To answer this question, The Fan Verdict compiled NFL combine results dating back to 1987. The four measurables that have consistently existed over that period include the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump and broad jump, all traditional indicators of pure athleticism. The averages from each combine measurable were compared across the 32-year span and the results could not be more interesting.
On average, NFL prospects are running 0.15 seconds faster today than 32 years ago.
On average, NFL prospects are bench pressing 4 more reps today than 32 years ago.
On average, NFL prospects are jumping 3 inches higher today than 32 years ago.
On average, NFL prospects are jumping 7 inches further today than 32 years ago.
Based on this preliminary evidence, the athletic ability coming into the league is becoming increasingly extraordinary and looks to only become more elite in the future. Prospects are jumping higher and further, bench-pressing more and running faster, indicating incredible advances in athleticism over the course of the NFL’s history.
What does today’s NFL super athlete look like?
2019 NFL Draft Combine participant, former Ole Miss wideout and current predicted first rounder, D.K. Metcalf, provides a perfect example.
Standing at 6’3’’ and weighing in at 228 lbs, the Mississippi native had one of the best 2019 NFL combine performances. He posted top ten results in the 40-yard dash (4.33 seconds), vertical jump (40.5 inches) and broad jump (134.0 inches).
D.K. Metcalf’s combine numbers are turning heads…as they should be pic.twitter.com/hJSqS0AsVM
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 2, 2019
D.K. Metcalf at the 2019 #NFLCombine
– Faster than Devin Hester
– Stronger than Trent Williams
– Jumps higher than Odell Beckham Jr.
– More explosive than DeSean Jackson
– Heavier than Jaylon Smith@dkmetcalf14 @OleMissFB pic.twitter.com/5ikQTMH7QE— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) March 2, 2019
Metcalf was turning heads even before his combine began. Jaw dropping photos of his ripped body physique circulated social media along with reports of a ridiculous 1.6% body fat that was measured at the combine. According to experts, this measurement is likely a mistake and probably not possible but, the pictures surely are convincing.
But, how different is he really from the NFL’s past elite athletes?
Well, two-sport professional athlete and NFL Hall of Famer, Deion Sanders, was considered one of the best athletes at his 1989 combine and continued to prove so throughout his career. Here is what he looked like in his playing days compared to Metcalf.
Ole Miss WR @dkmetcalf14 was measured at the NFL Combine of having 1.6% body fat, according to @RapSheet. pic.twitter.com/6qWcvCSA9k
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 28, 2019
The difference at first glance is astonishing and superior athletes like Metcalf are only becoming more widespread within prospect draft classes entering the league.
An In-Depth Comparison
Metcalf is not only the epitome of the modern-day football super athlete but, may also help further highlight the evolution of athletic superiority within his possible family ties.
In his combine interview, D.K. said there is a possibility that he is related to former NFL running-back, Eric Metcalf. Although this relation is not confirmed, it gave opportunity to compare not just the old with the new but, also a chance to isolate the differences between football eras and how it has created this wave of rapidly advancing athleticism.
Eric Metcalf, a two-time pro-bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro, posted a 4.46 second 40-yard dash, a 33-inch vertical jump and a 118-inch broad jump in his 1989 NFL Combine.
How does that compare to D.K.?
| Measurable | D.K. Metcalf | Eric Metcalf | Difference |
| 40-Yard Dash | 4.33s | 4.46s | +0.13s |
| Bench Press | 27 reps | N/A | N/A |
| Vertical Jump | 40.5 inches | 33 inches | +7.5 inches |
| Broad Jump | 134 inches | 118 inches | +16 inches |
Could D.K. just be a better pure athlete than his older cousin? Maybe. But, it is also hard to ignore how this perfectly fits the evidence presented earlier. This is only one case of many that represents how athleticism in the NFL is evolving.
What is behind the evolution of the NFL’s modern-day super athlete?
Is it the emergence of sports nutrition, deeper understanding of sports science or the development of advanced training principles that are contributing to this new generation of evolved super athletes? It is probably a combination of all that and more. Whatever it may be, there is no question that players entering the NFL today have a collective athleticism that is unprecedented. The modern-day football super athlete is becoming more prevalent and as crazy as it sounds, will only continue to become more ordinary in the NFL.
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