NFL Combine winners list among Defensive Backs features the most explosive safety in over two decades
Following along with the NFL Combine is always a lot of fun. There's all the spicy comments from podiums, the weigh-ins and measurements that can sometimes surprise, and of course the forty-yard dashes in spandex that everyone loves. But when the dust settles at the end of each day, how can we really tell who […]
Following along with the NFL Combine is always a lot of fun. There's all the spicy comments from podiums, the weigh-ins and measurements that can sometimes surprise, and of course the forty-yard dashes in spandex that everyone loves. But when the dust settles at the end of each day, how can we really tell who "won" and helped their draft stock?
The best way? Create a custom Athletic Composite score that pulls together 20+ years of historical NFL Combine data, analyzes the results of this group of incoming prospects, and assigns a singular percentile score for a player's athleticism.
Or at least that's what we did here at A to Z Sports. As you can see in my post below, here were the top ten performances among defensive backs at the NFL Combine today.
Tyler Owens, Safety Texas Tech
It turns out that if you want to post the best Burst Score in decades all you have to do is simply not believe in space or planets. If that's confusing, it's alright. Tyler Owens confused all of us at the NFL Combine yesterday when he volunteered that he "didn't believe in space" for some reason.
Owens jumped 12'2" in the broad jump, which was over a foot farther than any other safety at this year's NFL Combine. Only an inch off of the all-time record for all positions set by cornerback Byron Jones back in 2015. His vertical jump of 41" was 94th percentile.
Sadly, Owens injured himself running the forty yard dash and we didn't get to see the rest of what could be an all-time NFL Combine performance across the board. He still posted a 98th percentile Athletic Composite anyway.
90th Percentile Athletes
Cole Bishop and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson were the other two safeties that certainly helped their NFL Draft stock immensely today. Bishop measured in with arms under 30 inches long, but he offset that particular size concern by running a 4.45 at 206 pounds and posting excellent jumps too. Taylor-Demerson had an even faster forty, but his weight-adjusted speed was just a shade below Bishop's. Both look like mid-round picks.
Quinyon Mitchell locked in mid-first round capital when he ran a 4.33-second forty-yard dash. Jarrian Jones and his 4.38-second forty were just a shade behind Mitchell's numbers.
80th Percentile Athletes
Dominique Hampton was one of just a few defensive backs who actually participated in all of the on-field drills, which made his 89th percentile Athletic Composite score even more impressive. Many times when players know they're not going to perform well they just do not participate. Not the case with Hampton.
Max Melton's Burst Score was through the roof thanks to his top vertical jump, but his Speed Score was not great for his size.
Decamerion Richardson, Jaylon Carlies, and Kamari Lassiter all came in with scores between the 85th and 86th. Lassiter only did the agility drills, but he was fanastic there.
Nate Wiggins slightly injured himself running his forty-yard dash, but still put up strong marks in both his Speed and Burst scores.
If you want to follow along live in the coming days for up-to-the-minute detailed NFL Combine results follow me @FF_TravisM on X and feel free to share any questions you may have there.
