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          Remembering NFL combine standouts, how their careers panned out

          Xavier Worthy set the 40-yard dash record at the 2024 NFL Draft Combine. Stacy Revere/Getty Images
          • Anthony GharibFeb 27, 2025, 12:00 PM ET

          The 2025 NFL combine begins Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

          Participation in the combine is by invitation only. The NFL has invited 329 prospects to run through a variety of evaluations -- including on-field workouts -- in front of general managers, coaches and scouts. Individual drills begin on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET with the defensive linemen and linebackers.

          Through the years, standout performances at the combine have led to increased buzz and rising stocks heading into draft day.

          Some outings confirm the potential that is already known by draft experts. But others can dramatically impact the beginning of a rookie's career.

          Here's a look back at some NFL combine standouts and where they are now, starting with the latest viral sensation from last year.

          Xavier Worthy, 2024

          College: Texas

          Worthy set a new 40-yard dash record in 2024, beating John Ross by one tick.

          The Longhorns wide receiver ran a 4.25 on his first attempt, then a 4.22 unofficially on his second. The crowd roared as he crossed the finish line on his record run, which was later confirmed to be done in 4.21 seconds.

          Future teammate Patrick Mahomes and one of the fastest NFL wide receivers Tyreek Hill were among many that reacted to Worthy's dash.

          The Chiefs selected Worthy with the 28th pick in the NFL draft. He had 59 receptions for 638 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season, plus two touchdowns in a Super Bowl LIX defeat.

          In his own words: "I just broke the record. It still doesn't feel real. Man, just a blessing to be able to do this in front of all these fans, with all these peers I'm with."

          Andrew Vorhees, 2023

          College: USC

          A top offensive lineman, Vorhees suffered a torn ACL in the midst of a shuttle drill, hindering his ability to participate in the rest of the day's on-field workouts.

          But he returned the next day and convinced the team doctor to let him compete in the bench press. He missed breakfast because he had a meeting with a doctor, so Vorhees said all he ate was a bag of Fritos before the lift.

          Vorhees ended up with a 2023 combine high of 38 reps with one healthy knee. His effort went viral on social media and even caught the attention of three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt.

          The Baltimore Ravens selected him in the seventh round. He missed the entire 2023 season with the ACL injury and made three starts at left guard in 2024 before an ankle injury kicked him out of the starting lineup for Patrick Mekari.

          In his own words: "Once the doctor told me that I tore my ACL, I had to convince him to let me go out there and do the bench press that Monday morning. It was an uphill battle, right? Torn, busted up knee. Missed breakfast that morning because I had to go see the doctor. So I had a bag of Fritos for breakfast. Super dehydrated."

          Shaquem Griffin, 2018

          College: UCF

          Griffin had a memorable performance, running a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash and finishing with 20 reps in the bench press. His 40-yard time was the fastest for a linebacker going back to 2006, the first year ESPN Research began documenting 40 times at the combine. Griffin was attempting to become the first player with one hand to be drafted in the league's modern era.

          The Seattle Seahawks made that come true when they selected Griffin in the fifth round. He played three seasons in Seattle, recording one sack and 25 total tackles. Griffin was on the Miami Dolphins practice squad during the 2021 season but was released in October. He announced his retirement in August 2022.

          In his own words: "My goal was six [repetitions]. I think I beat that by a lot. When I first got to training, I did like 11 reps. ... Just being able to do that, that was amazing. Hearing the crowd and having the juices flowing, I felt it. ... I didn't know I had it in me, but it came out."

          John Ross, 2017

          College: Washington

          The Huskies wide receiver made his then-record-breaking 40-yard dash look casual. He clocked a time of 4.22 seconds, shocking the NFL Network commentators and fans on social media.

          Johnson tweeted three eye emojis after the dash.

          Ross didn't complete the rest of the drills because of sore calves suffered during the run, but it didn't impact his stock too much -- the Cincinnati Bengals selected him with the No. 9 pick.

          He struggled in his rookie season, appearing in only three games with two total targets. His lone rushing attempt went 12 yards but ended in a fumble.

          Ross followed a 2018 season where he had seven receiving touchdowns with a career-high 509 receiving yards in 2019. Out of the league after the 2021 season, Ross signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023, but he retired in July of that year. He then unretired and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year deal last May before being released in December.

          In his own words: "When I got there, everything kind of got quiet. I had so much adrenaline. I was nervous right before I went, so I was up on my hands. Everything got quiet; I couldn't hear anything. And I just took off. I held my breath ... and it just went on from there."

          Byron Jones, 2015

          College: UConn

          Talk about jumping high: Jones did it both literally and figuratively during the 2015 draft process.

          The Huskies cornerback recorded a broad jump of 12 feet, 3 inches, surpassing the combine record by 8 inches and the world record by 1 inch. He also had a vertical jump of 44.5 inches, just half an inch shy of the best combine mark since 2006.

          Predictably, Jones' outing moved him high up the draft. Originally slated as the fifth-best cornerback by ESPN, he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 27th pick. He was the fourth corner to be taken off the board.

          Jones earned Pro Bowl and AP All-Pro second-team honors in 2018 with the Cowboys. The Miami Dolphins released him in March 2023.

          In his own words: "My personal [broad jump] record was 11-7. That's what I was doing at the training facility, and I obviously broke that. It feels good to put a [personal record] up."

          Dontari Poe, 2012

          College: Memphis

          Weighing 346 pounds heading into the 2012 combine, the Tigers defensive lineman put together an epic performance.

          Poe ran the 40-yard dash in 4.98 seconds and had 44 reps on the 225-pound bench press, 16 above the average for defensive tackles in the four previous combines.

          He was projected in the middle of the first round, but the Chiefs ended up selecting him at No. 11 after the predraft process. Poe had two Pro Bowl appearances across nine seasons, showcasing his athleticism with a perfect 3-for-3 on trick-play touchdown attempts. The Cowboys released him in 2020.

          In his own words: "It was really something that I kind of knew I could do, I just had to do it at the right time at the combine. Proud of it. Proud that I did what I came to do. I was excited about it. A lot of people were shocked and surprised about it."

          Stephen Paea, 2011

          College: Oregon State

          Paea made the bench press look easy in 2011 as the Beavers defensive lineman recorded a whopping 49 reps of 225 pounds. That figure exceeded the previous record by four -- and it still hasn't been topped.

          Fellow prospects cheered Paea on as he reached the high 40s. He nearly completed No. 50, but fell just short on his rep.

          The Chicago Bears drafted Paea with the 53rd pick, where he spent four seasons and had 12 sacks. Paea then bounced around the league before retiring in October 2017.

          In his own words: "They counted all of them, but I didn't know I was at 49, I lost count. They're tapping your thigh saying all the way up. Everything is just pressure ... I've never been under so much pressure with a bench press. I thought I was at 47. If I knew I had 49, I would've rest a little bit and gotten 50."

          Chris Johnson, 2008

          College: East Carolina

          The Pirates running back turned heads during his combine performance.

          He ran a then-record 4.24 seconds in the 40-yard dash and also had top scores among running backs in the broad jump and vertical leap. Johnson's iconic run served as the pantheon for the 40-yard dash for nearly a decade.

          The Tennessee Titans selected him with the 24th overall pick. Johnson lived up to the hype, recording six straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, including 2,006 yards in 2009 -- seventh most all time for an individual season. He also had an NFL-record 2,509 scrimmage yards that season.

          Through a 10-year career, Johnson made the Pro Bowl three times and All-Pro once. He retired in 2018. Johnson's 40-yard dash remains one of the most viral in NFL combine history, despite being topped nine years later.

          In his own words: "Actually when I came off, I kind of stumbled a little bit. I don't think I had the best start. But you see once I came out, I kept my head down for a little bit and then I just ran."

          Vernon Davis, 2006

          College: Maryland

          The Pro Bowl tight end had a memorable combine performance, running a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash and completing 33 bench press reps. He finished at the top of the position in the broad jump (10 feet 8 inches) and vertical jump (42 inches).

          Davis' impressive combine resulted in the San Francisco 49ers selecting him at No. 6, then tied for the highest tight end selection in NFL history. In 15 seasons, Davis recorded 583 receptions for 7,562 yards. He also had 63 receiving touchdowns, the sixth most all time for a tight end.

          In his own words: "Between that time and going to the draft, I just kept hearing that song by Eminem, 'you only get one shot, one opportunity' ... then when I got to the combine I started listening to that song. I knew I was only going to get one shot. If I didn't capitalize on it, that was it."