NFL teams get starry-eyed yearly over a player’s 40 times, vertical leap, or bench press numbers. And someone gets drafted way too early every year because they looked great in shorts and a tank top.
This list is for the guys who skyrocketed draft boards thanks to workout stats, not football tape. They hit hard once the season started.
15. Matt Jones
Quarterback-turned-receiver with freaky measurables? That’s a red flag, not a reason to go in the first round. The Jags took the bait, and the results were predictably bland.
14. Mike Mamula
The original combine legend. He trained for the drills and fooled the Eagles into thinking he was a top-tier pass rusher.
13. J.J. Stokes
He aced the combine interviews and wowed scouts with his size and athleticism. But on the field, he was a master of doing absolutely nothing for four quarters.
12. Kevin White
White blew up the combine and had scouts dreaming of a Pro Bowl future. But injuries and inconsistency made him a first-round ghost.
11. Aaron Curry
He crushed the combine and was called the safest pick in the draft. In 2011, however, he was about as secure as investing in a Blockbuster franchise.
10. Troy Williamson
He could fly in a straight line, and that’s about it. Minnesota drafted him to replace Randy Moss—good luck with that.
9. Robert Nkemdiche
Freaky athleticism, all the tools, zero discipline. He was a walking warning sign wrapped in five-star potential.
8. Taven Bryan
They called him “Wyoming J.J. Watt” after a solid combine showing. On Sundays, he was more like “Generic Defensive Tackle #5.”
7. Josh Doctson
He leaped, he sprinted, he wowed scouts in drills. Then he disappeared once factual defenses showed up.
6. Isaiah Wilson
Big, strong, and moved surprisingly well for his size. Unfortunately, the Titans got one snap and a handful of off-field drama for their first-round investment.
5. Breshad Perriman
He ran a sub-4.3, and Baltimore said, “Sold.” Then he showed up and ran away from consistency.
4. John Ross
The man set a 40-yard dash record and fooled the Bengals into thinking he was Tyreek Hill 2.0. It turns out he was more like Tyreek Hill, divided by two.
3. Artie Burns
Burns was fast and explosive, but his technique was a mess. Pittsburgh hoped he’d develop—he didn’t.
2. Vernon Gholston
Gholston looked like a Greek god and was bench-pressed like one, but he couldn’t get to the quarterback if his life depended on it. The Jets took him sixth overall, leaving the league with zero sacks.
Read More: Ranking The 7 Worst NFL Draft Picks Of All Time
1. Darrius Heyward-Bey
He ran a blistering 4.3 40, and the Raiders said, “Yup, that’s our guy.”It’s too bad that hands and route running aren’t measured at the combine.
Read More: 10 NFL Prospects Who Peaked at the Combine
