12 Most Memorable Moments from the NFL Combine
By Zach Bigalke
Byron Jones leaps 12’3″ to break broad jump world record (2015)
The NFL Combine is better known for its own proprietary events that have little correlation to either football skills or athletic challenges that are undertaken more widely by the global community. One of the few exceptions is the broad jump, a test of a football player’s lower-body strength and explosiveness that has been that has been a regular feature of the NFL Combine from its outset.
Two years ago, Byron Jones wasn’t even expecting to participate in any physical drills at the 2015 NFL Combine. The UConn cornerback was recovering from shoulder surgery when the annual event reconvened in Indianapolis. But with focused training, he was able to participate in the jumping drills. Instead of staying sidelined, Jones broke a world record that had stood for nearly five decades.
With his 12’3″ leap, Jones became the rare football player to claim an athletics record. He also finished just a half-inch away from claiming the vertical leap record. The landmark performance helped bump Jones up into the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, where he was selected by Dallas with the 27th overall pick.