2017 NFL Combine: Best Overall Performance by Position
By Zach Bigalke
Zay Jones had already put up two straight 1000-yard receiving seasons prior to arriving at the NFL Combine. His 2016 campaign, where he hauled in 158 catches for 1746 yards, had already done plenty to boost the East Carolina receiver’s draft stock. But the all-time NCAA leader in receptions certainly didn’t hurt his draft position with the way he performed in the various drills at this year’s Combine.
His 40-yard time wasn’t quite as impressive as the record-breaking mark posted by John Ross, but Jones was still 12th among receivers as he displayed 4.45 speed. He also finished 12th in the bench press, hoisting up 15 reps, and his “worst” showing was finishing 13th in the three-cone drill with a time of 6.79 seconds.
The brightest spots for Jones were his times in the 20-yard and 60-yard shuttles. He was in the top five among receivers in both events, and he also finished third among wideouts in the broad jump with a distance of 133 inches. Along with Georgia State’s Robert Davis and Penn State’s Chris Godwin, Jones distanced himself from the rest of a deep pack of receivers that are draft-eligible at this year’s NFL Combine.