5 most impressive NFL Combine performances of all time ft. John Ross' 4.22 40-yard dash

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is due to get underway on Thursday, with GMs and coaches across the league casting an eye on stars of the future.

Players can both elevate and decrease their draft stock depending on their Combine performance, meaning it's imperative for them to put on a show with the most important people in the NFL in attendance.

Some players had such amazing Combine performances that they were drafted way ahead of their earlier predictions, with teams seeing the measurables and taking risks - some paying off and others, not so much.

Best NFL Combine performances of all-time

#5 - LB Shaquem Griffin, 2018

Seattle Seahawks v Philadelphia Eagles

UCF LB Shaquem Griffin came into the 2018 NFL Combine with the publicity surrounding him having only one hand.

However, he shocked GMs by posting the fastest 40-yard dash in Combine history for his position at 4.38, as well as clocking up 20 reps on the bench press with a prosthetic arm attached.

His draft stock elevated so much that the Seattle Seahawks took him in round five of that year's draft, but he spent most of his career as a special-teamer and was out of the NFL by 2021.

#4 - OT Trent Williams, 2010

San Francisco 49ers v Cleveland Browns

OT Trent Williams entered the 2010 Combine as a mid-to-late first-round prospect, but after his standout performance, he ended up as the 4th overall pick. Williams ran a 4.81 40-yard dash, a 4.63 short shuttle, a 34.5-inch vertical and a 9’5″ broad jump.

The Combine elevated his stock, and he proved to be a blue-chip player for both the Redskins and 49ers, becoming arguably the best offensive lineman of his generation.

#3 - WR John Ross, 2017

Cincinnati Bengals v Los Angeles Chargers

John Ross entered the 2017 NFL Combine as a player with high potential but smashed expectations at the event.

Ross ran a 4.22 40-yard dash, eclipsing the 4.24 record set by Chris Johnson in 2008. Unfortunately for Ross, he pulled up at the end of his run, which became a sign of things to come.

He struggled mightily with injuries after the Cincinnati Bengals took him 9th overall in the draft, totaling just 957 yards and 11 touchdowns during his five seasons with the Bengals and New York Giants. The player drafted immediately after Ross was none other than QB Patrick Mahomes.

#2 - WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, 2009

AFC Championship - Pittsburgh Steelers v New England Patriots

Darrius Heyward-Bey may have been a disappointment in the NFL, but his Combine was what he's most remembered for.

Heyward-Bey ran a 4.25 40-yard dash - the second-fastest of all time at that point. He also posted an 8.5-inch vertical, 10’6″ broad jump and 4.18-second short shuttle. Heyward-Bey was taken 7th overall by the Oakland Raiders, but he never lived up to the hype, failing to top 1,000 yards in a season.

#1 - RB Saquon Barkley, 2018

Philadelphia Eagles v New York Giants

Superstar running back Saquon Barkley had arguably the best Combine showing of all time in 2018. Barkley balled out with a 4.40 40-yard dash, 1.54 10-yard split, 29 bench-press reps and a 41-inch vertical jump.

To put these numbers into context, he benched more than legendary lineman Joe Thomas and had a higher vertical jump than future Hall of Fame WR Julio Jones.

Barkley was taken 2nd overall by the New York Giants, to the shock of many who saw taking a running back so high as a mistake. However, Barkley won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and has made two Pro Bowls despite suffering various injuries throughout his career.