A look at the 2025 NFL combine tests and who holds the records

Can anyone at this year's NFL Combine touch Xavier Worthy's 40-yard record set last year? Will 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter put his speed on display? Fans are hoping so when the 2025 NFL Combine on-field workouts kick-off Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis .

The four-day invitation only event will feature 329 prospective NFL players displaying their talents to NFL scouts who will evaluate them on a variety of physical, mental and medical criteria. Television coverage including drills, press conferences and on-field analysis begins at 3 p.m. ET on NFL Network and NFL+.

In some cases, a player's combine performance can make or break his chances of being drafted. At the very least, a player can confirm scouts' opinions of what they've already seen on film. Take Worthy for example. He shocked the Kansas City Chiefs with his speed and prompted them to trade up in the first round to draft him.

The 40-yard dash

Perhaps the most-important or at the very least, most exciting drill of the NFL combine is the 40-yard dash. Speed is a difference maker in the league, and a slow time could make a player's value slide. Conversely, a sub 4.3-second run could catapult a player's draft position.

Who holds the record?: Xavier Worthy , current Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver from the University of Texas, set the record last year with a time of 4.21 seconds.

Three cone drill

The cone drill tests how quickly a player can change directions and accelerate. Players move among four cones in a side-to-side, and up-and-down pattern. Traditionally cornerbacks have excelled in this test.

Who holds the record?: Jordan Thomas, cornerback for Oklahoma set the record of 6.28 seconds in the 2018 combine, however a poor performance in 40 yard dash and bench press left scouts unimpressed.

The bench press

As a pure test of upper-body strength, the bench press tends to be dominated by defensive linemen. They are followed closely by interior offensive linemen. Players bench press a 225-pound barbell as many times as they can.

Who holds the record?: Justin Ernest, defensive tackle from Eastern Kentucky, set the record of 51 reps in 1999. Ernest never went on to play in the NFL.

Runner-up Stephen Paea completed 49 reps in 2011. At the time, the defensive lineman was a consensus All-America selection from Oregon State. He went on to hear his name called in the second round by the Chicago Bears .

Since Paea hit 49 reps in 2011, only eight other players have surpassed 40 reps on the bench press.

The broad jump

The broad jump measures each player's lower-body explosiveness.

Who's the record holder?: Byron Jones, a cornerback from UConn jumped 12-feet-3 inches in 2015. The former Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins defensive back was drafted 27th overall by the Cowboys.

The vertical jump

Much like the broad jump, the vertical jump measures lower-body explosiveness.

Who's the record holder?: Gerald Sensabaugh, a safety who played for North Carolina, jumped 46 inches in 2005. Sensabaugh was drafted in the fifth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played eight seasons in the NFL, splitting those seasons between the Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys.

Note: Josh Imatorbhebhe, wide receiver for Iowa recorded an unofficial 46.5 inches at Iowa University's pro day in 2021. Imatorbhebhe has not played a game in the NFL.

The 20-yard shuttle run

The shuttle run also tests lateral quickness agility, acceleration and flexibility – key skills for cornerbacks, running backs and wide receivers.

Who's the record holder?: In 2001, Kevin Kasper, wide receiver from Iowa, finished the shuttle in 3.73 seconds. Kasper was drafted 190th overall by the Denver Broncos and played five seasons in the NFL.

Runner up is Dunta Robinson, cornerback from University of South Carolina, ran the shuttle in 3.75 seconds in 2004.