I’ve always loved the NFL Combine. A one-week event where some of the best athletes in the world compete in a series of physical challenges. It’s like an Olympic decathlon, but for college football players.
When I train players for the combine, one of the things we always do is look at previous years’ results to see how we stack up. It is a great tool for goal-setting and motivation.
This guide is simply me sharing this information with you. I went through all the previous NFL Combines (going back to 2006) to find the best Defensive End Vertical Jumps of all time.
Note: These are the official NFL Combine times from NFL.com. Some resources online will also include pro-day numbers, but because there are so many other variables with pro-day numbers I’ve stuck strictly to the official results from Indianapolis.
Best Defensive End Vertical Jumps of All-Time
| Best DE Vertical Jumps in NFL Combine History |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Nolan Smith |
Georgia |
41.5″ |
2017 |
| Myles Garrett |
Texas A&M |
41″ |
2017 |
| Dadi Nicolas |
Virginia Tech |
41″ |
2016 |
| Dominique Robinson |
Miami (OH) |
41″ |
2022 |
| Connor Barwin |
Cincinnati |
40.5″ |
2009 |
| Howard Jones |
Shepherd |
40.5″ |
2014 |
| Ben Banogu |
TCU |
40″ |
2019 |
| Brian Orakpo |
Texas |
39.5″ |
2009 |
| Josh Sweat |
Florida State |
39.5″ |
2018 |
| Jamal Davis |
Akron |
39″ |
2014 |
| Owa Odighizuwa |
UCLA |
39″ |
2015 |
| Casey Toohill |
Stanford |
39″ |
2006 |
| Jordan Willis |
Kansas State |
39″ |
2006 |
Year By Year Top Defensive End Vertical Numbers
Here is a breakdown of the top 5 Vertical Jumps from each year going back to 2006. In addition to the top 5 each year, I’ve also included any defensive end that jumped 37″ or higher.
Related –> NFL Combine Averages By Position at 2023 NFL Combine
2023
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2023 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Nolan Smith |
Georgia |
41.5″ |
2023 |
| Byron Young |
Tennessee |
38″ |
2023 |
| Adetomiwa Adebawore |
Northwestern |
37.5″ |
2023 |
| YaYa Diaby |
Louisville |
37″ |
2023 |
| Isaiah McGuire |
Missouri |
36.5″ |
2023 |
Related –> NFL Combine Averages By Position at 2022 NFL Combine
2022
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2022 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Dominique Robinson |
Miami (OH) |
41″ |
2022 |
| Arnold Ebiketie |
Penn State |
38″ |
2022 |
| Boye Mafe |
Minnesota |
38″ |
2022 |
| George Karlaftis |
Purdue |
38″ |
2022 |
| Joshua Paschal |
Kentucky |
37.5″ |
2022 |
| Amare Barno |
Virginia Tech |
37″ |
2022 |
2020
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2020 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Casey Toohill |
Stanford |
39″ |
2020 |
| Terrell Lewis |
Alabama |
37″ |
2020 |
| Carter Coughlin |
Minnesota |
36″ |
2020 |
| Jonathan Garvin |
Miami |
36″ |
2020 |
| Alton Robinson |
Syracuse |
35.5″ |
2020 |
2019
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2019 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Ben Banogu |
TCU |
40″ |
2019 |
| Jamal Davis |
Akron |
39″ |
2019 |
| Christian Miller |
Alabama |
38.5″ |
2019 |
| Rashan Gary |
Michigan |
38″ |
2019 |
| Jordan Brailford |
Oklahoma State |
37.5″ |
2019 |
2018
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2018 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Josh Sweat |
Florida State |
39.5″ |
2018 |
| Ade Aruna |
Tulane |
38.5″ |
2018 |
| Ogbo Okoronkwo |
Oklahoma |
38″ |
2018 |
| Lorenzo Carter |
Georgia |
36″ |
2018 |
| Bradley Chubb |
NC State |
36″ |
2018 |
| Harold Landry |
Boston College |
36″ |
2018 |
2017
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2017 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Myles Garrett |
Texas A&M |
41″ |
2017 |
| Jordan Willis |
Kansas State |
39″ |
2017 |
| Haason Reddick |
Temple |
36.5″ |
2017 |
| Daeshon Hall |
Texas A&M |
36″ |
2017 |
| Derek Rivers |
Youngstown State |
35″ |
2017 |
| Solomon Thomas |
Stanford |
35″ |
2017 |
2016
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2016 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Dadi Nicolas |
Virginia Tech |
41″ |
2016 |
| Jason Fanaika |
Utah |
35.5″ |
2016 |
| Emmanuel Ogbah |
Oklahoma State |
35.5″ |
2016 |
| Shilique Calhoun |
Michigan State |
35″ |
2016 |
| Matt Judon |
Grand Valley |
35″ |
2016 |
| Noah Spence |
Eastern Kentucky |
35″ |
2016 |
2015
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2015 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Owa Odighizuwa |
UCLA |
39″ |
2015 |
| Frank Clark |
Michigan |
38.5″ |
2015 |
| Zack Wagenmann |
Montana |
37.5″ |
2015 |
| Geneo Grissom |
Oklahoma |
37″ |
2015 |
| Trey Flowers |
Arkansas |
36.5″ |
2015 |
2014
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2014 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Howard Jones |
Shepherd |
40.5″ |
2014 |
| Jadeveon Clowney |
South Carolina |
37.5″ |
2014 |
| James Gayle |
Virginia Tech |
37″ |
2014 |
| Chris Smith |
Arkansas |
37″ |
2014 |
| Larry Webster |
Bloomsburg |
36.5″ |
2014 |
2013
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2013 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Trevardo Williams |
Connecticut |
38″ |
2013 |
| Barkevious Mingo |
LSU |
37″ |
2013 |
| Ty Powell |
Harding University |
37″ |
2013 |
| Damontre Moore |
Texas A&M |
35.5″ |
2013 |
| Devin Taylor |
South Carolina |
35″ |
2013 |
2012
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2012 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Nick Perry |
USC |
38.5″ |
2012 |
| Derrick Shelby |
Utah |
35.5″ |
2012 |
| Scott Solomon |
Rice |
35″ |
2012 |
| Chandler Jones |
Syracuse |
35″ |
2012 |
| Cam Johnson |
Virginia |
35″ |
2012 |
2011
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2011 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Justin Watt |
Wisconsin |
37″ |
2011 |
| Allen Bailey |
Miami |
36.5″ |
2011 |
| D’Aundre Reed |
Arizona |
35.5″ |
2011 |
| Cheta Ozougwu |
Rice |
34.5″ |
2011 |
| Aldon Smith |
Missouri |
34″ |
2011 |
| Robert Quinn |
North Carolina |
34″ |
2011 |
2010
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2010 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Willie Young |
NC State |
38″ |
2010 |
| Greg Middleton |
Indiana |
38″ |
2010 |
| Daniel Te’o-Nesheim |
Washington |
37″ |
2010 |
| Lindsey Witten |
Connecticut |
36.5″ |
2010 |
| Clifton Geathers |
South Carolina |
36″ |
2010 |
2009
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2009 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Brian Orakpo |
Texas |
39.5″ |
2009 |
| Michael Johnson |
Georgia Tech |
38.5″ |
2009 |
| Aaron Maybin |
Penn State |
38″ |
2009 |
| Derek Walker |
Illinois |
37.5″ |
2009 |
| Jarron Gilbert |
San Jose State |
35.5″ |
2009 |
2008
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2008 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Vernon Gholston |
Ohio State |
35.5″ |
2008 |
| Chris Long |
Virginia |
34″ |
2008 |
| Louis Holmes |
Arizona |
32.5″ |
2008 |
| Jeremy Thompson |
Wake Forest |
32″ |
2008 |
| Lawrence Jackson |
USC |
31″ |
2008 |
2007
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2007 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Brian Robinson |
Texas |
40.5″ |
2007 |
| CJ Ah You |
Oklahoma |
36.5″ |
2007 |
| Antwan Applewhite |
San Diego State |
35″ |
2007 |
| Gaines Adams |
Clemson |
35″ |
2007 |
| Jay Moore |
Nebraska |
34″ |
2007 |
| Charles Johnson |
Georgia |
34″ |
2007 |
2006
| Best DE Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2006 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Mark Anderson |
Alabama |
42″ |
2006 |
| Stanley McClover |
Auburn |
39″ |
2006 |
| Ray Edwards |
Purdue |
39″ |
2006 |
| Kamerion Wimbley |
Florida State |
38.5″ |
2006 |
| Chris Gocong |
Cal Poly |
38.5″ |
2006 |
| Mike Kudia |
Ohio State |
37″ |
2006 |
Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that not everyone that gets invited to the NFL Combine actually jumps (although verticals along with running the 40 and broad jumps are still heavily participated in by most positions). So, some players that potentially could put up a big jump don’t have an official number on the record.
One thing every guy is almost guaranteed to get put on record? Their height and weight.
Finally, don’t forget that there are many players each year that would have put up big numbers that don’t receive an NFL Combine invite. I’ve been at many pro days where some of the numbers our guys put up would have been top 5 or even top 3 at the combine that year.
Featured Image Photo Credit: Alena Veasey / Shutterstock.com
References
NFL.com
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