I’ve always loved the NFL Combine. A series of events to evaluate the physical characteristics of the best college football players each year. It’s like field day when you were a kid, but with some of the best athletes in the world.
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 Linebacker Broad 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 reps from Indianapolis.
Best Linebacker Broad Jumps of All-Time
| Best LB Broad Jumps in NFL Combine History |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Jamie Collins |
Southern Mississippi |
11’7″ |
2013 |
| Bud Dupree |
Kentucky |
11’6″ |
2015 |
| Willie Gay Jr |
Mississippi State |
11’4″ |
2020 |
| Dekoda Watson |
Florida State |
11’2″ |
2010 |
| Jeremiah Moon |
Florida |
11’1″ |
2022 |
| Darron Lee |
Ohio State |
11’1″ |
2016 |
| Jon Alston |
Stanford |
11’0″ |
2006 |
| Isaiah Simmons |
Clemson |
11’0″ |
2020 |
| Davis Tull |
UT-Chattanooga |
11’0″ |
2015 |
| Christian Harris |
Alabama |
11’0″ |
2022 |
Year By Year Top Linebacker Broad Numbers
Here is a breakdown of the top 5 Broad Jumps from each year going back to 2006. In addition to the top 5 each year, I’ve also included any linebacker that jumped 10’6″ or further.
Related –> NFL Combine Averages By Position at 2023 NFL Combine
2023
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2023 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Yasir Abdullah |
Louisville |
10’9″ |
2023 |
| Jack Campbell |
Iowa |
10’8″ |
2023 |
| Jeremy Banks |
Tennessee |
10’7″ |
2023 |
| Owen Pappoe |
Auburn |
10’6″ |
2023 |
| Daiyan Henley |
Washington State |
10’5″ |
2023 |
Related –> NFL Combine Averages By Position at 2022 NFL Combine
2022
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2022 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Jeremiah Moon |
Florida |
11’1″ |
2022 |
| Christian Harris |
Alabama |
11’0″ |
2022 |
| Chad Muma |
Wyoming |
10’9″ |
2022 |
| Channing Tindall |
Georgia |
10’9″ |
2022 |
| Troy Andersen |
Montana State |
10’8″ |
2022 |
| Brandon Smith |
Penn State |
10’8″ |
2022 |
| Leo Chenal |
Wisconsin |
10’8″ |
2022 |
| Chance Campbell |
Ole Miss |
10’7″ |
2022 |
| Damone Clark |
LSU |
10’7″ |
2022 |
| Devin Lloyd |
Utah |
10’6″ |
2022 |
2020
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2020 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Willie Gay Jr |
Mississippi State |
11’4″ |
2020 |
| Isaiah Simmons |
Clemson |
11’0″ |
2020 |
| Kenneth Murray |
Oklahoma |
10’9″ |
2020 |
| Davion Taylor |
Colorado |
10’7″ |
2020 |
| Jacob Phillips |
LSU |
10’6″ |
2020 |
2019
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2019 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Otaro Alaka |
Texas A&M |
10’11” |
2019 |
| Sione Takitaki |
BYU |
10’5″ |
2019 |
| Devin Bush |
Michigan |
10’4″ |
2019 |
| Blake Cashman |
Minnesota |
10’4″ |
2019 |
| Cameron Smith |
USC |
10’3″ |
2019 |
| Ty Summers |
TCU |
10’3″ |
2019 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel |
Wisconsin |
10’3″ |
2019 |
2018
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2018 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Oren Burks |
Vanderbilt |
10’11” |
2018 |
| Matthew Thomas |
Florida State |
10’11” |
2018 |
| Jerome Baker |
Ohio State |
10’6″ |
2018 |
| Malik Jefferson |
Texas |
10’5″ |
2018 |
| Genard Avery |
Memphis |
10’4″ |
2018 |
| Leighton Vander Esch |
Boise State |
10’4″ |
2018 |
2017
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2017 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Jabrill Peppers |
Michigan |
10’8″ |
2017 |
| T.J. Watt |
Wisconsin |
10’8″ |
2017 |
| Tyus Bowser |
Houston |
10’7″ |
2017 |
| Matt Milano |
Boston College |
10’6″ |
2017 |
| Zach Cunningham |
Vanderbilt |
10’5″ |
2017 |
2016
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2016 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Darron Lee |
Ohio State |
11’1″ |
2016 |
| Travis Feeney |
Washington |
10’10” |
2016 |
| Leonard Floyd |
Georgia |
10’7″ |
2016 |
| Joshua Perry |
Ohio State |
10’4″ |
2016 |
| Montese Overton |
East Carolina |
10’3″ |
2016 |
2015
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2015 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Bud Dupree |
Kentucky |
11’6″ |
2015 |
| Davis Tull |
UT-Chattanooga |
11’0″ |
2015 |
| Vic Beasley |
Clemson |
10’10” |
2015 |
| Randy Gregory |
Nebraska |
10’5″ |
2015 |
| Zack Hodges |
Harvard |
10’5″ |
2015 |
2014
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2014 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Ryan Shazier |
Ohio State |
10’10” |
2014 |
| Khalil Mack |
Buffalo |
10’8″ |
2014 |
| Kevin Pierre-Louis |
Boston College |
10’8″ |
2014 |
| Lamin Barrow |
LSU |
10’3″ |
2014 |
| Carl Bradford |
Arizona State |
10’2″ |
2014 |
| Christian Kirksey |
Iowa |
10’2″ |
2014 |
| Boseko Lokombo |
Oregon |
10’2″ |
2014 |
| Prince Shembo |
Notre Dame |
10’2″ |
2014 |
2013
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2013 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Jamie Collins |
Southern Mississippi |
11’7″ |
2013 |
| Zaviar Gooden |
Missouri |
10’11” |
2013 |
| Cornelius Washington |
Georgia |
10’8″ |
2013 |
| Sio Moore |
Connecticut |
10’7″ |
2013 |
| Brandon Hepburn |
Florida A&M |
10’4″ |
2013 |
2012
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2012 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Mychal Kendricks |
California |
10’7″ |
2012 |
| James Michael Johnson |
Nevada |
10’4″ |
2012 |
| Tahir Whitehead |
Temple |
10’4″ |
2012 |
| Demario Davis |
Arkansas State |
10’4″ |
2012 |
| Luke Kuechly |
Boston College |
10’3″ |
2012 |
| Bruce Irvin |
West Virginia |
10’3″ |
2012 |
2011
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2011 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Dontay Moch |
Nevada |
10’8″ |
2011 |
| Von Miller |
Texas A&M |
10’6″ |
2011 |
| Justin Houston |
Georgia |
10’5″ |
2011 |
| Martez Wilson |
Illinois |
10’4″ |
2011 |
| Akeem Dent |
Georgia |
10’3″ |
2011 |
2010
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2010 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Dekoda Watson |
Florida State |
11’2″ |
2010 |
| Koa Misi |
Utah |
10’7″ |
2010 |
| Jamar Chaney |
Mississippi State |
10’4″ |
2010 |
| Keenan Clayton |
Oklahoma |
10’4″ |
2010 |
| Kion Wilson |
South Florida |
10’3″ |
2010 |
| Sean Weatherspoon |
Missouri |
10’3″ |
2010 |
| Simoni Lawrence |
Minnesota |
10’3″ |
2010 |
2009
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2009 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Connor Barwin |
Cincinnati |
10’8″ |
2009 |
| Aaron Curry |
Wake Forest |
10’4″ |
2009 |
| Gerald McRath |
Southern Miss |
10’3″ |
2009 |
| Stanley Arnoux |
Wake Forest |
10’1″ |
2009 |
| Clay Matthews |
USC |
10’1″ |
2009 |
| Moise Fokou |
Maryland |
10’1″ |
2009 |
2008
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2008 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Standford Keglar |
Purdue |
10’6″ |
2008 |
| Gary Guyton |
Georgia Tech |
10’6″ |
2008 |
| Bryan Smith |
McNeese State |
10’0″ |
2008 |
| Quentin Groves |
Auburn |
10’0″ |
2008 |
| Bryan Smith |
BYU |
9’11” |
2008 |
| Mike Humpal |
Iowa |
9’11” |
2008 |
| Alvin Bowen |
Iowa State |
9’11” |
2008 |
2007
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2007 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Quincy Black |
New Mexico |
10’4″ |
2007 |
| Lawrence Timmons |
Florida State |
10’3″ |
2007 |
| Juwan Simpson |
Alabama |
10’3″ |
2007 |
| Antwan Barnes |
FIU |
10’2″ |
2007 |
| Zak DeOssie |
Brown |
10’2″ |
2007 |
2006
| Best LB Broad Jumps at NFL Combine 2006 |
| Player |
School |
Distance |
Year |
| Jon Alston |
Stanford |
11’0″ |
2006 |
| DeMeco Ryans |
Alabama |
10’9″ |
2006 |
| Anthony Trucks |
Oregon |
10’5″ |
2006 |
| Ernie Sims |
Florida State |
10’5″ |
2006 |
| Terna Nande |
Miami (OH) |
10’4″ |
2006 |
| Manny Lawson |
NC State |
10’4″ |
2006 |
| Thomas Howard |
Texas El Paso |
10’4″ |
2006 |
Notes
In my opinion, a great broad jump might be the most impressive thing to see in person – even more than a lightning-fast 40 or an outstanding vertical jump.
If you don’t believe me I want you to grab a measuring tape and some regular tape.
Find an open area on the floor and put down a strip of tape. Then, measure out ten feet and put down another strip of tape. Now, stand behind the first piece of tape and just look at how far the other piece of tape actually is! Almost every guy listed above jumped past that tape. And, by the way, don’t forget that the average NFL linebacker weighs 240 pounds.
Jamie Collins’s jump of 11’7″ in 2013 has to be one of the most impressive feats of any person ever at the NFL Combine. Not only is it the best broad jump ever by a linebacker at the combine, but he also outjumped every other player at the combine that year. (Second was wide receiver Justin Hunter with an 11’4″!)
Beating skill position players in the broad (he also vertical jumped 41.5) while weighing 250 pounds is just absolutely insane.
Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that not everyone that gets invited to the NFL Combine actually jumps (although broad jumps along with running the 40 and vertical jumps are still heavily participated in by linebackers). So, some players that potentially could put up a big jump don’t have an official number on the record.
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
Share This
