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 Running Back 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 Running Back Vertical Jumps of All-Time
| Best RB Vertical Jumps in NFL Combine History |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Christine Michael |
Texas A&M |
43″ |
2013 |
| Ameer Abdullah |
Nebraska |
42.5″ |
2015 |
| Anthony Allen |
Georgia Tech |
41.5″ |
2011 |
| Donald Brown |
Connecticut |
41.5″ |
2009 |
| David Johnson |
Northern Iowa |
41.5″ |
2015 |
| Daniel Lasco |
California |
41.5″ |
2016 |
| Lache Seastrunk |
Baylor |
41.5″ |
2014 |
| Saquon Barkley |
Penn State |
41″ |
2018 |
| AJ Dillon |
Boston College |
41″ |
2020 |
| Montario Hardesty |
Tennessee |
41″ |
2010 |
| David Wilson |
Virginia Tech |
41″ |
2012 |
| Zach Zenner |
South Dakota State |
41″ |
2015 |
Year By Year Top Running Back 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 running back that jumped 37″ or higher.
Related –> NFL Combine Averages By Position at 2023 NFL Combine
2023
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2023 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Chase Brown |
Illinois |
40″ |
2023 |
| Tyjae Spears |
Tulane |
39″ |
2023 |
| Keaton Mitchell |
East Carolina |
38″ |
2023 |
| Eric Gray |
Oklahoma |
37.5″ |
2023 |
| Zach Charbonnet |
UCLA |
37″ |
2023 |
| Bijan Robinson |
Texas |
37″ |
2023 |
| Evan Hull |
Northwestern |
37″ |
2023 |
| Cam Peoples |
Appalachian State |
37″ |
2023 |
Related –> NFL Combine Averages By Position at 2022 NFL Combine
2022
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2022 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Breece Hall |
Iowa State |
40″ |
2022 |
| Kevin Harris |
South Carolina |
38.5″ |
2022 |
| Rachaad White |
Arizona State |
38″ |
2022 |
| Tyler Goodson |
Iowa |
36.5″ |
2022 |
| Ronnie Rivers |
Fresno State |
36.5″ |
2022 |
2020
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2020 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| AJ Dillon |
Boston College |
41″ |
2020 |
| James Robinson |
Illinois State |
40″ |
2020 |
| Levante Bellamy |
Western Michigan |
39.5″ |
2020 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire |
LSU |
39.5″ |
2020 |
| Eno Benjamin |
Arizona State |
39″ |
2020 |
| JaMycal Hasty |
Baylor |
39″ |
2020 |
| Brian Herrien |
Georgia |
38.5″ |
2020 |
| Rico Dowdle |
South Carolina |
38″ |
2020 |
| Raymond Calais |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
37.5″ |
2020 |
| Darrynton Evans |
Appalachian State |
37″ |
2020 |
2019
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2019 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Justice Hill |
Oklahoma State |
40″ |
2019 |
| Travis Homer |
Miami |
39.5″ |
2019 |
| Alex Barnes |
Kansas State |
38.5″ |
2019 |
| Damien Harris |
Alabama |
37″ |
2019 |
| James Williams |
Washington State |
36.5″ |
2019 |
2018
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2018 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Saquon Barkley |
Penn State |
41″ |
2018 |
| Kerryon Johnson |
Auburn |
40″ |
2018 |
| Bo Scarbrough |
Alabama |
40″ |
2018 |
| Nick Chubb |
Georgia |
38.5″ |
2018 |
| Justin Jackson |
Northwestern |
38.5″ |
2018 |
2017
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2017 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Alvin Kamara |
Tennessee |
39.5″ |
2017 |
| Aaron Jones |
Texas El Paso |
37.5″ |
2017 |
| Christian McCaffrey |
Stanford |
37.5″ |
2017 |
| Chris Carson |
Oklahoma State |
37″ |
2017 |
| Kareem Hunt |
Toledo |
36.5″ |
2017 |
2016
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2016 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Daniel Lasco |
California |
41.5″ |
2016 |
| Tyler Ervin |
San Jose State |
39″ |
2016 |
| Danny Vitale |
Northwestern |
38.5″ |
2016 |
| Kenneth Dixon |
Louisiana Tech |
37.5″ |
2016 |
| Derrick Henry |
Alabama |
37″ |
2016 |
2015
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2015 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Ameer Abdullah |
Nebraska |
42.5″ |
2015 |
| David Johnson |
Northern Iowa |
41.5″ |
2015 |
| Zach Zenner |
South Dakota State |
41″ |
2015 |
| John Crockett |
North Dakota State |
40″ |
2015 |
| Jay Ajayi |
Boise State |
39″ |
2015 |
| David Cobb |
Minnesota |
38.5″ |
2015 |
| Terrence Magee |
LSU |
37″ |
2015 |
2014
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2014 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Lache Seastrunk |
Baylor |
41.5″ |
2014 |
| Jerick McKinnon |
Georgia Southern |
40.5″ |
2014 |
| Tre Mason |
Auburn |
38.5″ |
2014 |
| Dri Archer |
Kent State |
38″ |
2014 |
| George Atkinson |
Notre Dame |
38″ |
2014 |
| Isaiah Crowell |
Alabama State |
38″ |
2014 |
| Andre Williams |
Boston College |
38″ |
2014 |
| Charles Sims |
West Virginia |
37.5″ |
2014 |
| Silas Redd |
USC |
37″ |
2014 |
2013
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2013 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Christine Michael |
Texas A&M |
43″ |
2013 |
| Rex Burkhead |
Nebraska |
39″ |
2013 |
| Michael Ford |
LSU |
38.5″ |
2013 |
| Cierre Wood |
Notre Dame |
37.5″ |
2013 |
| Kenjon Barner |
Oregon |
35.5″ |
2013 |
| Matthew Tucker |
TCU |
35.5″ |
2013 |
2012
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2012 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| David Wilson |
Virginia Tech |
41″ |
2012 |
| Brandon Bolden |
Ole Miss |
38″ |
2012 |
| Terrance Ganaway |
Baylor |
37.5″ |
2012 |
| Ronnie Hillman |
San Diego State |
37″ |
2012 |
| Chris Rainey |
Florida |
36.5″ |
2012 |
| Bernard Pierce |
Temple |
36.5″ |
2012 |
2011
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2011 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Anthony Allen |
Georgia Tech |
41.5″ |
2011 |
| Ryan Williams |
Virginia Tech |
40″ |
2011 |
| Jordan Todman |
Connecticut |
38″ |
2011 |
| Mikel Leshoure |
Illinois |
38″ |
2011 |
| Derrick Locke |
Kentucky |
37.5″ |
2011 |
| Mario Fannin |
Auburn |
37.5″ |
2011 |
| Delone Carter |
Syracuse |
37″ |
2011 |
2010
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2010 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Montario Hardesty |
Tennessee |
41″ |
2010 |
| Ben Tate |
Auburn |
40.5″ |
2010 |
| Andre Dixon |
Connecticut |
40″ |
2010 |
| Pat Paschall |
North Dakota State |
38.5″ |
2010 |
| Toby Gerhart |
Stanford |
38″ |
2010 |
2009
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2009 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Donald Brown |
Connecticut |
41.5″ |
2009 |
| Cedric Peerman |
Virginia |
40″ |
2009 |
| Mike Goodson |
Texas A&M |
39.5″ |
2009 |
| Kory Sheets |
Purdue |
37″ |
2009 |
| Shonn Greene |
Iowa |
37″ |
2009 |
| Andre Brown |
NC State |
37″ |
2009 |
2008
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2008 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Jonathan Stewart |
Oregon |
36.5″ |
2008 |
| Thomas Brown |
Georgia |
36″ |
2008 |
| Chris Johnson |
East Carolina |
35″ |
2008 |
| Ryan Torain |
Arizona State |
34″ |
2008 |
| Jalen Parmele |
Toledo |
34″ |
2008 |
| Tashard Choice |
Georgia Tech |
34″ |
2008 |
2007
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2007 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Darius Walker |
Notre Dame |
40.5″ |
2007 |
| Adrian Peterson |
Oklahoma |
38.5″ |
2007 |
| Kolby Smith |
Louisville |
38″ |
2007 |
| Brandon Jackson |
Nebraska |
37″ |
2007 |
| Thomas Clayton |
Kansas State |
36.5″ |
2007 |
2006
| Best RB Vertical Jumps at NFL Combine 2006 |
| Player |
School |
Height |
Year |
| Andrew Whitworth |
LSU |
37″ |
2006 |
| Davin Joseph |
Mississippi State |
36.5″ |
2006 |
| Maurice Jones-Drew |
UCLA |
36″ |
2006 |
| DeAngelo Williams |
Memphis |
35.5″ |
2006 |
| Derrick Ross |
Tarleton State |
35″ |
2006 |
| Wali Lundy |
Virginia |
35″ |
2006 |
| Marques Hagans |
Virginia |
35″ |
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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