40-yard dash↓ lower is better
n 281 (80% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 4.62s
- 25th
- 4.53s
- Median
- 4.48s
- 75th
- 4.42s
- Top 5%
- 4.33s
Drafted 4.46sUndrafted 4.52s
Best: 4.23s — Kalon Barnes, 2022
Cornerback
The bar for an NFL cornerback
- Athletes
- 351
- Classes
- 2017–2026
- Drafted
- 233 (66%)
Typical NFL CB, 2017–2026 — the middle 50% of the group
- Height
- 5'11" – 6'1"
- Weight
- 186 – 197 lb
- 40-yard dash
- 4.42 – 4.53s
Drafted cornerbacks vs undrafted (medians)
- 0.06s faster forty
- 2.7 higher Power Index
- 2 more bench reps
The benchmark table
Tiers are vs cornerbacks at the NFL Combine, 2017–2026, who tested that drill. Timed drills are already flipped: a faster time is a higher tier.
| Build | Typical range (mid 50%) | Median | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heightn 351 (100% tested) | 5'11" – 6'1" | 6'0" | n 351 (100%) |
| Weightn 351 (100% tested) | 186 lb – 197 lb | 192 lb | n 351 (100%) |
| PPIpounds carried per inch of framen 351 (100% tested) | 2.60 – 2.74 | 2.68 | n 351 (100%) |
| Performance | NFL medianbeats 50% | Top 25%beats 75% | Top 10%beats 90% | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40-yard dash↓ lower winsn 281 (80% tested) | 4.48s | 4.42s | 4.36s | n 281 (80%) |
| Vertical jumpn 241 (69% tested) | 36" | 38.5" | 40.5" | n 241 (69%) |
| Broad jumpn 232 (66% tested) | 10'4" | 10'9" | 11'0" | n 232 (66%) |
| Bench press (reps)n 174 (50% tested) — fewer than half tested | 14 | 17 | 19 | n 174 (50%) — fewer than half tested |
| 3-cone↓ lower winsn 109 (31% tested) — fewer than half tested | 6.95s | 6.82s | 6.69s | n 109 (31%) — fewer than half tested |
| Shuttle↓ lower winsn 118 (34% tested) — fewer than half tested | 4.20s | 4.12s | 4.02s | n 118 (34%) — fewer than half tested |
| Power Index√(weight × vertical) — mass-adjusted lower-body powern 241 (69% tested) | 83.3 | 86.4 | 88.8 | n 241 (69%) |
Top 10% = better than 90% of Combine cornerbacks who tested. n = athletes with a recorded value.
† Fewer than half tested. Skipping correlates with top prospects — a biased sample.
Every measurable, in full
Better is always to the right. ▌ drafted median ┊ undrafted median
n 241 (69% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 31.5"
- 25th
- 34"
- Median
- 36"
- 75th
- 38.5"
- Top 5%
- 41.5"
Drafted 36.5"Undrafted 35"
Best: 43.5" — Marco Wilson, 2021
n 232 (66% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 9'8"
- 25th
- 10'0"
- Median
- 10'4"
- 75th
- 10'9"
- Top 5%
- 11'2"
Drafted 10'5"Undrafted 10'3"
Best: 11'6" — Julius Brents, 2023
n 174 (50% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 8
- 25th
- 12
- Median
- 14
- 75th
- 17
- Top 5%
- 20
Drafted 15Undrafted 13
Best: 26 — Marco Wilson, 2021
3-cone↓ lower is better
n 109 (31% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 7.29s
- 25th
- 7.06s
- Median
- 6.95s
- 75th
- 6.82s
- Top 5%
- 6.58s
Drafted 6.93sUndrafted 7.00s
Best: 6.28s — Jordan Thomas, 2018
Shuttle↓ lower is better
n 118 (34% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 4.41s
- 25th
- 4.31s
- Median
- 4.20s
- 75th
- 4.12s
- Top 5%
- 3.97s
Drafted 4.18sUndrafted 4.23s
Best: 3.89s — Kevin King, 2017
Power Index
√(weight × vertical) — mass-adjusted lower-body power
n 241 (69% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 77.4
- 25th
- 80.5
- Median
- 83.3
- 75th
- 86.4
- Top 5%
- 90.0
Drafted 83.8Undrafted 81.1
Best: 93.4 — Ken Webster, 2019
n 351 (100% tested)
- 5th
- 5'9"
- 25th
- 5'11"
- Median
- 6'0"
- 75th
- 6'1"
- 95th
- 6'3"
Drafted 6'0"Undrafted 6'0"
n 351 (100% tested)
- 5th
- 179 lb
- 25th
- 186 lb
- Median
- 192 lb
- 75th
- 197 lb
- 95th
- 208 lb
Drafted 193 lbUndrafted 190 lb
PPI
pounds carried per inch of frame
n 351 (100% tested)
- 5th
- 2.50
- 25th
- 2.60
- Median
- 2.68
- 75th
- 2.74
- 95th
- 2.83
Drafted 2.68Undrafted 2.66
About this data
- 2021 numbers are pro-day results — no combine was held that year (about 6% of this group).
- Missing values aren’t random: top prospects skip drills. 3-cone: 31% of cornerbacks tested.
- 81 athletes listed only as “DB” (mostly 2021) could not be split into CB vs S and are excluded from this group.
- Full mapping rules, metric definitions, and provenance: Methodology