40-yard dash↓ lower is better
n 189 (74% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 5.40s
- 25th
- 5.19s
- Median
- 5.08s
- 75th
- 4.94s
- Top 5%
- 4.81s
Drafted 5.04sUndrafted 5.16s
Best: 4.67s — Calijah Kancey, 2023
Interior Defensive Line
The bar for an NFL interior defensive line
- Athletes
- 257
- Classes
- 2017–2026
- Drafted
- 174 (68%)
Typical NFL IDL, 2017–2026 — the middle 50% of the group
- Height
- 6'2" – 6'4"
- Weight
- 296 – 316 lb
- 40-yard dash
- 4.94 – 5.19s
Drafted interior defensive linemen vs undrafted (medians)
- 0.12s faster forty
- 0.09s faster shuttle
- 1.5" longer broad jump
The benchmark table
Tiers are vs interior defensive linemen 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 255 (99% tested) | 6'2" – 6'4" | 6'3" | n 255 (99%) |
| Weightn 257 (100% tested) | 296 lb – 316 lb | 306 lb | n 257 (100%) |
| PPIpounds carried per inch of framen 255 (99% tested) | 3.92 – 4.21 | 4.07 | n 255 (99%) |
| Performance | NFL medianbeats 50% | Top 25%beats 75% | Top 10%beats 90% | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40-yard dash↓ lower winsn 189 (74% tested) | 5.08s | 4.94s | 4.85s | n 189 (74%) |
| Vertical jumpn 183 (71% tested) | 29" | 31.5" | 33" | n 183 (71%) |
| Broad jumpn 171 (67% tested) | 9'0" | 9'4" | 9'7" | n 171 (67%) |
| Bench press (reps)n 137 (53% tested) | 26 | 29 | 34 | n 137 (53%) |
| 3-cone↓ lower winsn 116 (45% tested) — fewer than half tested | 7.69s | 7.54s | 7.33s | n 116 (45%) — fewer than half tested |
| Shuttle↓ lower winsn 126 (49% tested) — fewer than half tested | 4.71s | 4.56s | 4.48s | n 126 (49%) — fewer than half tested |
| Power Index√(weight × vertical) — mass-adjusted lower-body powern 183 (71% tested) | 94.7 | 97.9 | 99.6 | n 183 (71%) |
Top 10% = better than 90% of Combine interior defensive linemen 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 183 (71% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 24.5"
- 25th
- 27.5"
- Median
- 29"
- 75th
- 31.5"
- Top 5%
- 34"
Drafted 29"Undrafted 29.5"
Best: 36.5" — Gracen Halton, 2026
n 171 (67% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 8'1"
- 25th
- 8'7"
- Median
- 9'0"
- 75th
- 9'4"
- Top 5%
- 9'8"
Drafted 9'0"Undrafted 8'11"
Best: 10'4" — Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, 2025
n 137 (53% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 20
- 25th
- 23
- Median
- 26
- 75th
- 29
- Top 5%
- 36
Drafted 26Undrafted 26
Best: 42 — Harrison Phillips, 2018
3-cone↓ lower is better
n 116 (45% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 8.18s
- 25th
- 7.94s
- Median
- 7.69s
- 75th
- 7.54s
- Top 5%
- 7.28s
Drafted 7.68sUndrafted 7.71s
Best: 7.03s — John Cominsky, 2019
Shuttle↓ lower is better
n 126 (49% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 5.02s
- 25th
- 4.83s
- Median
- 4.71s
- 75th
- 4.56s
- Top 5%
- 4.39s
Drafted 4.67sUndrafted 4.77s
Best: 4.33s — Jerry Tillery, 2019
Power Index
√(weight × vertical) — mass-adjusted lower-body power
n 183 (71% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 86.6
- 25th
- 91.7
- Median
- 94.7
- 75th
- 97.9
- Top 5%
- 102.1
Drafted 94.7Undrafted 94.4
Best: 105.2 — Zeek Biggers, 2025
n 255 (99% tested)
- 5th
- 6'1"
- 25th
- 6'2"
- Median
- 6'3"
- 75th
- 6'4"
- 95th
- 6'6"
Drafted 6'3"Undrafted 6'3"
n 257 (100% tested)
- 5th
- 285 lb
- 25th
- 296 lb
- Median
- 306 lb
- 75th
- 316 lb
- 95th
- 334 lb
Drafted 306 lbUndrafted 306 lb
PPI
pounds carried per inch of frame
n 255 (99% tested)
- 5th
- 3.78
- 25th
- 3.92
- Median
- 4.07
- 75th
- 4.21
- 95th
- 4.49
Drafted 4.07Undrafted 4.08
About this data
- 2021 numbers are pro-day results — no combine was held that year (about 12% of this group).
- Missing values aren’t random: top prospects skip drills. 3-cone: 45% of interior defensive linemen tested.
- IDL includes 2019–2021 generic DL at 285 lb or more (documented heuristic).
- Full mapping rules, metric definitions, and provenance: Methodology