40-yard dash↓ lower is better
n 240 (80% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 4.71s
- 25th
- 4.61s
- Median
- 4.54s
- 75th
- 4.46s
- Top 5%
- 4.38s
Drafted 4.49sUndrafted 4.60s
Best: 4.32s — Devon Achane, 2023
Running Back
The bar for an NFL running back
- Athletes
- 301
- Classes
- 2017–2026
- Drafted
- 173 (57%)
Typical NFL RB, 2017–2026 — the middle 50% of the group
- Height
- 5'9" – 6'0"
- Weight
- 204 – 218 lb
- 40-yard dash
- 4.46 – 4.61s
Drafted running backs vs undrafted (medians)
- 0.11s faster forty
- 2.2 higher Power Index
- 0.10s faster 3-cone
The benchmark table
Tiers are vs running backs 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 299 (99% tested) | 5'9" – 6'0" | 5'10" | n 299 (99%) |
| Weightn 300 (100% tested) | 204 lb – 218 lb | 211 lb | n 300 (100%) |
| PPIpounds carried per inch of framen 299 (99% tested) | 2.90 – 3.09 | 3.00 | n 299 (99%) |
| Performance | NFL medianbeats 50% | Top 25%beats 75% | Top 10%beats 90% | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40-yard dash↓ lower winsn 240 (80% tested) | 4.54s | 4.46s | 4.40s | n 240 (80%) |
| Vertical jumpn 248 (82% tested) | 34.5" | 37" | 38.5" | n 248 (82%) |
| Broad jumpn 234 (78% tested) | 10'0" | 10'4" | 10'7" | n 234 (78%) |
| Bench press (reps)n 172 (57% tested) | 19 | 22 | 24 | n 172 (57%) |
| 3-cone↓ lower winsn 99 (33% tested) — fewer than half tested | 7.09s | 6.96s | 6.84s | n 99 (33%) — fewer than half tested |
| Shuttle↓ lower winsn 121 (40% tested) — fewer than half tested | 4.32s | 4.22s | 4.15s | n 121 (40%) — fewer than half tested |
| Power Index√(weight × vertical) — mass-adjusted lower-body powern 247 (82% tested) | 85.2 | 88.0 | 90.8 | n 247 (82%) |
Top 10% = better than 90% of Combine running backs 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 248 (82% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 29.5"
- 25th
- 32"
- Median
- 34.5"
- 75th
- 37"
- Top 5%
- 40"
Drafted 35"Undrafted 34"
Best: 42.5" — Seth McGowan, 2026
n 234 (78% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 9'5"
- 25th
- 9'9"
- Median
- 10'0"
- 75th
- 10'4"
- Top 5%
- 10'9"
Drafted 10'1"Undrafted 9'11"
Best: 11'2" — Jaylen Wright, 2024
n 172 (57% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 12
- 25th
- 15
- Median
- 19
- 75th
- 22
- Top 5%
- 26
Drafted 18Undrafted 19
Best: 34 — Alex Barnes, 2019
3-cone↓ lower is better
n 99 (33% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 7.40s
- 25th
- 7.23s
- Median
- 7.09s
- 75th
- 6.96s
- Top 5%
- 6.81s
Drafted 7.05sUndrafted 7.15s
Best: 6.57s — Christian McCaffrey, 2017
Shuttle↓ lower is better
n 121 (40% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 4.57s
- 25th
- 4.40s
- Median
- 4.32s
- 75th
- 4.22s
- Top 5%
- 4.07s
Drafted 4.29sUndrafted 4.35s
Best: 3.98s — Michael Carter, 2021
Power Index
√(weight × vertical) — mass-adjusted lower-body power
n 247 (82% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 78.7
- 25th
- 82.1
- Median
- 85.2
- 75th
- 88.0
- Top 5%
- 92.6
Drafted 86.5Undrafted 84.3
Best: 100.6 — AJ Dillon, 2020
n 299 (99% tested)
- 5th
- 5'7"
- 25th
- 5'9"
- Median
- 5'10"
- 75th
- 6'0"
- 95th
- 6'1"
Drafted 5'11"Undrafted 5'10"
n 300 (100% tested)
- 5th
- 189 lb
- 25th
- 204 lb
- Median
- 211 lb
- 75th
- 218 lb
- 95th
- 232 lb
Drafted 212 lbUndrafted 209 lb
PPI
pounds carried per inch of frame
n 299 (99% tested)
- 5th
- 2.76
- 25th
- 2.90
- Median
- 3.00
- 75th
- 3.09
- 95th
- 3.24
Drafted 3.01Undrafted 2.99
About this data
- 2021 numbers are pro-day results — no combine was held that year (about 13% of this group).
- Missing values aren’t random: top prospects skip drills. 3-cone: 33% of running backs tested.
- Full mapping rules, metric definitions, and provenance: Methodology