40-yard dash↓ lower is better
n 571 (90% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 4.73s
- 25th
- 4.62s
- Median
- 4.56s
- 75th
- 4.48s
- Top 5%
- 4.39s
Drafted 4.53sUndrafted 4.60s
Best: 4.27s — Lorenzo Styles Jr., 2026
Safety
The bar for an NFL safety
- Athletes
- 631
- Classes
- 2000–2026
- Drafted
- 420 (67%)
Typical NFL S, 2000–2026 — the middle 50% of the group
- Height
- 5'11" – 6'1"
- Weight
- 200 – 213 lb
- 40-yard dash
- 4.48 – 4.62s
Drafted safeties vs undrafted (medians)
- 2.8 higher Power Index
- 0.07s faster forty
- 0.11s faster 3-cone
The benchmark table
Tiers are vs safeties at the NFL Combine, 2000–2026, who tested that drill. Timed drills are already flipped: a faster time is a higher tier.
| Build | Typical range (mid 50%) | Median | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heightn 627 (99% tested) | 5'11" – 6'1" | 6'0" | n 627 (99%) |
| Weightn 627 (99% tested) | 200 lb – 213 lb | 206 lb | n 627 (99%) |
| PPIpounds carried per inch of framen 627 (99% tested) | 2.77 – 2.94 | 2.86 | n 627 (99%) |
| Performance | NFL medianbeats 50% | Top 25%beats 75% | Top 10%beats 90% | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40-yard dash↓ lower winsn 571 (90% tested) | 4.56s | 4.48s | 4.42s | n 571 (90%) |
| Vertical jumpn 498 (79% tested) | 35.5" | 37.5" | 39.5" | n 498 (79%) |
| Broad jumpn 492 (78% tested) | 10'1" | 10'5" | 10'9" | n 492 (78%) |
| Bench press (reps)n 457 (72% tested) | 17 | 19 | 22 | n 457 (72%) |
| 3-cone↓ lower winsn 332 (53% tested) | 7.01s | 6.87s | 6.72s | n 332 (53%) |
| Shuttle↓ lower winsn 338 (54% tested) | 4.20s | 4.12s | 4.03s | n 338 (54%) |
| Power Index√(weight × vertical) — mass-adjusted lower-body powern 497 (79% tested) | 85.4 | 88.3 | 90.9 | n 497 (79%) |
Top 10% = better than 90% of Combine safeties who tested. n = athletes with a recorded value.
Every measurable, in full
Better is always to the right. ▌ drafted median ┊ undrafted median
n 498 (79% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 31"
- 25th
- 33.5"
- Median
- 35.5"
- 75th
- 37.5"
- Top 5%
- 41"
Drafted 36"Undrafted 34.5"
Best: 46" — Gerald Sensabaugh, 2005
n 492 (78% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 9'4"
- 25th
- 9'9"
- Median
- 10'1"
- 75th
- 10'5"
- Top 5%
- 11'0"
Drafted 10'2"Undrafted 9'11"
Best: 12'2" — Tyler Owens, 2024
n 457 (72% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 11
- 25th
- 14
- Median
- 17
- 75th
- 19
- Top 5%
- 24
Drafted 17Undrafted 16
Best: 31 — Adam Archuleta, 2001
3-cone↓ lower is better
n 332 (53% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 7.38s
- 25th
- 7.12s
- Median
- 7.01s
- 75th
- 6.87s
- Top 5%
- 6.65s
Drafted 6.96sUndrafted 7.07s
Best: 6.47s — Daniel Sorensen, 2014
Shuttle↓ lower is better
n 338 (54% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 4.45s
- 25th
- 4.30s
- Median
- 4.20s
- 75th
- 4.12s
- Top 5%
- 3.95s
Drafted 4.19sUndrafted 4.25s
Best: 3.80s — Justin Beriault, 2005
Power Index
√(weight × vertical) — mass-adjusted lower-body power
n 497 (79% tested)
- Bot 5%
- 79.5
- 25th
- 82.9
- Median
- 85.4
- 75th
- 88.3
- Top 5%
- 92.7
Drafted 86.5Undrafted 83.7
Best: 99.3 — Obi Melifonwu, 2017
n 627 (99% tested)
- 5th
- 5'10"
- 25th
- 5'11"
- Median
- 6'0"
- 75th
- 6'1"
- 95th
- 6'3"
Drafted 6'0"Undrafted 6'0"
n 627 (99% tested)
- 5th
- 190 lb
- 25th
- 200 lb
- Median
- 206 lb
- 75th
- 213 lb
- 95th
- 222 lb
Drafted 207 lbUndrafted 205 lb
PPI
pounds carried per inch of frame
n 627 (99% tested)
- 5th
- 2.66
- 25th
- 2.77
- Median
- 2.86
- 75th
- 2.94
- 95th
- 3.06
Drafted 2.86Undrafted 2.85
About this data
- 2021 numbers are pro-day results — no combine was held that year (about 3% of this group).
- Missing values aren’t random: top prospects skip drills. 3-cone: 53% of safeties 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