One of the best NFL pipelines is Georgia. There are a ton of former Bulldogs selected in the NFL Draft each year. The majority of that is based on how well they perform on the field, but occasionally a former Georgia player will elevate his draft stock by making an impression at the NFL Combine. The top ones from the past are listed here.
Chris Conley had a solid career at Georgia, but his name was certainly not at the top of the list for wideouts in 2015. His best chance at boosting his draft stock was putting on a show at the combine, and did he ever. Conley measured in at 6-foot-2, ran a 4.35 40-yard dash, and jumped 11’7″ in the broad jump, but his most incredible moment came when he jumped an astounding 45 inches in the vertical. The number tied him for third all-time in NFL Combine history and helped boost him to a third-round pick.
Big Jeff Owens was a trailblazer. Before Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, who are currently recognized for being freaks on Georgia’s defensive fronts, there was Owens. Owens, who weighed 300 pounds, recorded a 4.95 40-yard sprint, a 30 inch vertical leap, and a 9’2″ broad jump at the 2010 Combine. Still, he would carve out his legacy on the bench. Owens recorded 44 reps at 225 pounds, ranking fourth all-time.
The best way to summarize this one was to mention that Nolan Smith became the heaviest player in NFL Combine history to run a 40-yard dash in under 4.4 seconds. Rich Eisen of NFL Network did just that. Smith displayed impressive skills during his workouts, including a broad jump of 10’8″ and a vertical jump of 41.5 inches, but a 4.39 40 at 238 pounds is noteworthy.
