With the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine underway, Onion Sports examines the most astonishing accomplishments throughout the history of the annual talent showcase.
1984: Future Falcons defensive end Rick Bryan blows away coaches by proving he can sprint at full speed, make difficult catches, and block linemen twice his size, all without his cigarette ever going out
1984: While attempting to bench-press 225 pounds, Boomer Esiason shits himself in front of everybody
1996: Nebraska standout Lawrence Phillips impresses Rams scouts in his interview, promising them that he’d never assault multiple women, regularly storm out of practice, get convicted on multiple criminal charges including assault with a deadly weapon, assault with great bodily injury, false imprisonment, criminal threats, and auto theft, as well as insisting that he wouldn’t wind up in prison until at least 57 if they would take a chance on him with the sixth pick
1998: Somehow, no one is looking at the field when Ryan Leaf underthrows his receiver by 40 yards during passing drill
2002: Highly touted QB prospect David Carr impresses Texans scouts by bringing his own football
2003: Entire draft class starts intentionally underperforming whenever Bengals scouts walk by
2006: Mario Williams jumps an astounding 40.5-inch vertical after getting spooked by a towel that kind of looked like a snake
2007: Raiders scouts watch quarterback JaMarcus Russell exhibit extraordinary athletic ability during every drill and assume his attitude is probably just as great too
2010: League replaces difficult Wonderlic test with Wooden Block Mix-’Em-Up Challenge
2011: Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III completes the 40-yard dash in an astonishing 4.41 seconds while carrying the weight of an entire NFL franchise on his back
