The NFL Combine isn’t a place where offensive linemen typically shine. While receivers and defensive backs compete to put down blazing 40-yard dash times and huge vertical jumps, only a few of the drills actually matter for those who tip the scales at more than 300 pounds.
Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton wouldn’t be ignored, though.
The pair of offensive tackles — both of whom could be top-10 picks in April — smashed records in Indianapolis. It wasn’t just those two linemen impressing Friday. The entire class of offensive linemen is full of ridiculous athletes.
Freakiest group of height/weight/length/speed OLinemen I’ve ever seen. Not close.
— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) February 28, 2020
But it was Wirfs and Becton who landed in the record books.
Tristan Wirfs had the best offensive lineman combine performance ever
The Iowa product measured in at 6’5, 320 pounds, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at his numbers in drills.
His 36.5-inch vertical was higher than both Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, two receivers expected to be first-round selections. He also beat Jeudy in the broad jump with a 121-inch leap.
Both of those marks set NFL Combine records for offensive linemen, and his 4.85-second 40-yard dash was the fastest ever among players who weigh at least 320 pounds.
Notable Scouting Combine OL Records
Iowa OL Tristan WirfsHighest Vertical – 36.5”
Longest Broad Jump – 10’1” (tied)
40-Yard Dash – 4.85 (fastest by player 320+ pounds or more)
> Official combine data has been tracked since 2003@HawkeyeFootball @TristanWirfs74
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) February 29, 2020
You may be asking yourself, “who cares if an offensive lineman can run and jump?” Well, it’s never a bad thing to have a player who’s more athletic than his peers, but Wirfs’ skills actually show up on tape too. The Iowa Hawkeyes loved to get their big right tackle out in front on stretch plays and let him bulldoze a trail downfield.
Wirfs’ abilities to block at the line of scrimmage will ultimately determine how successful he is in the NFL (he allowed only seven pressures during the 2019 season). But his combine performance will live on for a long time, regardless.
Mekhi Becton is the new 350-pound combine champion
The Louisville left tackle is an absolute mountain of a man at 6’7, 364 pounds. He’s more than just an immovable object, though. Becton showed he can get all that mass moving in a hurry.
His 5.10-second 40-yard dash was 13th-best among offensive linemen in the 2020 class, behind only 12 prospects who weigh much less than he does. In fact, Becton’s time is the fastest ever for a player over 350 pounds.
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock couldn’t help but smile when he saw the big man rumble down the track.
The previous record in the 40-yard dash for350-pounders was when Steelers defensive tackle Daniel McCullers ran a 5.18 in 2014. But he weighed 12 pounds less than Becton and was still almost an entire tenth of a second slower. The record for 360-pounders was 5.30 until Becton came along.
Just for some perspective, here’s Becton smoking Tom Brady down the track:
Brady, who apparently believes he’s very fast, didn’t stand a chance against a man almost 150 pounds heavier.
The performances of Wirfs and Becton set a bar that future offensive linemen will probably be unable to reach for a long time.
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