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Breaking down Steelers NFL Combine numbers over the past decade

By Jake Bendrick

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: JuJu Smith-Schuster #19 of the Pittsburgh Steelers gets wrapped up by Dre Kirkpatrick #27 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter at Heinz Field on September 30, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: JuJu Smith-Schuster #19 of the Pittsburgh Steelers gets wrapped up by Dre Kirkpatrick #27 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter at Heinz Field on September 30, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /
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Every team values certain athletic traits over others when it comes to the NFL draft and the Steelers are no different. Let’s examine what combine drills reveal about a player as well as which matter most to the Steelers.

Be honest with yourself and the rest of us. That’s step one for anyone who finds themselves here and I’m probably more guilty than most. It’s time for Steelers fans to practice self-awareness. Let’s all get it out in the open and empathize with each other. I have a problem when it comes to the NFL draft, and I’m betting you do too. I call it “40yarddasheritus.” Sounds scary, I know. And it would be if we were in charge of building NFL rosters.

What is this condition? Good question. 40yarddasheritus (should I add a hashtag? can we get this thing trending?) is a highly contagious sickness that spreads like wildfire in the spring, especially between the months of February and May. The symptoms are simple and in general are fairly harmless, unless the infection spreads to the GM of an NFL squad.

An example would be the legendary owner of the Oakland Raiders, Al Davis. He exhibited symptoms throughout his time with the team, but the condition progressed ruthlessly his final 10 years in the league and because he failed to control it, his franchise took an epic nosedive from which it is still struggling to recover.

Okay, I know. You’re getting impatient. What are the symptoms? I will describe my own situation so that no one feels alone here. For years, up until 2013, I had a terrible case of 40yarddasheritus. Every time I looked at an NFL prospect after the combine I simply checked their 40 yard dash time. If the time was better than 4.5 for a wide receiver, I decided the prospect would be acceptable for my favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If the time was better than 4.6 for a linebacker or edge rusher, I knew for certain, deep in my bones, that this prospect would be a Pro-Bowler within 2 years of entering the league. When my favorite team drafted Le’Veon Bell, I was confused and required consistent consolation from my wife and middle-school-aged sons. How could he possibly be the answer with a 40 time over 4.5?

Eventually, I sought help. The first step in recovering from #40yarddasheritus (there’s the hashtag, it’s time to blow up the internet!) is to understand there are other tests for athletic traits that are more meaningful to a player’s success than their straight-line speed. To do this, I looked into other drills at the NFL combine and tried to understand what they mean.

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