These 17 NFL greats remind us that the stopwatch and bench press don't measure heart, skill, and dominance. Look at the stars who bombed the Combine but thrived on Sundays.

17 NFL Greats Who Did Terribly at NFL Scouting Combine: Orlando Brown's Slowest Time Not Forgotten

Lance Briggs didn't have the measurables scouts drool over—short, slow, and barely above average outside the bench press. But on the field? Different story. The Bears' linebacker was a tackling machine, locking down tight ends and anchoring elite defenses. Seven Pro Bowls and three All-Pro nods later, it's safe to say the Combine didn't tell his whole story.

17. LB Lance Briggs

Lorenzo Alexander showed up to the 2005 Combine as a defensive tackle with no precise fit—too small, too slow (5.12 40-yard dash), and ultimately undrafted. But that wasn't the end. After bouncing around practice squads, he found his place in Washington, transformed into a linebacker, and carved out a 13-year career with Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.

16. LB Lorenzo Alexander

NaVorro Bowman's Combine performance tanked his first-round hopes, pushing him to the third round, where the 49ers took a chance. That gamble paid off—he became an All-Pro in just two years. Injuries cut his career short, but he racked up four first-team All-Pro selections in eight seasons, proving the Combine isn't everything.

15. LB NaVorro Bowman

Joe Haden was supposed to light up the 2010 Combine, but his average performance let Eric Berry claim the top DB spot. That drops to seventh overall? Barely mattered. Haden went on to have a rock-solid 12-year career, even if his greatness was often overshadowed by playing on some rough Browns teams.

14. CB Joe Haden

Vontaze Burfict's 2012 Combine? A total trainwreck. Once a top-five prospect, his brutal 5.00-second 40 and character concerns left him undrafted. But talent finds a way—Burfict became an All-Pro with the Bengals. Unfortunately, his college reputation followed him, with personal fouls and suspensions defining his NFL career.

13. LB Vontaze Burfict

Michael Brockers had the size at the 2012 Combine—6'5", 332 lbs—but the measurables? Brutal. Just 19 bench reps and a sluggish 5.31-second 40 had scouts questioning his explosiveness. Turns out, they over-thought it. Brockers became a longtime NFL starter, proving strength isn't just about Combine numbers.

12. DL Michael Brockers

Zach Ertz didn't wow anyone at the 2013 Combine. Ertz slipped to the second round, slower and less explosive than his Stanford teammate Coby Fleener. But Combined numbers don't catch everything—Ertz became a go-to target, racking up over 7,247 career yards and ranking among the best tight ends in NFL history.

11. TE Zach Ertz

Allen Robinson didn't have a flashy Combine—his 4.64-second 40-yard dash didn't turn heads in a stacked 2014 receiver class. That pushed him to Day 2 of the draft but didn't stop him from becoming a go-to target. Even with subpar quarterbacks, Robinson thrived, turning contested catches into an art form in Jacksonville.

10. WR Allen Robinson

Jarvis Landry's Combine was forgettable—his 40-yard dash and jumps were near the bottom of his class. That pushed him to the second round, but none of that mattered once he hit the field. Landry became a volume-catching machine in Miami, racking up three 1,100-yard seasons and proving that crisp routes and sure hands trump raw athleticism.

9. WR Jarvis Landry

Shaq Thompson's versatility at Washington was undeniable, but his combined performance? Forgettable. Scouts weren't sold after he faded into the background in 2015, raising doubts about his NFL future. The Panthers took the gamble late in the first round, which paid off. Eight years later, he's still a rock-solid starting linebacker.

8. LB Shaq Thompson

Dalvin Cook had a shot at RB1 in 2017, but his Combine didn't help the case. His agility drills, including a sluggish three-cone time, raised concerns. The Vikings didn't blink, though. Cook has since racked up over 82 rushing yards per game, proving the Combine isn't everything.

7. RB Dalvin Cook

Cooper Kupp dominated at Eastern Washington, but scouts questioned if he could do it against NFL competition. A so-so Combine only fueled concerns, pegging him as a slot receiver. The Rams took a chance in the third round—good call. He became the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year.

6. RB Cooper Kupp

Orlando Brown was a mountain of a man at the 2018 Combine—but not in a good way. His brutal 5.85-second 40 and just 14 bench reps tanked his draft stock. Third-round steal? Absolutely. He's since locked down four straight Pro Bowls.

5. OT Orlando Brown

Terrell Suggs wrecked offenses with 24 sacks in 2002—but his 4.84-second 40 at the Combine scared teams off. The Jets passed, the Ravens pounced at No. 10, and the rest is history: 132.5 sacks, two Super Bowls, and a Hall of Fame career.

4. DE Terrell Suggs

LeGarrette Blount's 4.70-second 40 and off-field concerns left him undrafted in 2010. But he bulldozed his way to 1,000+ yards as a rookie, led the league with 18 rushing TDs in 2016, and retired with three Super Bowl rings. Not bad for a "Combine bust."

3. RB LeGarrette Blount

Jason Peters entered the 2004 Combine as a massive tight end but ran a 4.94-second 40 and went undrafted. The Bills saw his potential and converted him to offensive tackle. The rest is history—nine Pro Bowls, six All-Pro teams, and a career spanned nearly two decades.

2. TE/OT Jason Peters

Tom Brady's 2000 Combine was a disaster—he ran a 5.28-second 40, looked unathletic, and lacked arm strength. The Patriots took a flyer on him in the 6th round. Twenty-three years, seven Super Bowls, and an untouchable legacy later that Combined flop seems hilarious in hindsight.