With the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine getting underway, draft hopefuls will be put through a number of drills to test their speed, agility, explosiveness, and strength. Inside the Pylon is publishing a special set of glossary terms to define some of the drills these players face in Indianapolis.
Standing Broad Jump
Similar to the vertical leap, the broad jump is another test athletes take at the combine that measures the explosive ability of each player. The athlete stands with his feet parallel and at shoulder-length or so apart, and then explodes forward, attempting to jump as far as possible.
From the NFL Network, here is video of Dallas Cowboys’ Byron Jones cornerback breaking the combine record for the broad jump:
As you can see, the player movement involved here is a great illustration of the explosiveness of the athlete. From a static point Jones hurls himself skyward as far as possible. As with the vertical leap, scouts and coaches use this as another means of illustrating the player’s power, strength, agility, and athletic ability. Since the movement requires a number of muscle groups to fire at the same time, it is a great measure of raw power. The stronger and more explosive the player is, the more force he will generate – and the farther the player will jump.