Like the vertical jump, the broad jump is done from a standing position, but this drill measures how far a player can jump.
"It's a standardized test of power, basically," San Diego Chargers college scout Tom Gibbons said. "It's been done for years, so it gives us a starting point and something to compare the players to each other. Since we've done it for years, we can also compare these players to the players of the past as well."
Like many of the core events of the NFL Scouting Combine, athletes are very familiar with this fundamental fitness test.
"The players are ready when they get here," Gibbons said. "They've been training for these events, and now it's not something to prepare for or get motivated to do. It usually goes pretty smooth and most of the players step right up and know what to do."
The standing broad jump was an Olympic even from 1900 until 1912, and the world broad jump record is held by Arne Tvervaag of Norway, who jumped 12.2 feet in 1968.
Broad jump fun fact: Norway is the only country where the standing long jump is a national championship event.
