NFL Photos | NFL Photography Gallery | NFL.com
Most freakish athletes in the 2016 NFL Draft
Less than five weeks before the 2016 NFL Draft, NFL teams are beginning to get a much stronger grip on which college prospects have freakish, off-the-charts athletic ability, and which were only reputed to.
The NFL Scouting Combine provides a good baseline for separating athleticism among the draft's top prospects, and pro day workouts -- which will continue through early next month -- bring some refinement to those assessments.
Here is a look at nine draft prospects with the kind of freakish athletic ability that will truly stand out as NFL clubs finalize their draft boards in the coming weeks:
![Lasco's name doesn't come up in a discussion of the draft's elite running backs, but he's as athletic as any of them. He was clocked at 6.80 in the 3-cone drill and 4.13 in the 20-yard shuttle at Cal's pro day. Those are the numbers of a 185-pound back, not one who tips the scales at 209 as Lasco does. He clocked a 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine and turned in the position's best vertical jump (41 1/2 inches) and broad jump (11 feet, 3 inches). Suffice it to say the injuries that plagued his senior season with the Golden Bears is behind him.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/ofo7nkl2relka1zwnq1r.jpg)
Lasco's name doesn't come up in a discussion of the draft's elite running backs, but he's as athletic as any of them. He was clocked at 6.80 in the 3-cone drill and 4.13 in the 20-yard shuttle at Cal's pro day. Those are the numbers of a 185-pound back, not one who tips the scales at 209 as Lasco does. He clocked a 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine and turned in the position's best vertical jump (41 1/2 inches) and broad jump (11 feet, 3 inches). Suffice it to say the injuries that plagued his senior season with the Golden Bears is behind him.
![For a player who has shown as much versatility as Ramsey, it comes as little surprise that he's emerged as one of the best pure athletes in the 2016 draft. On the final day of the combine, Ramsey turned in an eye-popping 41 1/2-inch vertical jump that tied the above-mentioned Lasco for the best jump at any position. His 11-foot-3 broad jump tied guess who -- Lasco -- for a combine-best mark, as well. Explosiveness? Check that box. And along with a 4.41 40-yard dash, it's no wonder Ramsey has drawn comparisons to the Arizona Cardinals' Patrick Peterson.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/xhxy5mvrvtlitabcbugx.jpg)
For a player who has shown as much versatility as Ramsey, it comes as little surprise that he's emerged as one of the best pure athletes in the 2016 draft. On the final day of the combine, Ramsey turned in an eye-popping 41 1/2-inch vertical jump that tied the above-mentioned Lasco for the best jump at any position. His 11-foot-3 broad jump tied guess who -- Lasco -- for a combine-best mark, as well. Explosiveness? Check that box. And along with a 4.41 40-yard dash, it's no wonder Ramsey has drawn comparisons to the Arizona Cardinals' Patrick Peterson.
![How can a player who was once named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year on both offense and defense not be an athletic freak? Forget that Jack's last year at UCLA was shortened by a serious knee injury. He's rehabilitated it well enough to position himself as a likely top-10 pick in the draft. He recorded a 40-inch vertical jump at UCLA's pro day, and while he deferred his 40-yard dash to an April 1 workout where NFL scouts will again convene, nobody is expecting anything but a very impressive showing for a 245-pound defender who can do anything that can possibly be asked of a linebacker, and on any down.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/p7aueoxwuubfo9pw57ks.jpg)
How can a player who was once named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year on both offense and defense not be an athletic freak? Forget that Jack's last year at UCLA was shortened by a serious knee injury. He's rehabilitated it well enough to position himself as a likely top-10 pick in the draft. He recorded a 40-inch vertical jump at UCLA's pro day, and while he deferred his 40-yard dash to an April 1 workout where NFL scouts will again convene, nobody is expecting anything but a very impressive showing for a 245-pound defender who can do anything that can possibly be asked of a linebacker, and on any down.
![College Football 24/7 named Coleman the most freakish athlete in college football last summer, and he's done nothing to shake the label since then. He proved his speed with a 4.37 clocking in the 40-yard dash at Baylor's pro day. As for Coleman's explosiveness, he notched a 40 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 10-9 broad jump at the combine, both of which ranked in the top five among receivers. On a Baylor team with multiple players that could challenge to make a list of freakish athletes, Coleman stands out the most.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/gmxodofckl6q9jnjexee.jpg)
College Football 24/7 named Coleman the most freakish athlete in college football last summer, and he's done nothing to shake the label since then. He proved his speed with a 4.37 clocking in the 40-yard dash at Baylor's pro day. As for Coleman's explosiveness, he notched a 40 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 10-9 broad jump at the combine, both of which ranked in the top five among receivers. On a Baylor team with multiple players that could challenge to make a list of freakish athletes, Coleman stands out the most.
![NFL clubs looking for an outside linebacker who is athletic enough to play the pass on third down need look no further than Lee. At 232 pounds, he ran a shade better (4.47) than wide receiver Braxton Miller (4.50) in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He posted a top-10 finish at his position in four categories, and his 11-1 broad jump was the top distance of any linebacker in Indianapolis. With all the quickness and agility needed to make plays in the open field, Lee won't be available long in the draft.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/zvndq91oggyur60vzgw1.jpg)
NFL clubs looking for an outside linebacker who is athletic enough to play the pass on third down need look no further than Lee. At 232 pounds, he ran a shade better (4.47) than wide receiver Braxton Miller (4.50) in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He posted a top-10 finish at his position in four categories, and his 11-1 broad jump was the top distance of any linebacker in Indianapolis. With all the quickness and agility needed to make plays in the open field, Lee won't be available long in the draft.
![Memo to critics of Bosa's 4.86 40-yard dash at the combine: linemen don't run 4.6, nor do they need to. More telling than the 40-yard dash for Bosa's position are the explosiveness and agility testing. In those respects, Bosa is outstanding. At 269 pounds, his 20-yard shuttle time of 4.21 is better than that of Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller (4.27). Give Bosa further points for doing a full workout at Ohio State's pro day when several of his combine drill times were plenty good enough to stand on.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/ajhh9jk02aetjfyekpl2.jpg)
Memo to critics of Bosa's 4.86 40-yard dash at the combine: linemen don't run 4.6, nor do they need to. More telling than the 40-yard dash for Bosa's position are the explosiveness and agility testing. In those respects, Bosa is outstanding. At 269 pounds, his 20-yard shuttle time of 4.21 is better than that of Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller (4.27). Give Bosa further points for doing a full workout at Ohio State's pro day when several of his combine drill times were plenty good enough to stand on.
![Yes, freakish athletes come from schools you'd never expect, too. Enter Braunecker, who arguably dominated the tight ends at the combine more than anyone dominated any position. He placed in the top five among tight ends in all seven of the combine's testing categories, an incredible feat given the diversity of drills involved. At 250 pounds, his 4.73 40-yard dash, 35 1/2-inch vertical jump and 4.20 20-yard shuttle clocking demonstrate speed, explosiveness and agility.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/qb6raog5zvw3volnl8cu.jpg)
Yes, freakish athletes come from schools you'd never expect, too. Enter Braunecker, who arguably dominated the tight ends at the combine more than anyone dominated any position. He placed in the top five among tight ends in all seven of the combine's testing categories, an incredible feat given the diversity of drills involved. At 250 pounds, his 4.73 40-yard dash, 35 1/2-inch vertical jump and 4.20 20-yard shuttle clocking demonstrate speed, explosiveness and agility.
![If you predicted a backup running back would turn in the fastest 40-yard dash of anyone at the combine, raise your hand. Marshall recorded a 4.31 40-yard dash, and among the running backs group, only three fullbacks repped more than Marshall's 26 reps on the bench press. Georgia fans probably weren't surprised. As a freshman at UGA, Marshall was splitting carries with none other than Todd Gurley and was on track to be a star before injuries derailed his career. Staying healthy has been Marshall's issue -- athleticism certainly hasn't.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/tzavdt913fmfeq1y8h40.jpg)
If you predicted a backup running back would turn in the fastest 40-yard dash of anyone at the combine, raise your hand. Marshall recorded a 4.31 40-yard dash, and among the running backs group, only three fullbacks repped more than Marshall's 26 reps on the bench press. Georgia fans probably weren't surprised. As a freshman at UGA, Marshall was splitting carries with none other than Todd Gurley and was on track to be a star before injuries derailed his career. Staying healthy has been Marshall's issue -- athleticism certainly hasn't.
![Breaking a 5.0 40-yard dash is hallowed ground for offensive linemen; it's the wide receiver/defensive back equivalent of breaking 4.4. Only three offensive linemen did it in Indianapolis, and none did it better than the Hoosiers' left tackle (4.94). Spriggs has all the quickness to remain at left tackle at the pro level, and he'll need it against the game's elite pass rushers. Spriggs (6-6, 301 pounds) turned in top-10 finishes at his position in four different combine categories.](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/league/m1qly6xamz3o8ljnedtl.jpg)
Breaking a 5.0 40-yard dash is hallowed ground for offensive linemen; it's the wide receiver/defensive back equivalent of breaking 4.4. Only three offensive linemen did it in Indianapolis, and none did it better than the Hoosiers' left tackle (4.94). Spriggs has all the quickness to remain at left tackle at the pro level, and he'll need it against the game's elite pass rushers. Spriggs (6-6, 301 pounds) turned in top-10 finishes at his position in four different combine categories.