The NFL Combine’s three-cone drill -- also known as the L-drill -- can be more important for the bigger guys than the smaller guys. That might be surprising to some fans. NFL scouts want to see how quickly an athlete can change direction while also accelerating, exhibiting body control.
Athletes want to show they have a burst of speed and change directions quickly within a small space -- something that comes in very handy, especially when you’re talking about the rush or edge position on defense.
Defensive ends and outside linebackers -- who are referred to at the NFL Combine as edge players -- want to show off in this drill, and a good showing can lead to an elevation in draft status. Of course, NFL Draft betting odds could also improve with a good showing in this drill.
Cones are placed five yards apart in the shape of the letter L. An athlete blasts to the first cone, then comes back and touches the starting point. Then he blasts to the second cone, loops around the third cone, then comes all the way back. It is measured in seconds. It’s nothing like the 40-yard dash, and times tend to be in the six or seven-second range for the better runners.
Think of it as chasing a slippery quarterback who has some serious moves and has angry linemen standing in the way. Showing explosive ability is important, but the quickness factor and ability to change direction are even bigger attributes than raw speed and power.
The comparison numbers you’ll see below are from on-campus pro days since the NFL Combine in Indianapolis had to be canceled due to COVID-19. The travel logistics were deemed too challenging to try to hold the event in one place.
Other key pre-draft measurable drills are the 40-yard dash, bench press, broad jump, and vertical jump. Prospective draftees sometimes train as much as three months for these simple events, and an improvement can mean millions of more dollars on draft day.
We used pro-day data from the site DraftScout.com, the data scouts use to establish a base for their evaluations. You never know how much this will affect the NFL Draft odds this year, but the scouts consider it.
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The Vertical Jump - By Defensive Position
Defensive Linemen
Three-cone technique -- Also known as the L-drill, the three-cone technique measures change of direction while at a high rate of speed.
TOP COMBINE PERFORMANCE SINCE 1999 (number of seconds):
6.76 -- Mike Reilly, DE, William & Mary (undrafted in 2015)
6.78 -- Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford (2nd round pick in 2014)
6.80 -- James Cowser, DE, Southern Utah (undrafted in 2016)
6.85 -- (top DT) Chris Hovan, DT, Boston College (1st round pick in 2000)
TOP PRO DAY PERFORMANCES BY POS. - 2021 (number of seconds):
6.90 -- Jayson Oweh, DE, Penn State (projected 1st round)
6.96 -- Milton Williams, DT, Louisiana Tech (projected 2nd to 3rd round)
6.97 -- Rashad Weaver, DE, Pittsburgh (projected 4th to 5th round)
TOP DL PROSPECTS (by BetMGM odds)
Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
ODDS OF FIRST DL PICKED: -225
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): did not run (personal choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 15 overall)
Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami (Fla.)
ODDS OF FIRST DL PICKED: +225
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): 7.13 (tied for 12th best for DLs)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 2nd round (No. 42 overall)
Greg Rousseau, DE, Miami (Fla.)
ODDS OF FIRST DL PICKED: +900
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): 7.50 (25th best for DLs)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 24 overall)
Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
ODDS OF FIRST DL PICKED: +900
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): 7.81 (3rd best for DLs)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 22 overall)
Linebackers
Three-cone technique -- Also known as the L-drill, the three-cone technique measures change of direction while at a high rate of speed.
TOP COMBINE PERFORMANCE SINCE 1999 (number of seconds):
6.56 -- Ben Taylor, ILB, Virginia Tech (4th round pick in 2002)
6.64 -- Tyler Starr, OLB, South Dakota (7th round pick in 2014)
6.66 -- Buster Davis, ILB, Florida State (3rd round pick in 2007)
TOP PRO DAY PERFORMANCES BY POS. - 2021 (number of seconds):
6.67 -- Nick Niemann, OLB, Iowa (projected 6th rounder)
6.78 -- Baron Browning, ILB, Ohio State (projected 2nd or 3rd rounder)
6.87 -- Garret Wallow, OLB, Texas Christian (projected 4th rounder)
TOP LB PROSPECTS (by BetMGM odds)
Micah Parsons, OLB, Penn State
ODDS OF FIRST LB PICKED: -450
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): 6.96 (tied for 7th best for LBs)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 8 overall)
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, OLB, Notre Dame
ODDS OF FIRST LB PICKED: +650
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): did not run (personal choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 17 overall)
Azeez Ojulari, OLB, Georgia
ODDS OF FIRST LB PICKED: +900
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): 7.27 (16th best for LBs)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 20 overall)
Jamin Davis, ILB, Kentucky
ODDS OF FIRST LB PICKED: +1100
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): did not run (personal choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 27 overall)
Defensive Backs
Three-cone technique -- Also known as the L-drill, the three-cone technique measures change of direction while at a high rate of speed.
TOP COMBINE PERFORMANCE SINCE 1999 (number of seconds):
6.34 -- Sedrick Curry, CB, Texas A&M (undrafted in 2000)
6.44 -- Buster Skrine, CB, Chattanooga (5th round pick in 2011)
6.47 -- Daniel Sorensen, SS, BYU (undrafted in 2014)
TOP PRO DAY PERFORMANCES BY POS. - 2021 (number of seconds):
6.63 -- Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota (projected 5th or 6th round)
6.69 -- Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford (projected 4th round)
6.70 -- Shaun Crawford, FS, Notre Dame (projected 7th round to HPFA)
TOP DB PROSPECTS (by BetMGM odds)
Trevon Moehrig, FS, Texas Christian
ODDS OF FIRST SAFETY PICKED: -400
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): did not run (personal choice - injury)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 2nd round (No. 41 overall)
Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
ODDS OF FIRST CB PICKED: -300
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): did not run (personal choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 6 overall)
Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
ODDS OF FIRST CB PICKED: +225
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): did not run (personal choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 14 overall)
Jevon Holland, FS, Oregon
ODDS OF FIRST SAFETY PICKED: +350
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): did not run (personal choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 2nd round (No. 43 overall)
Richie Grant, FS, Central Florida
ODDS OF FIRST SAFETY PICKED: +550
PRO DAY 3-CONE (seconds): 6.78 (5th best for DBs)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 2nd to 3rd round (No. 67 overall)
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Brian McLaughlin is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of BMac and Herd’s FCS Podcast. He has covered the national recruiting scene in football and basketball for The Sporting News, headed up the PARADE Magazine High School All-America selections, and handled FCS college football for HERO Sports. Follow BMac on Twitter @BrianMacWriter.
