North Carolina’s Most Freakish NFL Combine Performances

Rolando Rosa Sports Betting Expert

3 minute read

The annual NFL Combine in Indianapolis is a prime opportunity for prospects to showcase their potential before the draft. The current edition of the combine traces its roots to the BLESTO, Quadra Scouting, and National organizations in 1977. 

Nowadays, the event has exploded into a week-long nationally televised event, as scouts, general managers, and coaches across the league gather at Lucas Oil Stadium to evaluate the exclusive pool of invited athletes who perform mental and physical tests. 

These evaluations consist of position-specific drills, physical and injury evaluations, Cybex testing, 20-yard shuttle, 40-yard dash, 60-yard shuttle, broad jump, vertical jump, three-cone drill, 225-pound bench press, S2 cognition testing, and 15-minute interviews. 

An athlete’s performance at the combine can heavily influence their draft stock for better or worse. Rising to the occasion with the glaring spotlight shining on you is a terrific first impression. Underperforming could result in a significant draft tumble. 

By the time this batch of rookies take the field as pros, North Carolina sports betting will be underway in the Tar Heel State. Whether you want to bet on your favorite Tar Heels in the NFL, or the Carolina Panthers, you will be able to next season once sports betting goes live on March 11th!

The 2024 NFL Combine is slated for February 26th to March 4th. Here are some of the biggest freak performances from North Carolina college players in the combine's history. 

2005 Vertical Jump: North Carolina S Gerald Sensabaugh (46.0)

North Carolina safety Gerald Sensabaugh holds the distinction of having the best vertical jump at the combine since 1999 with an astounding score of 46 inches at the 2005 event. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Sensabaugh edged future five-time Pro Bowl defensive end/linebacker Cameron Wake by .05 in the 2005 competition. 

Sensabaugh entered his college career with an impressive track and field pedigree, winning a long jump state title in 2000. Sensabaugh began at East Tennessee before spending his senior season at UNC when the Buccaneers disbanded their football team. While at East Tennessee, Sensabaugh tied an NCAA record with three blocked punts in a game vs. Georgia Southern. In his lone season with the Tar Heels, Sensabaugh had a team-high 78 tackles, an interception, five passes defended, three sacks, and 6.5 tackles for loss. 

Sensabaugh leveraged his freakish combine showing into being a fifth-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he spent the first three years of his pro career. Sensabaugh played his final three pro seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. In 112 NFL games, Sensabaugh recorded 411 tackles, 14 interceptions, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles, and two sacks. 

2007 10-Yard Split: East Carolina WR Aundrae Allison (1.43)

East Carolina wide receiver Aundrae Allison flashed his blazing speed with the best time at the 10-yard split in 2007 with a time of 1.43 seconds. Allison played at Coffeyville JUCO and Georgia Military College before his final two seasons at East Carolina. 

In 2005, Allison made history as the first East Carolina player to record 1,000+ receiving yards in a season, as he tallied 83 receptions for 1,024 yards and seven touchdowns. Allison earned First-team and Second-team All-Conference USA selections during his time with the Pirates. 

The Minnesota Vikings drafted the 6-foot, 198-pound native of Kannapolis, North Carolina in the fifth round. During his rookie season, Allison used his superb speed to set a franchise record with a 104-yard kickoff return for a touchdown vs. the Detroit Lions. 

In addition to the Vikings, Allison also spent a season apiece with the New York Jets (2009) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2011). 

2007 225-Pound Bench Press: NC State DT Tank Tyler (42)

NC State defensive tackle DeMarcus “Tank” Tyler lived up to his nickname at the 2007 NFL Combine. The massive 6-foot-2, 325-pound native of Fayetteville, North Carolina finished first in the 225-pound bench press with 42 reps. 

As a senior at NC State, Tyler tallied 87 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble en route to being a First-team All-ACC selection. For his college career, Tyler recorded 173 tackles, two fumble recoveries, and five sacks. 

Tyler was taken by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round and additionally spent time with his hometown Carolina Panthers (2009) during his short-lived NFL career.

2014 225-Pound Bench Press: North Carolina OG/C Russell Bodine (42)

North Carolina offensive guard Russell Bodine took the crown at the 2014 NFL Combine for the 225-pound bench press with 42 reps. Bodine’s total was six more than the next five highest competitors. 

The 6-foot-3, 308-pound Bodine traveled across the Virginia-North Carolina border to play three seasons with the Tar Heels. 

Bodine started at center all 12 games as a sophomore. In his junior campaign, the center was an All-ACC honorable mention. 

The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Bodine in the fourth round. Bodine started every game for the Bengals for his first four seasons. His most recent NFL season was with the Buffalo Bills in 2018.

Sports betting will be live in North Carolina on March 11th. Once it is live, be sure to stay up to date on all of the available North Carolina betting promos!

Rolando Rosa

Rolando Rosa is a South Florida native and graduate of Florida Atlantic University. Rolando is a sports editor/writer and has worked on casino content for the past few years across multiple websites. More from Rolando Rosa