NFL Combine 2024: Odds, picks for 40-yard dash, bench press and more

Predicting who the top performers will be at the NFL Scouting Combine is difficult for the most expert of draft analysts, let alone a mere betting writer like myself who prioritizes NFL viewing over college. So, I’ll be the first person to tell you the risk that comes with tailing any of these bets.

That said, we do have enough history to tell us how the typical athlete performs in each combine drill. So the key when betting on these times, reps and distances is to simply identify potential trends from year-to-year and outliers in this specific year.

That’s what I tried to do when evaluating odds for the drills of this year’s combine, which get started Thursday. These are the best bets I landed on.

Best bet: No (-650) via DraftKings

Texas Tech safety Tyler Owens has the best odds (+390) at FanDuel to post the fastest 40 time, so I’m using him as my gauge of how likely it is we’ll see a record. And I don’t think it’s likely. Owens ran in the mid-4.3 range in high school, according to Bleacher Report’s Brandon Thorn, so expecting a tick-up to 4.3-even or faster is reasonable. But getting all the way down to 4.22 is a lot to ask of a 6-foot-2, 210-pound player — no matter how great an athlete he is.

Best bet: Under (-114) via FanDuel

We may not see anyone reach that coveted 4.22 mark, but I’m willing to bet one of these freak athletes breaks 4.27. The reason is because though only six players have ever ran a 4.26 or better at the combine, three of those have been in the last two years — Kalon Barnes (2022), Tariq Woolen (2022) and DJ Turner (2023). Players are getting faster, not slower.

Best bet: Over 37.5 (-114) via FanDuel

According to Pro Football Network, the average amount of reps for linemen — who typically post the most reps — is between 30 and 39. However, all it takes is one to get into a groove for this over to cash, so I’m looking at the higher end of that range. At least one player has hit 38 reps in six of the last 10 combines.

Best bet: Higher (-110) via DraftKings

I was very firmly on the side of lower for this bet, then I came across Keon Coleman’s name and completely flipped. As bettors know, all it takes is one flimsy thing to convince you of which side to lay your money, and for me that was a random Instagram post citing an unverified 45-inch vertical for Coleman. But it makes sense! The Florida State wide receiver also played basketball at Michigan State, and we’ve seen that leaping talent translate on the field. If he doesn’t get it done, hopefully someone else does.

Best bet: Shorter (-115) via DraftKings

There has been just one one broad jump of this distance in the last two years, so I’m not counting on it happening this year. If it does, though, 40-yard dash favorite Tyler Owens is a good candidate to make it happen.

Best bet: Faster (-110) via DraftKings

This is a very lofty time to expect someone to beat considering there hasn’t been a sub-3.9 shuttle at the combine since 2017. However, as is the theme with many of these bets, all it takes is one player to do it, and Roman Wilson might be that guy this year. The Michigan receiver is already clocked at 3.77 in the shuttle, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.